Irae Simone of the Brumbies takes on the Reds defence. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has potentially set the cat among the pigeons by revealing plans that the country may soon exit Super Rugby at the conclusion of next year’s tournament.
In a dossier by Fox Sport, McLennan informed his New Zealand Rugby counterpart Stewart Mitchell over dinner they were looking to end their involvement “to see what’s best for rugby in Australia leading up to the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027”.
South Africa and Argentina were culled from Super Rugby at the height of Covid-19 in 2020.
“All bets are off from 2024 onwards with NZ,” McLennan reportedly told Mitchell.
The report states that RA is considering a domestic-only competition.
Currently, the Super Rugby Pacific is in its finals round this weekend and will be battled out between the Crusaders and the Blues.
The competition has seen the inclusion of Fijian teams, while the Australian sides gave a good account of themselves throughout the slow-burner season.
According to the publication, RA have the support of their stakeholders, with Super Rugby franchises backing the governing body.
Brumbies chairman Matt Nobbs said: “I can definitely say that all the Super Rugby chairs are behind the thoughts of Rugby Australia and definitely want to explore, as we rightly should be able to, explore our options moving forward.”
Australia will host Rugby World Cup showpieces in 2027 and 2029
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won’t be billed.
Discussion about this post