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Lions, Sharks and Stormers to join pro 14.

What about Bulls? Will they stay in SR until everything is secure.
 
Surely the Bulls come too? Then there's three conferences of 6. SA conference, UK Conference, EU Conference, not terribly unbalanced but the Saffas would have it the toughest.
 
Irish would also have it easy with the Italians.

Fixtures would be good with 10 conference games, guaranteeing home and away in country, followed by 12 inter conference, home or away, keeping 22 rounds.

Play off would be conference winners plus best 3 non winners from any conference

Best 2 conference winners would have byes, and follow current set up for play offs.
 
Wouldn't mind if that happens allowing the Saffas into the champions cup.

Have 6 pools of 4 (26 teams), 6 winners going through and 2 highest runners up.
Champions cup winners + Runners up.
Challenge cup winners.
Top 7 of each comp.

Expanded the challenge cup to include other nations teams like a German team, Spanish, Portuguese etc etc to make up the drop in numbers in that comp.
 
I think they'd all (Sharks, Bulls, Stormers, Lions) have to go. Also I imagine they'd all have to be eligible for European Champions Cup.

What would happen to the championship?
 
Disaster for NZ rugby though. They need South African TV money and time zone (european market) to keep their players.
 
This story is not being reported in the South African press or on any of the SR team websites, or their associate provincial team websites.

Judging by the disaster that has been the Cheetahs and the Kings efforts in pro14 (have the Kings actually won a game yet?) I doubt these three will be too quick to jump in.

This looks like more mental wanking from the northern press.
 
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Same story is running on the42.ie.

This is huge for the current Pro 14 if true. They've already seen their TV revenue double in the latest deal and adding a further 3 or 4 South African teams would see it jump again. They'd go from being the poor cousin of the Top 14 and Premiership to their financial equal pretty quickly.
 
smartcooky said:
This story is not being reported in the South African press or on any of the SR team websites, or their associate provincial team websites.

Judging by the disaster that has been the Cheetahs and the Kings efforts in pro14 (have the Kings actually won a game yet?) I doubt the will be too quick to jump in.

This looks like more mental wanking from the northern press.
Click to expand...

Was it a disaster? Got into the 1/4 finals. (or semi qualifiers whatever it was)
Kings did beat the Dragons.
 
Tigs Man said:
Wouldn't mind if that happens allowing the Saffas into the champions cup.

Have 6 pools of 4 (26 teams), 6 winners going through and 2 highest runners up.
Champions cup winners + Runners up.
Challenge cup winners.
Top 7 of each comp.

Expanded the challenge cup to include other nations teams like a German team, Spanish, Portuguese etc etc to make up the drop in numbers in that comp.
Click to expand...


Maths not your strong suit Tigs?
 
smartcooky said:
This story is not being reported in the South African press or on any of the SR team websites, or their associate provincial team websites.

Judging by the disaster that has been the Cheetahs and the Kings efforts in pro14 (have the Kings actually won a game yet?) I doubt the will be too quick to jump in.

This looks like more mental wanking from the northern press.
Click to expand...
"Disaster" - Cheetahs second playoff appearance in international competition ever...

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it isn't credible!
 
Tigs Man said:
Was it a disaster? Got into the 1/4 finals. (or semi qualifiers whatever it was)
Click to expand...

How hard its it to get into the quarter finals when you only have to avoid being one of the bottom three in your group?
 
smartcooky said:
How hard its it to get into the quarter finals when you only have to avoid being one of the bottom three in your group?
Click to expand...

Bottom 4 actually.
and they won 12 games the last time they won, to put in perspective the most wins the cheetahs have ever had in super rugby was 10.
So was it really a disaster for them?
 
The Alpha Bro said:
"Disaster" - Cheetahs second playoff appearance in international competition ever...

Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it isn't credible!
Click to expand...

The point is there doesn't seem to be a word about this from South Africa. When the Cheetahs and Kings went, it was reported there first; Supersport were all over the story. This one, the same as when the Bulls were going to join Pro 14 this year. Remember that? What did we hear from South African news outlets about that story? Crickets! It wasn't even reported at all.

ETA: when I see it in the SA press, then I will believe it has some credibility. Walesonline is not exactly a reliable news source. Until I see this story in a reliable news source, I'll regard this one with all the credibility of a Daily Flail headline that reads "Alien Flying Saucers Land in Hyde Park!!"
 
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I think this would be good for the Pro14 and for SA as I'd like to think a few Southern Hemisphere eyes have been opened to the quality of play in the league (when full strength sides play).

But as I've said before this could easily be the SARU leaking something in Europe to strengthen their negotiating position in SANZAAR.
 
this will end super as we know it. saffa's and kiwi's going at each other is why i tune into superRugby
this wont be good for SA and NZ rugby.

hope youre right smart cooky
 

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