THE first step of Sanzar's grand plan to revitalise Super rugby was revealed yesterday with the decision that from next year it will change from a final-four to a top-six format.
As revealed in the Herald several months ago, Sanzar stressed that apart from a longer finals series, plans to expand the Super 14 competition by including extra teams and a longer season were scheduled to come to fruition in 2010. This is expected to involve new teams from Australia and South Africa, the possibility of sides in Tokyo and Los Angeles, and a Super season that could be more than six months long.
After continued pressure, Sanzar decided at its two-day meeting in Perth that a final four was too restrictive for a 14-team competition, and that a top six had to be introduced.
However, there was confusion over the details of the proposed finals format, especially as Sanzar announced that the finals series would last only three weeks - just seven days longer than the current formula. It would also involve just two more games.
Sanzar officials said they had yet to agree on the finals format. However the most obvious formula would involve the top two teams having the first week of the finals series off, while the third-placed team played the sixth team in one elimination final, and fourth played fifth in the other.
The two winners would play the following week against either the top-ranked side or number two in semi-finals. Then the two winners would play in the final.
But there is a serious concern that Sanzar could consider a conference divisional-style final series, where each country would be represented.
If they adopt this system, Sanzar would open itself up to the criticism that it would not provide reward to the best teams in the competition, especially if one country's provinces had a poor tournament.
At least Sanzar yesterday conceded that the Super 14 needed "spicing up".
Officials appear eager to expand Super football at the expense of inbound northern hemisphere tours, especially if the European sides continue to send under-strength squads.
Sanzar chief executive Jonathan Stones said: "There has been efforts made to ensure that the sides which come south in the June window are the best available. But we haven't seen a manifestation of that yet."
