Pro 12 to become Pro 14 maybe Pro 15

[jackthelad]

Don't tell Hollywood Mike but I believe the Free State Cheetahs have cheerleaders!

I thought the Free State Cheaters were Plug, Lacey and that sort of ilk.

[TheSnapper]

image.jpeg (34.72 KiB) Viewed 801 times

[Dave]

How many did McIlroy plug?

[Russ]

How many did McIlroy plug?

He carries 14 clubs

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[UlsterNo9]

Little bit more information about the money involved.


https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3147116

Pro12 will be expanded to include two South African teams

Pro 12 teams are to receive €500,000 each to cover costs after accepting two South African sides into the league for this coming season, The Irish Times has learned.

Television money, believed to increase by €12 million, has paved the way for the discarded Super Rugby franchises, the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, to enter a newly expanded Pro 14 championship.

The league would be split into two conferences of seven with the loss of home match revenue covered by three rounds of interprovincials – the Irish provinces currently play each other twice, home and away – despite the congestion this would cause in an already well stocked fixture list.

The top three sides in each conference would progress to the play-offs in a similar situation to the French league whereby the top two teams would be waiting in the semi-finals.

The move appears attractive to title sponsors Guinness and broadcast partners Sky Sports as they can move into the African market.

With Super Rugby reduced from 18 to 15 sides next season, the South African squads are scrambling to keep elite rugby in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein.

“Super Rugby is an incoherent tournament and supporters have voted with their feet and their eyeballs,” Tony McKeever former chief executive of the Southern Spears told The Guardian after Sanzar opted to keep Japan and Argentina teams while cutting the two South African sides and one Australian. “They are not watching because the product has gone stale.”

The Kings and the Cheetahs conclude their Super Rugby season on July 14th, after which the majority of their players are out of contract.

The Guardian is also reporting that the Cheetahs have called a meeting Friday with all their contracted players to outline their futures. For the Kings, the situation is more complex. While the Cheetahs franchise is owned by Free State Rugby, South African rugby union effectively oversees the Kings after the Eastern Province Rugby Union went into liquidation in 2016.

Plenty of issues remain unresolved. Qualification for the Champions Cup may be muddied by the South Africans presence and it remains unclear just how competitive these two teams can be with such a short preparation time. Then there is the travel issue.

Also, the door has not been closed on at least one US franchise joining the old Celtic League.

“This is all about primary markets,” said Martin Anayi, Pro 12 chief executive last year. “We can’t be in England, we can’t be in France, so where are the other big primary markets? There is a big continent called North America that everyone is looking at. Our unions believe in the same thing: that the best way for USA Rugby to become a tier-one nation is through our tournament.”

[UlsterNo9]

Sounds like the South Africans are dipping their toe in the water.

http://sport.iafrica.com/rugby/1052631.html

The Cheetahs and Southern Kings could pave the way for more South African teams to dump SANZAAR and head north.

However, more significantly, they could also compete in other European competitions - the Champions and Challenge Cup tournaments.

This revelations was made by South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux, when he explained the reasoning and process that resulted in the Cheetahs and Kings stepping away from Super Rugby.

"We are very grateful towards the Kings and the Cheetahs," Roux told a media briefing, adding: "We endorse their strategic drive towards other competitions, diversity in where we play and possible proof of concept of whether a venture into the north is viable for South Africa."

Roux was adamant that the two franchises were not "pushed".

"I can categorically state that no one was forced into this process," the SARU boss said.

He added that the Cheetahs and Kings "voluntary" made the decision.

"They all have agreements in place till 2019," he said, adding: "They could have put their foot down and challenged those agreements in court."

While Roux was reluctant to reveal exactly what competitions the Kings and Cheetahs may enter, he admitted and expanded Pro12 (or Pro12) is not the only venture on the table.

"What I can confirm is that there is negotiations about competitions in the north."

He said these negotiations are "extremely far" down the line.

"They could play in the same competition or more than one competitions," Roux said, adding that SARU is making the right strategic moves.

"We have never had proof of concept and we don't know if that is going to work, in terms of viewership and spectators.

"Are people interested in seeing us playing Toulon or Toulouse?

"We have looked at South African [TV] viewership [of European competitions] in terms of Sunday matches and the numbers are scary.

"We have an inclination that, that might work.

"This will allow us to look at our own structures, possibly in the spreading of our own players.

"We can get our franchises to work together and spread the players across the board."

Roux also said the quality of the game the north should not be underestimate."

[Eggs]

They are very lucky that season tickets are long sold. I would not have renewed and paid all that money for effectively only 6 competitive home games rather than the 11 promised. I have no interest in a few extra friendlies against other provinces.

Yet again we are suffering with a decision which will make the accountants happy but the supporters suffer.

[Gerald the Mole]

Intetpros will be no more than A games and a farce,

[ColinM]

They are very lucky that season tickets are long sold. I would not have renewed and paid all that money for effectively only 6 competitive home games rather than the 11 promised. I have no interest in a few extra friendlies against other provinces.

Yet again we are suffering with a decision which will make the accountants happy but the supporters suffer.

I'd suggest if/when this happens you would be entitled to cancel and claim a full refund on the basis you signed up to a different deal.

I neglected to buy a ST for the first time in some time or I would be onto UR to make the point.

[Bart S]

I'm with BR on this ine. I foresee a shambkes which could end in tears. hoping soemthing decent can be sorted for the following season.

[Neill_M]

Need to get some official announcement re format/number of games etc instead of the rumours and speculation.

Hoping it will work, the devil will be in the detail.


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[mea97mb]

Need to get some official announcement re format/number of games etc instead of the rumours and speculation.

Hoping it will work, the devil will be in the detail.


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I read somewhere that an announcement is due to be made on Saturday after the cheetahs and kings play their last super rugby match ironically against eachother.

[Dave]

Forget the altitude, will the SA sides cope with the ravenspan microclimate?

[TheSnapper]

They are still debating the format ! Bit unfair on Saffer teams having just finished their season. Saffer teams are having player meetings after Saturdays game

[Dave]

I'm sure the SA sides would like to know the format before meeting with the players. The whole thing needs sorted ASAP.