Australia and New Zealand rugby officials still hope to include South Africa in the new Super tournament despite negotiations between the three unions having reached an impasse. Plans for an Asia-Pacific competition are being drawn up in case an agreement cannot be reached.
Time is running out before a package to be presented to broadcasters must be agreed and there is now a possibility South Africa may be excluded, the NZRU chief executive Steve Tew claimed.
"We remain committed to an expanded Super rugby competition from 2011 in partnership with South Africa, but it is fair to say those negotiations have been going for a long time and the clock is ticking," Tew said. "However, both New Zealand and Australia are determined to deliver a competition of the highest integrity even if we don't have South Africa involved.
"I'm still working very hard to ensure that they are, but we are at an impasse and time to make a decision is nearing."
The current southern hemisphere Super 14 format involves teams from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand but contingency plans are now being drawn up such as including teams from Japan and the Pacific Islands, but not North America.
"New Zealand and Australia are also determined to deliver a competition of the highest integrity to supporters and broadcasters and believe South African calls for further compromise will impact on that commitment," he said. "Talks will therefore continue on an alternative plan – an Asia-Pacific competition – to ensure a valuable and viable tournament is ready for implementation."
The deadline to present an expanded competition to broadcasters is 30 June, Tew added. The current broadcast agreement runs until after the 2010 Super rugby and Tri-Nations season.
Tew said there was no threat to the Tri-Nations test series, even if South Africa did not play in the Super rugby competition. "All three countries recognise the importance of the Tri-Nations to us. We are all aware of the great testing of each other's teams and the great commercial value that brings to us."
The South Africans want a revamped competition, which is likely to have 15 teams based in geographical conferences, to start in February so as not to affect the domestic Currie Cup, while the NZRU and ARU want it to begin in March.
The Australasians also proposed the competition continue without national squad players during the June test window, when northern hemsiphere teams tour – an option dismissed by South Africa, Tew said.
The ARU chief executive John O'Neill said that a competition without South Africa could start with 10 teams based in Australia and New Zealand with the possibility of Japanese teams joining later.
"You could add one more team or three more teams and make it a Super 10 or Super 12. Down the track you could have two teams based in Japan. It's time-zone friendly."
Australia's fifth team would likely be based in Melbourne or on Queensland's Gold Coast.
Tew said a competition without South Africa might not be too damaging commercially. "Everyone's preference is for a three-way competition," he said. "But if the best players in Australasia are playing and the possibility of expanding it into Japan those things would all excite broadcasters."
