http://www.stuff.co.nz/4109053a1823.html

Rugby broadcast rights holder News Ltd is frustrated by another downgraded rugby competition after South Africa dispatched an understrength Springboks squad to the Tri-Nations matches in Australia and New Zealand.


The relationship between News Ltd, which bankrolls professional rugby in the southern hemisphere, and its Sanzar (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia) partners has already been strained since New Zealand decided to withdraw its star players from the first half of this year's Super 14.

While News Ltd is still trying to quantify its losses from the All Blacks conditioning programme during the Super 14, it is now faced with a virtual Springboks B-team for the remainder of the Tri-Nations.

"No, we are not impressed with that," News Ltd spokesman Greg Baxter said yesterday.

Baxter was reluctant to speak in more detail before discussing the issue with some key people in his organisation but said South Africa's decision would not help the relationship between News Ltd and Sanzar.

He said that a possible compensation claim for the Super 14 against the New Zealand Rugby Union was still being discussed. "No decision has been made yet on the Super 14 but it is still a live issue as far as we are concerned."

He added that action over a depleted Springboks side could go down the same path.

"I guess those (actions) would be similar to the options we looked at for the Super 14 competition. We'll need to talk among ourselves but also to the actual broadcasters in the three countries and get their feedback before we can finalise our view and take that back to Sanzar."

The heads of the New Zealand and Australian unions today plan to have a telephone conference with their South African counterpart to persuade the Springboks to field a stronger team.

NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs admitted it was probably a long shot.

"Whether there can be any meaningful outcome or change to what has been announced is probably doubtful, but we will wait and see."

Furious Australian Rugby Union (ARU) officials meanwhile are threatening to replace the fixture with an extra Bledisloe Cup clash.

The move followed attempts by the ARU via email on Monday night to encourage South Africa to reconsider its selection, but the responses received were "contemptuous", according to ARU spokesman Brian West.

"The word contemptuous is most appropriate because we sought assurances, both New Zealand and ourselves, and as recently as late last week we were receiving those assurances (that South Africa would send a full-strength side)," West said.

"We sent a full-strength side there, as did New Zealand. And not a word."

West said an option being considered by the ARU yesterday was to cancel the Springboks fixture at Telstra Stadium and replace it with an extra Bledisloe Cup.

Wallabies coach John Connolly was keen on the concept but West admitted that existing broadcasting contracts with South Africa might block such a change. It is also doubtful whether the All Blacks would be keen to put the Bledisloe Cup on the line in a third match, especially in Sydney.

Meanwhile, Hobbs said the NZRU had not been caught napping by South Africa's plan but said their decision still came as a "surprise".

"There is speculation and rumour around rugby all the time," Hobbs said.

"If I listened to all of that, I wouldn't get out of bed."

Both Sanzar – the body which controls the Tri-Nations and Super 14 competitions – and Hobbs asked the South Africans if the stories were true, and they denied them.

SARU defended its decision in a statement yesterday. "A large number of players were extremely exhausted as a result of a demanding five-week period of test match rugby and an equally demanding Super 14 competition," it said.

"A total of nine players are now injured and, given the status of these coupled with the fatigue of others, it would not have been advisable for management to allow these players to travel to Australasia."