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Gentlemen:
Over the past 48 hours there have been a number of reports emanating from New Zealand and Australia concerning a hybrid tournament of the Super 14.
Interesting proposals, but it clearly reveals the market is ready for change and that the SANZAR announcement last month of the expansion of the Super 14 finals to a Top Six play-offs series next year, does not adequately address the problematic issues SANZAR faces, besides which, you have contractual agreements which end 31st May 2010.
Please will you and your Unions consider the following solution for SANZAR, in advance of you visiting South Africa and provide us SANZAR Rugby Supporters with your comments so we can all progress this option.
In a Top Down exercise SANZAR expands the Tri-Nations to a Five Nations and simultaneously provides Super 14 rugby with an additional inventory and attractive rugby spectacle, by introducing a revamped Super 14 competition format with commercial sponsorships, to a greater television audience.
Not in 2010, but in 2008.
We suggest that SANZAR consider an option on the way forward to be:
1. The Tri-Nations expands to the Five Nations with the inclusion of Argentina and a composite Pacific Islands team. This can roll out in 2009.
2. The Super 14, still with 14 teams, could be as follows:
a. South Africa to have six (five plus one) franchises with the fifth-placed South African franchise in the Super 14, to play the sixth franchise in a relegation and promotion Tri-Game Series (Home, Away & Neutral territory)
b. New Zealand to have six (five plus one) franchises with the fifth- or last placed New Zealand franchise in the Super 14, to play the sixth franchise in a relegation and promotion Tri-Game Series (Home, Away & Neutral territory)
c. Australia to have five (four plus one) franchises with the fourth- or last placed Australian franchise in the Super 14, to play the fifth franchise in a relegation and promotion Tri-Game Series (Home, Away & Neutral Territory)
d. The three SANZAR franchises not competing in the Super 14 from Feb-May each year, play in a new round robin S14 Challenger Series tournament against an Argentinean side and a Pacific Islands side, which tournament is offered to free-to-air national television and radio broadcasters, in each of the SANZAR territories.
(This has the net effect of immediately slowing the migration of players to Europe by retaining each country’s player asset base and ensuring that the Super 14 rugby product, with the Top Six play-offs, is the optimum television viewing and commercial property with a remodelled, commercially viable product).
SANZAR, are now in the unique position of presenting a coherent, far reaching, strategic rugby solution in 2008, that is capable of remedying the enormous financial and political challenges we all face in our respective Unions.
Best of all it can be implemented with minimum to zero disruption of the existing Super 14 tournament that ends the 31st May 2010.
Please do advise us of your comments with a media statement within the next 4 weeks.
And you the Rugby Supporter go right ahead and make your voice heard.
Yours in Rugby,
South African, New Zealand & Australian rugby supporters.