Sanzar Considers World Club Play-off
A proposal to stage the long-awaited ‘battle of the hemispheres’, the Super 14 champions against the Heineken Cup winners, is set to be considered by SANZAR.
The match has reportedly been proposed by Premier Rugby Limited (PRL) and the board is worried that if a deal is not done soon then promoters from outside of the sport may take advantage and hijack the concept.
Mark McCafferty, the PRL chief executive, said: ‘Our clubs, as well as those in Europe and the southern hemisphere, have had approaches from Monaco, Abu Dhabi and, most recently, from South Africa. If the stakeholders within rugby don’t create this, somebody else will and we’ll find an outsider coming in.’
When the competition could take place has proved the main stumbling block in the proposal in previous years but 2011 could lend itself to such a proposal because, being an IRB World Cup year, there are no scheduled spring tours.
SANZAR is now reportedly ready to consider the proposal, especially considering the possible revenue the match could generate – with Queensland and other teams reportedly struggling financially.
