Pacific islands rugby could be included along with Japan and Argentina in a proposed new Super rugby competition in 2010.
Under an expanded US conference-style Super rugby series currently being pushed by the SANZAR unions, a Pacific islands franchise would be based in New Zealand with the five New Zealand franchises. A Japanese side would be based with five other teams in Australia while an Argentine squad would be based in South Africa with five local sides.
The 18 team series would start in March, running through to August. Teams would play all the sides in their own US-style conference home and away, then every other side in the other conferences before an extended finals series.
The SANZAR test programme would follow with end of year tours to the Northern Hemisphere.
The proposed new Super rugby series is designed to create more interest in the flagging Super 14 which has yielded just one full house game in the current 2008 season.
The proposed competition which is supported by the New Zealand Rugby Union will be on the agenda when SANZAR meets in Apia, Samoa later this month. Already officials have discussed the proposal at a recent IRB meeting in London.
Provincial and club competitions would run exist as semi-professional entities, running simultaneously with the Super rugby conference system.
While it may be the good news Pacific rugby is waiting for, the proposed system will mean none of the Pacific islanders games will be played in the island nations, and it would conflict with European competitions where the majority of the island players are based. A Pacific islander team therefore would be made up mostly of players based in the islands, Australia and New Zealand.
