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At least one more South African team could be set for Pro14 switch - reports
By
Ian Cameron
As many as three South African sides could be on the verge of making the switch to European Rugby – according to a report in the Irish Times.
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The Natal Sharks are said to be eager to make the move and follow both the Toyota Cheetahs and the Southern Kings to the largely European based PRO14.
The Bulls, Stormers and the Lions could well follow suit.
The Cheetahs have seen some success in the PRO14, making it through to the semi-playoffs, before falling to the Scarlets in Llanelli yesterday.
The news comes as the Pro14 secured a new television deal which is purported to have brought rights revenues from $12 million to nearer to €30 million.
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The South African Super Rugby franchises are widely thought to be growing weary of the current Super Rugby arrangement, which has had a number of troubling years in which both television audiences and match attendances have fallen.
The current Super Rugby deal is set to run to 2020, when it is expected that the tournament could receive yet another major overhaul.
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It is also likely that South Africa’s Super Rugby franchise could use a threatened entrance into the Pro14 and exit from Super Rugby as a bargaining chip in a bid to broker a more favourable Super Rugby deal.
Last week the PRO14 signed a ‘landmark’ partnership with Premier Sports and FreeSports to broadcast every game from the Guinness PRO14 live in High Definition across the UK and Northern Ireland for at least the next three years.
The agreement from the 2018-19 season means supporters in the UK, including Northern Ireland, can experience the Guinness PRO14 like never before with all 152 games broadcast in High Definition on Premier Sports HD, with no less than 21 games (one per round) shown live Free-To-Air on FreeSports.
Martin Anayi, CEO, PRO14 Rugby, said: “The arrival of eir sport alongside Premier Sports in the UK will be a game-changer for the Guinness PRO14. It is another bold step in raising our Championship to new levels and unlocking its vast potential.”
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South Africa and the PRO14 have been solidifying links in recents months.
Last month SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux and Springbok Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus joined the board of the PRO14.
The Pro14’s expansion this season to include the Cheetahs and the Southern Kings to become the only club championship in world rugby to unite the Northern and Southern Hemispheres has been reinforced by the appointments.
Pro14 Rugby Chief Executive Martin Anayi, Commercial & Marketing Director Dermot Rigley and Tournament Director David Jordan joined Roux and Erasmus at the match between the Cheetahs and Munster in Bloemfontein on Friday, following a series of productive meetings with local stakeholders.
“To have the CEO and the Director of Rugby of another Tier One nation join the Board is another important step forward for the Pro14 Rugby and for the relationship with South African rugby,” said Anayi.
“We have made great strides this season in expanding into a new territory in keeping with the DNA of the championship as a pioneering cross-border competition and these appointments only serve to re-inforce that progress.”
Roux said: “Our expansion into the Pro14 in 2017 heralded a new era for South African rugby and was one of the most exciting new ventures in a long time in our game.
“I am looking forward to working even more closely together with our friends from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Italy as rugby moves closer to a global calendar and the game becomes even more accessible to new and untapped markets.”
Erasmus, who coached Irish province Munster, said: “I had the privilege of coaching in the Pro14, and it found it to be very competitive and hugely popular. To serve on the Board will be a great honour and I am looking forward to working with the other directors.
“The competition has opened a new door to South African players and coaches, with our two franchise teams playing against some of the best players in Europe on a weekly basis and in very different weather conditions. We can only benefit from our involvement in this competition.”
Additional reporting: Rugby 365
