SA Rugby’s franchise committee is currently deliberating which two unions to cut but already there is movement to signify that the two Super Rugby teams that are ousted from the competition are likely to move into a new international competition as early as 2019, and in a totally new market.
The key to this move, which has been impossible until now, has been the agreement by World Rugby to adopt a global season, and already there is a willingness to look at new and lucrative competitions across the globe that may well include two South African teams.
However, despite speculation on this, it seems unlikely that a South African team will move to the Pro12 competition in Europe in 2018, with any new competition likely to only take place in 2019 for the teams affected.
One of the complications with Europe is that the broadcasting and competition contracts have been signed until 2023, and with the 2017/18 season starting in less than two months, any move to the Pro12 will need to take place in that space, with just too little time to negotiate a new team into the competition.
