SANZAR hold expansion talks

Thursday 03rd July 2008

SANZAR (South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby) officials met in Wellington on Tuesday and Wednesday with representatives from the Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR), Rugby Canada and USA Rugby to discuss expansion options for SANZAR's competitions.

SANZAR and SA Rugby Chairman Mpumelelo Tshume, SANZAR CEO and SA Rugby Managing Director Jonathan Stones, New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) CEO Steve Tew and Australian Rugby Union (ARU) Deputy CEO Matt Carroll held talks with UAR Council Member Ricardo Garcia Fernandez and fellow UAR representative Agustin Pichot; Rugby Canada Chairman Rick Bourne and CEO Graham Brown; and USA Rugby CEO Nigel Melville.

Mr Stones said the discussions had been "constructive, open and frank."

"It was very much an information-sharing discussion with all parties. We gave an update on the state of SANZAR rugby at both Super 14 and Tri-Nations level and, in turn, each country presented their capabilities and vision for the future," Mr Stones said.

SANZAR has meetings scheduled with officials from Japan in Hong Kong later this month and with the Pacific Island nations of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

Mr Stones said information from the meetings would be discussed at the next SANZAR workshop in Perth, Australia, on 15 - 17 July. Potential scenarios for SANZAR's future will be developed in more depth at the meeting.

SANZAR aims to have a range of proposals to present to broadcasters by no later than June 2009.