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SANZAR delays Super 14 playoff expansion to 2010

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-29 17:19

CAPE TOWN - Expansion of the Super 14's playoff format will have to wait until 2010 after the rugby boards of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia (SANZAR) were unable to reach an agreement.

SANZAR confirmed the decision in a news release on Wednesday after they were unable to agree on a format for the planned six-team playoffs during a teleconference a day earlier.

Next year's Super 14 and Tri-Nations competitions would continue to trial 13 experimental law variations (ELVs), in addition to those that have been on global trial since August, SANZAR confirmed.

In May the International Rugby Board gave its approval for SANZAR to extend the experimentation process.

"These were major issues with major implications in the different markets and we could not reach a consensus on either issue," said Andy Marinos, SANZAR's managing director.

"We would all like to have gone to a six-team playoff series in 2009 and accepted that principle at our July meeting in Perth, but we could not agree on the play-off structure that was to be adopted and .... we opted to remain with the status quo."

The Super 14 at present follows a league format with the top four reaching the semi-finals.

Marinos also said they were unable to agree on a common approach on the ELVs and would therefore maintain the current situation.