SANZAR
Encyclopedia
SANZAR is the body which operates Super Rugby and Tri Nations competitions in rugby union
. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union
, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union
, formed in 1996.
Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two products were the Super 12 (now Super Rugby) and the Tri-Nations test series. This concept was developed by Queensland Rugby Union CEO Terry Doyle, NSW CEO
David Moffett
and Australian Rugby Union CEO Bruce Hayman. To fund the competition SANZAR looked to News Limited
, eventually being offered $555 million over 10 years for worldwide television rights. Rian Oberholzer was the first CEO of SANZAR.
SANZAR meets annually and is composed of the three CEOs from its member unions. In 2007 it has been criticised as powerless due to its inability to stop New Zealand removing its top 22 players from the Super 14 competition and inability to stop South Africa from removing players from the Tri-Nations.
Argentina
officially joined the Rugby Championship in a meeting in Buenos Aires
on November 23, 2011
to fifteen teams in 2011, voicing its support for the concept generally but disagreeing over its length and format. On 6 May 2009, however, ARU Chief Executive John O'Neill
warned that the South Africans, would be the real losers, missing out altogether and potentially losing players, if they went ahead with the split. "The joint venture must remain intact," he urged. "I have dealt with the South Africans for years in business
and sport
. Part of their DNA
is to take it to the brink. There's a moment when they will realise they have taken it far enough." On 20 May 2009, SANZAR announced it had reached agreement on a new deal involving all three nations. Details of the new deal are:
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. It is a joint venture of the South African Rugby Union
South African Rugby Union
The South African Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board...
, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union
Australian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
, formed in 1996.
Created shortly after rugby's move to professionalism in 1995, SANZAR's two products were the Super 12 (now Super Rugby) and the Tri-Nations test series. This concept was developed by Queensland Rugby Union CEO Terry Doyle, NSW CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
David Moffett
David Moffett
David Moffett is an executive businessman who was notably the Group Chief Executive of the Welsh Rugby Union from 2002 until 2005 and Australia's National Rugby League from 1999 until 2001.-Biography:...
and Australian Rugby Union CEO Bruce Hayman. To fund the competition SANZAR looked to News Limited
News Limited
News Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The publicly listed company's interests span newspaper and magazine publishing, Internet, Pay TV, National Rugby League, market research, DVD and film distribution, and film and television production trading assets.News Limited...
, eventually being offered $555 million over 10 years for worldwide television rights. Rian Oberholzer was the first CEO of SANZAR.
SANZAR meets annually and is composed of the three CEOs from its member unions. In 2007 it has been criticised as powerless due to its inability to stop New Zealand removing its top 22 players from the Super 14 competition and inability to stop South Africa from removing players from the Tri-Nations.
Argentina
Argentina national rugby union team
The Argentina national rugby team, nicknamed Los Pumas, represents Argentina in international rugby union matches. The team, which plays in sky blue and white jerseys, is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union .Argentina played its first international rugby match in 1910 against a touring British...
officially joined the Rugby Championship in a meeting in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
on November 23, 2011
Potential South African secession
In 2009 there emerged concerns that SARU might opt to breakaway from the alliance over a dispute about the proposed plan to expand the Super 14Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
to fifteen teams in 2011, voicing its support for the concept generally but disagreeing over its length and format. On 6 May 2009, however, ARU Chief Executive John O'Neill
John O'Neill (sport administrator)
John O'Neill is an Australian sporting administrator. He has been involved with both rugby union and football at the national level, after being head of the NSW State Bank...
warned that the South Africans, would be the real losers, missing out altogether and potentially losing players, if they went ahead with the split. "The joint venture must remain intact," he urged. "I have dealt with the South Africans for years in business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
. Part of their DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
is to take it to the brink. There's a moment when they will realise they have taken it far enough." On 20 May 2009, SANZAR announced it had reached agreement on a new deal involving all three nations. Details of the new deal are:
- Effective in 2011, Super Rugby will expand to 15 teams, and split into three conferences, each with five teams and based in one of the three nations. The four current Australian teams will be joined by a new team in the Australia conference; this license was later awarded to the Melbourne RebelsMelbourne RebelsThe Melbourne Rebels are a professional rugby union team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They made their debut in SANZAR's Super Rugby tournament in 2011. They are the first privately owned professional rugby union team in Australia...
. - At the same time, the regular season will expand to 16 matches (8 home, 8 away). Each team will play a double round-robin within its home conference, and play single matches against four teams from each of the other conferences.
- The Super 15 will take three weeks off in June for the mid-year Tests.
- The play-offs will expand to six teams, with the conference winners joined by the three non-winners with the most competition points without regard to conference affiliation. The two conference winners with the most competition points receive a first-round bye.
- The Tri Nations will open each year in South Africa, and conclude with two of the three Bledisloe CupBledisloe CupRugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
matches between Australia and New Zealand that fall within the Tri Nations. This will allow Springboks to be released early for their domestic competition, the Currie CupCurrie CupThe Currie Cup tournament is South Africa's premier domestic rugby union competition, played each winter and spring , featuring teams representing either entire provinces or substantial regions within provinces...
.
See also
- Argentine Rugby Union
- Australian Rugby UnionAustralian Rugby UnionThe Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
- New Zealand Rugby Union
- South African Rugby UnionSouth African Rugby UnionThe South African Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board...
- Super Rugby
- Tri Nations