There is nothing more traditional than the Canterbury Crusaders as Super Rugby champions but a record eighth title for the New Zealand powerhouse will do nothing to remove the question marks over the future of the competition. While South Africa has already dropped two, the Australian Rugby Union is still locked in the messy process of choosing to cull either the Melbourne Rebels or Perth-based Western Force. South African Rugby had no such issues and cut adrift the Port Elizabeth-based Kings and Bloemfontein’s Cheetahs at the end of the regular season. Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty ImagesIt is that decision which could have the greatest ramifications for the future of Super Rugby after the current broadcast agreement expires in 2020. That would take Australasian rugby back to amateur days of 1992 when a forerunner of Super Rugby, the Super Six, involved the Fiji team, three New Zealand provincial sides and two Australian state teams.

Source: The Guardian August 06, 2017 04:43 UTC