New Zealand gives its OK for integration of two new franchises in Super Rugby 2022

New Zealand Rugby Federation, New zealand rugbySigned its agreement for integration on Wednesday, beginning with the next edition Super rugby In 2022, two new teams representing the islands of the South Pacific.

Following in the footsteps of New Zealand rugby officials World rugby, The supreme authority on world rugby, which announced last month that it would provide “financial, administrative and high-performance support” to two franchises in the South Pacific to help them integrate. Super rugby.

These two teams will be called Fiji Dru, Which will be based in Fiji, and Pacific Ocean, Which will likely be based in Auckland.

“Now we are about to realize that we had a long-standing desire to include the South Pacific in our professional competition and understand all the beneficial results that it would bring,” said the legendary former third line All blacks michael jones, Samoa, is involved in promoting rugby in his country of birth.

The condition for registration of new franchisees is that both these teams are commercially viable and are well run.

“We are confident that Moana Pacifica and Fiji Drew will be able to meet their license issuance conditions, including the approval of a business plan that they must present before June 30,” he said. Mark robinsonExecutive Director of New zealand rugby.

Although the number of rugby players in the world from the Pacific Islands (Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, etc.) is estimated at 20%, they are forced to flee due to the weakness of the sports infrastructure in their region.

The goal is that Fiji Dru This Pacific Ocean Fill this void, allowing the island nations of Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to reclaim the rewards of their rich rugby heritage.

“We’re in the final stretch and the excitement is building in Fiji,” he said. Conway Bell, President of the Fiji Rugby Federation.

Since the creation of what was then Super 12 in 1996, which brought together franchises from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa Super rugby It has led to many developments. This has grown to teams 14 and 18, with the integration of new franchises from Australia, Argentina and Japan.

Japanese franchise Sunbathe Retired in 2019 due to financial reasons. And with the difficulties posed by the epidemic and its consequences for health, but also in international travel, representatives from Argentina and South Africa also participated in 2020.

These evacuees, in addition to imprisonment rules, led to construction in 2020 of two Super rugby Reduction in competition among national clubs: Super Rugby AU In australia and Super rugby new zealand In New Zealand.

It is expected that Super rugby Recover your international character in 2022 and there are twelve teams: five from New Zealand, five from Australia and two new ones from the Pacific.