SA Rugby to form two new franchises to play in Europe

Two new South African franchises will be formed by the end of the year, as South African Rugby looks to have four franchises in Super Rugby and four in Europe.

A tender process will begin on 4 October and the two new franchises could play in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

'We have four teams in Sanzaar; we have two in Pro14 and the other two will start to develop to play somewhere,' SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux told the New Zealand Herald. 

'Hopefully something like the Anglo-Welsh as a development tournament. At the right time in 2020 [when the current Sanzaar broadcast deal ends] we can then make a decision on where our bases are.'

The two franchises are likely to be formed from players from Currie Cup sides Griquas and Pumas.

Roux again insisted that SA Rugby is committed to Sanzaar beyond 2020.

'We believe we are as strong as we are because we play Australia, Argentina and New Zealand. We measure ourselves by those teams even though the north is getting better.'

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander recently said the Springboks could field two different teams – one for matches in the southern hemisphere and one for those in the north – but Roux said this would not be the case.

'Having two completely different teams, that's ridiculous. Why would you not play your best team? You might get to a situation where you select four or five players because they are more adapted to the northern hemisphere. Test rugby is too competitive to play the same players week in, week out.'