SANZAAR in talks to expand The Rugby Championship

SANZAAR in talks to expand The Rugby Championship

Japan and Fiji could be added to an expanded Rugby Championship, joining New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina in the annual southern hemisphere competition.

 

 

SANZAAR confirmed that talks were talking place in Japan with a short media statement on Thursday:

 


"The SANZAAR Executive Committee met in Tokyo prior to the Rugby World Cup semi-finals on Friday, 25 October. An agenda item dealing with the future of SANZAAR's rugby structures re-confirmed the organisation's commitment to the establishment of international and domestic pathways for Emerging Nations. SANZAAR will continue to engage with all stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region."


 



 

The expansion talks comes after World Rugby's hopes of an inter-hemisphere championship fell over as northern unions resisted that and stuck to their Six Nations format.

 
 

Fiji and Japan were likely new teams at the top level of those failed World Rugby's plans.

 

 

Last week Agustin Pichot suggested that Japan could be added to the competition as early as 2021.

 

 

 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 

Agustín Pichot has revealed that Japan could join the Rugby Championship in less than two years. #RWC2019

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