Super Rugby Faces Season Cancellation – CEO

SANZAAR Chief Executive Andy Marinos has revealed that Super Rugby’s failure to resume in five weeks could have dire consequences for the 2020 season.

SANZAAR was forced to postpone the Super Rugby competition for the foreseeable future amid the global Coronavirus pandemic.

The suspension was made the wake of Saturday’s announcement by the New Zealand Government that all returning travellers will have to self-isolate for 14 days, including Super Rugby players.

The Round seven match between Highlanders versus Jaguares in Buenos Aires was abandoned and the sides awarded two points apiece.

With an already congested rugby union schedule, SANZAAR CEO Marinos revealed to Newshub if Super Rugby’s suspension lasted more than five weeks, it will be called off.

“If it [suspension] goes four, five weeks then it’s going to be almost impossible because we don’t have the schedule to do anything further,” Marinos told Newshub.

Marinos, however, admitted a potential season cancellation would put Sanzaar “in a very precarious position”.

“That’s why it’s so important for us to work with our broadcasters and why we’re so determined to see if we can’t get some form of rugby and some kind of structure up in the foreseeable future,” he said.

“Without that revenue, without the ability to be playing in front of stadiums that have crowds it all does have a direct impact on the bottom line.

“That’s something I know the national unions are dealing with all of their clubs and then indirectly with all their governments.”

According to Stuff, New Zealand Rugby and Sanzaar have been working on alternative models for Super Rugby “for weeks” as the coronavirus crisis unfolded, New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association boss Rob Nichol revealed on Sunday.

Nichol said one realistic option was switching to a ‘derby only’ format within each country, if and when it resumes.

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