Hurricanes captain Andrew Hore says a revamped Super Rugby tournament will prompt teams to lift their games, to secure more support from fans.
The extended competition involving 15 teams was launched in Auckland on Tuesday night.
The teams have been divided into three country-based conferences - South Africa, New Zealand and Australia - and will play each of their local rivals both home and away.
Hore says he has been disappointed in previous seasons by the dwindling numbers of fans at local matches.
However he says he has high hopes for the new Super Rugby format and believes the local derby will raise the calibre of the players, leading to a more exciting brand of rugby and higher match attendances.
