The body in charge of rugby's Tri-Nations and Super 15 competitions, SANZAR, has rejected plans for for a rugby version of cricket's hugely successful Twenty/20 IPL league.
The plans were launched by a group in South Africa that has reportedly tried to lure some of the game's biggest names to play in an eight team tournament there, starting in January.
South African media have reported that former Springbok Rassie Erasmus is behind the plan, under which eight teams would play in games lasting 40 minutes.
SANZAR has said that it has met the promoters, but chief executive Steve Tew says Super Rugby teams are overwhelmingly against the idea, and it would also hit the rest period for test players.
Mr Tew says the South African organisers of Twenty/20 rugby have gone behind the backs of the Sanzar unions and the International Rugby Board has also rejected the idea.
