23 Jul 2010

20-20 style rugby proposal rejected by Sanzar chiefs

5:59 am on 23 July 2010

Rugby administrators in the three Sanzar countries have rejected throwing their weight behind a proposal for a version of cricket's hugely successful 20-20 IPL league.

South African media in recent weeks has reported a former Springbok, Rassie Erasmus, was behind the plan for a tournament starting in January 2012 in the Republic.

It was reported eight teams would play in games lasting just 40 minutes - and with organisers targeting 200 of the world's top players whose national contracts would be expiring in 2011.

But Sanzar, which runs the Super 15 and Tri-nations series, has said after an earlier meeting with promoters, it has failed to receive a promised formal proposal.

The current chief executive of Sanzar, New Zealand's Steve Tew, says Super Rugby teams are overwhelmingly against the idea - and it would also hit the rest period for test players.

He says SANZAR is also strongly disappointed that players were approached by promoters without the courtesy of telling member unions.