New Zealand Rugby is set to engage in a wide-ranging investigation of its Super Rugby model with the announcement of what’s been called its Aratipu review.
TVNZ reporter Scotty Stevenson said it could be called the “show me the money” moment for Super Rugby, with New Zealand Rugby working on ways to sustain all five clubs after 2020.
“Remember, the licences to run these clubs are all up for renewal, and it’s fair to say the clubs want a bigger slice of the pie,” Stevenson said.
“New Zealand Rugby has all the brands under its control. It also retains the broadcast revenue. It’s fair to say the clubs want a stake in that moving forward.”
It’s expected to form at least part of the review process, he said.
Stevenson noted that Super Rugby clubs believe themselves to be "the genuine, high-performance pathway for New Zealand Rugby."
"They produce the All Blacks, the All Blacks in turn bring in the revenues for all of rugby in this country, so when it comes to conversations about professional competitions, Super Rugby clubs want to be front and centre."
There has been no input from the provincial unions in the review process, however. There is also no directive as of yet for the future of the Mitre 10 Cup or the Heartland Championship.
While New Zealand has reinforced its commitment to SANZAAR, documents seen over recent weeks suggest there are other conversations on the table, including integration opportunities with Australia and wider ramifications for Super Rugby in the Asia-Pacific region.
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