South African Rugby have confirmed that the Cheetahs and Southern Kings will be dropped from Super Rugby in 2018, opening the door for them to join the European PRO12 competition, played between clubs from Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales.

Both unions have reached settlement agreements with SA Rugby to end their participation in Super Rugby, and have stated their excitement at exploring "other international competition opportunities", without naming the PRO12 specifically.

SA Rugby's General Council will meet on Friday to ratify the decision, but it is a mere formality.

"The board of the Cheetahs has reviewed the team's future and is extremely positive about the prospect of appearing in alternative international competitions," Harold Verster, CEO of the Cheetahs, said in a media release from SA Rugby on Friday.

Although he did not name the PRO12, the competition heavily assumed to be the next move for the sides, Verster suggested that the future of the Cheetahs was already secure.

"It will be an exciting challenge for our players, supporters and commercial partners, and will be the start of a new chapter for rugby both in our region and in South Africa," he said.

"Also, it will allow the Cheetahs to carve out a new and prominent place on the rugby map in South Africa as well as internationally."

Andre Rademan, president of the Eastern Province Rugby Union that provides a home base for the Kings, also did not provide details of the team's future, but also suggested they would join a new competition soon.

"It has been a roller coaster ride for the franchise for a number of seasons but there is now a clear and viable way forward for rugby in the Eastern Cape to build on the foundations that have been laid - particularly in the past season," he said in a statement from SA Rugby.

"We have enjoyed Super Rugby but the chance to test ourselves against different opposition in different conditions is a mouth-watering one. We are therefore not opposed to joining new competitions."

The Super Rugby competition is being cut from 18 to 15 teams next year, after complaints from broadcasters over the format of the current tournament. Australia will lose the other team, with either the Melbourne Rebels or Western Force facing the axe.</s>CAPE TOWN, July 7 (Reuters) - South African Rugby on Friday confirmed the exit of the Cheetahs and Southern Kings from Super Rugby in 2018, as the teams revealed they will explore "other international competition opportunities".

A move to the Pro 12 competition in Europe is likely.

The axing of the pair was widely expected as SA Rugby cut the number of its Super Rugby teams from six to four.

The duo had already informed SA Rugby they were looking at alternative international competitions before Friday's axing was ratified by SA Rugby's General Council.

"I want to thank the Cheetahs and the Kings for the mature and professional manner in which they approached and managed this difficult situation. They took decisions that will not only benefit them, but also SA Rugby in general," SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux said in a statement on Friday.

The Cheetahs had an agreement with SA Rugby to compete in the southern hemisphere's Super Rugby until 2020 but announced earlier on Friday they had reached a settlement to exit early.

Along with the Kings, they are tipped to join the Pro 12 competition for clubs from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy for the 2017-18 season.

Although the move has yet to be formally announced, Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster suggested on Friday the team had secured entrance into an alternative international competition.

"It will be an exciting challenge for our players, supporters and commercial partners, and will be the start of a new chapter for rugby both in our region and in South Africa," Verster said.

"Also, it will allow the Cheetahs to carve out a new and prominent place on the rugby map in South Africa as well as internationally."

Andre Rademan, president of the Eastern Province Rugby Union that provides a home base for the Kings, also hinted they would be joining a new, unnamed competition soon.

"There is now a clear and viable way forward for rugby in the Eastern Cape to build on the foundations that have been laid -- particularly in the past season," he said.

"We have enjoyed Super Rugby but the chance to test ourselves against different opposition in different conditions is a mouth-watering one. We are therefore not opposed to joining new competitions."

Neither the Cheetahs nor the Kings are in contention for a playoff spot in this year's Super Rugby competition.

The Super Rugby competition is being cut from 18 to 15 teams overall next year after complaints from broadcasters over the format of the current tournament.

Australia will lose the other team, with either the Melbourne Rebels or Western Force facing the axe. (Reporting By Nick Said; Editing by John O'Brien/Jeremy Gaunt)</s>Two South Africa teams are out of the Super Rugby competition.

South Africa's Cheetahs and Southern Kings have confirmed they will seek "other international competition opportunities".

Uzair Cassiem of the Cheetahs during their Super Rugby match against the Brumbies

It comes after the South African Rugby Union confirmed all parties had reached settlement agreements over their future participation in Super Rugby.

The number of South African Super Rugby teams will be culled from six to four by 2018, with the final announcement of the teams to be cut, to be confirmed later today after an Executive Council meeting.

"The board of the Toyota Cheetahs has reviewed the team's future and is extremely positive about the prospect of appearing in alternative international competitions," Cheetahs chief executive Harold Verster said in a statement.

The Super Rugby competition will have 15 teams next year, down from 18 after complaints from broadcasters over the format of the current competition.

Australia will also lose, most likely, Melbourne Rebels or Western Force.</s>SA Rugby on Friday confirmed that the Cheetahs and Southern Kings have been axed from Super Rugby and will “explore other international competition opportunities”.

It was an unsurprising statement after an April meeting of South Africa‚ New Zealand‚ Australia and Argentina Rugby (Sanzaar) in London took the decision to downscale Super Rugby from 18 to 15 teams.

The Cheetahs opted for a settlement with SA Rugby regarding their Super Rugby Participation Agreement. The Cheetahs did not take part in the criteria process as they had an agreement in place until 2020‚ but the Board of the Cheetahs decided on an amicable settlement with SA Rugby.

The announcement was made before a Special General Meeting of SA Rugby‚ which will formally confirm South Africa’s four participants in the competition next season.

The meeting has been called to determine SA’s entrants to fall in line with a Sanzaar decision to reduce the competition’s participants from 18 to 15 teams from next season.

The new structure will comprise four teams from South Africa‚ five from New Zealand‚ four from Australia and one each from Argentina and Japan.

Andre Rademan‚ president of the EPRU‚ said: “It has been a roller-coaster ride for the (Kings) franchise for a number of seasons but there is now a clear and viable way forward for rugby in the Eastern Cape to build on the foundations that have been laid – particularly in the past season.

“We have enjoyed Super Rugby but the chance to test ourselves against different opposition in different conditions is a mouth-watering one.

“We are therefore not opposed to joining new competitions. With all stakeholders pulling in the same direction we can bring success and excitement to rugby in the Eastern Cape.”

Cheetahs chief executive Harold Verster said: “The board of the Cheetahs has reviewed the team’s future and is extremely positive about the prospect of appearing in alternative international competitions.

“It will be an exciting challenge for our players‚ supporters and commercial partners and will be the start of a new chapter for rugby both in our region and in South Africa.

“Also‚ it will allow the Cheetahs to carve out a new and prominent place on the rugby map in South Africa as well as internationally.”</s>CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The South African rugby union confirmed Friday what was already widely expected as it axed the Cheetahs and Southern Kings from Super Rugby from next season.

SA Rugby said the two teams reached agreements with the national union on their Super Rugby exits and will explore other “international competition opportunities,” the biggest hint yet that they will join the Pro 12 competition in Europe.

Super Rugby organizer SANZAAR resolved this year to cut the southern hemisphere competition — which features teams from five countries and three continents — by three teams to 15 to help make it more financially viable.

Two teams from South Africa and one from Australia had to go, with SANZAAR leaving the national unions to decide which ones to cut. The Australian Rugby Union hasn’t yet said which one out of the Perth-based Western Force and Melbourne Rebels will lose its Super Rugby place.

Controversially, SANZAAR opted to retain the Japan-based Sunwolves in Super Rugby despite that team being the biggest struggler since it joined in 2016, a decision based on expanding rugby into new territories rather than increasing the quality of rugby in the tournament.

The bottom-placed Sunwolves lost 94-7 to South Africa’s Lions last weekend, the biggest losing margin in Super Rugby for a decade.

However, SANZAAR would have been mindful that Japan is hosting the next Rugby World Cup in 2019, the first time rugby’s biggest event has been held outside the sport’s traditional homes in Europe, Australasia and South Africa.

The Cheetahs, based in Bloemfontein, and the Kings, based in Port Elizabeth, were always expected to lose out against South Africa’s four other Super Rugby participants, which are the country’s biggest teams and play out of the major cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

Officials from both the Kings and the Cheetahs said they were now looking at other competitions, amid reports that they are about to join the Pro 12, a tournament made up of Irish, Welsh, Scottish, and Italian teams.

The Cheetahs board “is extremely positive about the prospect of appearing in an alternative international competition,” Cheetahs chief executive Harold Verster said. “It will be an exciting challenge for our players, supporters and commercial partners and will be the start of a new chapter for rugby both in our region and in South Africa.”

Andre Rademan, president of the Eastern Province Rugby Union, which oversees the Kings, said: “We have enjoyed Super Rugby but the chance to test ourselves against different opposition in different conditions is a mouth-watering one. We are therefore not opposed to joining new competitions.”

The decision to lose three teams is a blow to Super Rugby, which was expanded by three teams only last year following a new television deal.

The southern hemisphere tournament has become unwieldy, difficult for SANZAAR to manage and hard for fans to follow. It has constantly changed its format to deal with the large distances teams from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and now Argentina and Japan, have to travel to play each other.

SANZAAR announced in March that they would lose the three teams and restructure Super Rugby yet again from 2018 after a “comprehensive assessment of the economic and sporting environment.”</s>CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The South African rugby union has confirmed what was already widely expected — the Cheetahs and Southern Kings will be dropped from Super Rugby from next season.

SA Rugby says the two teams have reached agreements with the national union and will explore other “international competition opportunities,” the biggest hint yet that they will join the Pro 12 competition in Europe.

Super Rugby organizer SANZAAR resolved this year to cut the southern hemisphere competition — which features teams from five countries and three continents — by three teams to 15 to help make it more financially viable.

One of Australia’s five teams is also due to be dropped, although the Australian Rugby Union hasn’t yet said which one out of the Perth-based Western Force and Melbourne Rebels will go.</s>South African teams Central Cheetahs and Southern Kings were ditched from Super Rugby Friday amid reports they will seek places in an expanded European Pro12 competition.

An announcement relating to new international opportunities for the dumped teams will be made in due course, South African Rugby said in a statement. Pro 12 currently consists of four Irish and Welsh teams and two from Italy and Scotland and there has been media speculation that the two relegated South African sides would join them.

The axings were expected as the Cheetahs and Kings had the lowest average attendances and poorest overall playing records among the six Super Rugby teams from South Africa.

The other "casualties" will be an Australian team -- either the Melbourne Rebels or the Perth-based Western Force.

Rising costs, exhaustive travel across 15 time zones, dwindling crowds and TV audiences, and a hard-to-understand format are among the reasons for cutting the number of franchises.

Coastal Sharks, Golden Lions, Northern Bulls and Western Stormers will represent South Africa in Super Rugby next season when the competition shrinks from 18 teams to 15.

"I want to thank the Cheetahs and Kings for the mature and professional manner in which they managed the difficult situation," SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux said.

"They took decisions that will not only benefit them, but also South African rugby in general."

Kings host Cheetahs on July 14 in Port Elizabeth in what will be the last Super Rugby fixture for both teams.</s>SA Rugby on Friday confirmed that the Cheetahs and Southern Kings have been axed from Super Rugby and will "explore other international competition opportunities".

It was an unsurprising statement after an April meeting of SA‚ New Zealand‚ Australia and Argentina Rugby (Sanzaar) in London took the decision to reduce Super Rugby from 18 to 15 teams.

The Cheetahs opted for a settlement with SA Rugby regarding their Super Rugby participation agreement. They did not take part in the criteria process as they had an agreement in place until 2020‚ but the board of the Cheetahs decided on an amicable settlement with SA Rugby.

The announcement was made before a special general meeting of SA Rugby‚ which will formally confirm SA’s four participants in the competition next season.

The meeting has been called to determine SA’s entrants to fall in line with a Sanzaar decision to reduce the competition’s participants from 18 to 15 teams from next season.

The new structure will consists of four teams from SA‚ five from New Zealand‚ four from Australia and one each from Argentina and Japan.</s>CAPE TOWN, July 7 (Reuters) - South Africa's Cheetahs and Southern Kings will explore "other international competition opportunities" after reaching settlement agreements over their future participation in Super Rugby, South African Rugby confirmed on Friday.

South Africa will see it's number of Super Rugby teams cut from six to four in 2018, with the formal announcement of the teams to be ousted set to be confirmed after Friday's Executive Council meeting.

"The board of the Toyota Cheetahs has reviewed the team's future and is extremely positive about the prospect of appearing in alternative international competitions," Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster said in a statement.

The Super Rugby competition is being cut from 18 to 15 teams next year after complaints from broadcasters over the format of the current tournament. Australia will lose the other team, with either the Melbourne Rebels or Western Force facing the axe.</s>The future makeup of the Pro12 will become clearer on Friday with the South Africa Rugby Union ready to confirm the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs will be cut from Super Rugby.

The two franchises have been expected to make way as Super Rugby is reduced from 18 to 15 teams and it is understood representatives from Saru, including the president, Mark Alexander, have visited both this week to discuss their fate.

That would pave the way for them to join the Pro12 as early as the new season – a radical move by the Celtic League but one that on face value suits all parties. The Pro12 has for a while sought expansion to boost revenues and admitting the Cheetahs and the Kings would significantly increase TV income. Main sponsors Guinness would also relish the opportunity to expand in Africa.

For the South African franchises, joining the Pro12 makes sense. The cumulative investment in both over the past 10 years is around £45m and soon they will be left with no competition to play in, not to mention empty stadiums in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein.

There is also the sense that South Africa have become the poor relation within Super Rugby. That expansion into Argentina and Japan was done in the interests of New Zealand and Australia but the competition has faltered as a result. Joining the Pro12 and playing in countries with a similar time zone is therefore an attractive proposal with TV audiences and attendances significantly down in South Africa at present.

As the former chief executive of the Southern Spears Tony McKeever said: “Super Rugby is an incoherent tournament and supporters have voted with their feet and their eyeballs. They are not watching because the product has gone stale.

“Local school derbies in South Africa attract more people than the last 10 Super Rugby games. [Joining the Pro12] will create an extraordinary dynamism and really put this tournament on a global stage that will absolutely outrival Super Rugby. You can hear the death knell of Super Rugby, it’s going to expire.”

But as much as the move may suit all parties in the short-term – Celtic Rugby Limited is owned by the four parent unions and both the Wales Rugby Union and the Italian federation have publicly warmed to the idea – there is a myriad of hoops to jump through before next season’s Pro12 begins in early September.

It is understood the Pro12 does not intend to make any imminent announcements but time is of the essence. While there have been reports of negotiations going on behind the scenes, legally, the Pro12 is prohibited from officially engaging with broadcasters or sponsors until today’s announcement in South Africa but the season is due to start in less than two months.

The Kings and the Cheetahs conclude their Super Rugby season – as fate would have it against each other – on 14 July, after which the majority of their players are out of contract. The Guardian understands the Cheetahs have called a meeting for today/Friday with all their contracted players to outline their futures. And for the Kings, the situation is even more complex. While the Cheetahs franchise is owned by Free State Rugby, Saru effectively oversees the Kings after the Eastern Province Rugby Union was beset by financial difficulties in 2015 and went into liquidation last year.

Furthermore, there is an agreement between Saru and the South Africa Rugby Players’ Association which effectively guarantees a month off in December – slap bang in the middle of the Pro12 season. With both franchises needing to finalise new-look playing squads before September – and both reportedly under pressure from the Pro12 to attract South Africa internationals (the Pro12 does not want is another couple of also-rans and at present they are the two weakest teams in South Africa) – time is again an issue.

Having said that, there is a sense that South African players would welcome the move and compared to Australia and New Zealand there is a far greater player base to pick from. There is a significant number already playing in the Pro12 and there is a growing sense of disillusionment with Super Rugby. Attracting internationals or more recognised players from the Bulls, the Sharks, the Lions and the Stormers may not be as difficult as first imagined.

The logistics of the new-look tournament must also be resolved. A two-conference structure of seven teams has been proposed and would see the two South African franchises play their away matches in clusters. Qualification for the two European tournaments also needs addressing and it is unclear whether there is the appetite from the Kings and the Cheetahs to participate. If there is, a proposal would have to be put to European Professional Club Rugby’s executive board and it would be judged on merit. There are more pressing issues at hand however, some of which will become clearer on Friday.
In rugby union, the South African Rugby Union confirms that the Cheetahs and Kings will be dropped from the Super Rugby competition effective at the end of the current season.