New Zealand and South Africa are "pushing for the abolition of local derbies in Super Rugby" as SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) "completes plans for a new competition structure to kick off in the 2016 season," according to Bret Harris of THE AUSTRALIAN. New Zealand and South Africa "believe the top Australian teams have an unfair advantage because they play the less competitive Melbourne Rebels and Western Force twice." But SANZAR CEO Greg Peters said that New Zealand and South Africa had "expressed concern about the physicality and repetitiveness of local derbies, which are strongly supported by Australia because of their appeal to broadcasters and fans." Peters: "The South Africans believe the local derbies are wars of attrition. ... New Zealand coaches and senior players feel their local derbies are very intense, almost like All Black trials. The physicality is a lot tougher." Peters said that a "compromise solution might be the reduction of local derbies rather than getting rid of them altogether." Peters: "We have to keep an eye on the fact that broadcasters and fans love local derbies" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 2/18).
