Super Rugby’s "bold new era is due to kick off in less than three months, but there is a growing concern that at least two of the new teams could be more of a liability than an asset to the new-look Southern Hemisphere competition," according to Emma Stoney of the N.Y. TIMES. Next year "the number of teams will increase to 18 from 15," with new teams in Argentina, Japan and South Africa joining the existing ones in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Argentina’s Los Jaguares franchise has made "steady progress" in its efforts to be ready when the season starts Feb. 26. The club has a stadium deal in place in Buenos Aires, and unveiled its coaching staff Wednesday, "with Raúl Pérez as head coach." But while the Argentines "are on track for a February start, the same cannot be said for Japan's Sunwolves or the Southern Kings in South Africa." The Sunwolves, which will play home games in both Tokyo and Singapore, have "stadiums lined up in both cities." And while the Sunwolves have "the business side nailed down," the club has not announced a single player signing with only 10 weeks to go. The Sunwolves also "have no coach." The Southern Kings, which played in Super Rugby in '13 before it was replaced by the Lions franchise for '14, "are also drawing concerns." The South African Rugby Union "took over the management of the cash-strapped franchise from the Eastern Province Rugby Union last month after players and staff were owed up to four months’ salary." Despite all of that, SARU CEO Jurie Roux "is bullish about the progress made." Roux said, "There has been a lot of overheated speculation about all manner of things, but we have not lost sight of our responsibility." Aside from the team problems, "there are also fears that the complicated nature of the revamped competition will turn off fans." The "new structure moves from a three-conference system of five teams per country to four conferences split into two unevenly sized groups" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/17).
