Former Australian Rugby Union CEO John O’Neill insisted the ARU "must stand up to SANZAAR and veto any proposal to jettison one Australian team from Super Rugby," according to Wayne Smith of THE AUSTRALIAN. Although the ARU "has denied media reports that the Western Force have been earmarked for eviction from Super Rugby" if SANZAAR decides to scale back the competition from the current 18 teams to 15, the "almost certain reality is that the national union has fallen in with SANZAAR." If broadcasters "give approval for a reduced competition" and South Africa votes to sacrifice two of its teams -- "almost certainly the Southern Kings and the Cheetahs" -- at its April 6 general assembly, then Australia "would have to decide whether to stand up" to SANZAAR or "meekly fall into line" and sacrifice one of its own franchises. O’Neill, who stood down as CEO of the ARU in Oct. '12, insisted that the national union "could not pass the buck to SANZAAR on the question of cutting or not cutting a team." O'Neill: "The ARU is SANZAAR. It's an owner with veto powers. It's their decision and if they don't like what's put up, then vote it down. If Australia loses a team and the ARU blames SANZAAR, then it's a misrepresentation" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 3/30).