Pressure has intensified on the Australian Rugby Union to "cull one of its five Australian Super Rugby teams after confirmation out of Britain that South Africa’s two jettisoned sides are negotiating to join the Pro12 series." Welsh Rugby Union Chair Gareth Davies confirmed that there are "formal talks" going on with the South African Rugby Union about SA teams being admitted to Pro12 as early as September, in time for the '17-18 season. It is understood the Southern Kings, which already are administered by the SARU, will "definitely be one of the two teams withdrawn from Super Rugby, with the Cheetahs and the Lions also on the short list" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/3).
The BCCI's eight-member committee deliberated on the issue of a three-year "cooling off" period with a couple of alternate suggestions, "including a 12-year tenure for office bearers in the proposed draft bill of National Sports Code." The Lodha Panel reforms state a cumulative period of nine years for any BCCI office-bearers (separate nine years for state units), with a three-year "cooling off" between every term (PTI, 7/1).
Premiership rugby execs must "look at the bigger picture" when it comes to the future of the British & Irish Lions, according to former captain Gavin Hastings. Some in the club game "voiced dissatisfaction at the current Lions model," while future tours are set to be shortened from '21. Hastings said, "To Premiership club owners, you have to say, 'Guys, the Lions is bigger than your clubs.' Let's look at what's best for British & Irish rugby -- that's the Lions" (BBC, 7/2).
