Rugby: Boks look for Celtic link-up

Published on Tuesday 17 February 2009 09:13

EDINBURGH Rugby could find themselves at the centre of an amazing rugby development amidst reports today that the South Africans are ready to enter their top five provinces in the Celtic League.

It is being claimed that the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions are on the brink of quitting the Super 14 competition which pitches them alongside crack outfits from New Zealand and Australia.

Instead, a former South African rugby union boss, Rian Oberholzer, is being linked with negotiations to set up a new competition involving the cream of Scottish, Irish and Welsh opposition.

David Jordan, chief executive of the Celtic League, is telling the Evening News he is not aware of the report in The Australian newspaper and adds: "It's the first I've heard. I can't see it happening at all."

But what makes the prospect so intriguing is that four years ago the Celtic nations and South Africa appeared extremely close to staging a competition also featuring the South African provinces over seven weeks in September/October.

Today's report advises Australian teams to make contingency plans for a competition featuring Japan as well as New Zealand "to cover the shock withdrawal of South African teams from the Super 14".

The report adds: "The upper echelons of Australia and New Zealand rugby are buzzing with the rumour that South Africa is negotiating to take its five teams out of the southern hemisphere competition once the SANZAR broadcast agreement expires next year and put them in the Magners League. It was Oberholzer who helped negotiate South Africa's entry into an expanded Celtic League contest called the Rainbow Cup back in 2005.

"The Rainbow Cup fell without a ball ever being kicked as a result of financial difficulties at the European end but ever since the two trans-Tansman neighbours have been bracing themselves for another attempt by South Africa to gatecrash the Magners League."

Although the idea seems radical, the teams would be in the same time zone with minimal jet lag. Also, the Celtic League may soon have to address serious attempts by the Welsh to increase competition with English clubs.

A "Rainbow Cup" would be an attractive way of doing this with perhaps Italian involvement as well.

The Italians have been linked with the Celtic League for some time.

David Jordan said today: "There has still been no formal approach but with the Six Nations going on there will be discussions at (rugby) union level."