SANZAAR SHOCK: WARATAHS TO BE CUT

In a major announcement overnight, SANZAAR Chief Executive Andy Marinos announced the Super Rugby competition will be reduced as from the 2018 season and the Australian franchise to be removed will be the New South Wales Waratahs.

The Waratahs franchise, which has been participating in the Super Rugby since the inaugural Super 12 season of 1996, has experienced limited success and only won one championship; 2014.

Australian Rugby supremo Bill Pulver was quoted as saying “Although the Waratahs have provided the bulk of Wallabies players for well over a decade, we have finally accepted the reality that the franchise and its players are not, and have never been, the best in the Australian system. While it has been embarrassing to have kept selecting Waratahs players for national representation, Australian Rugby has decided enough is enough and we will now select players on merit, rather than the franchise they represent.”

It was initially thought the struggling Western Force or Melbourne Rebels may have been in the frame for removal from the Super Rugby competition; being the two newest Australian franchises and showing arguably disappointing results. Pulver acknowledged “We are committed to the expansion of rugby throughout Australia and those franchises are pivotal to these plans. The increase in playing/participation numbers at grass roots level of community rugby in those states has been very pleasing. NSW seems to have reached its critical mass a decade or so ago, so we acknowledge there needs to be less support for community rugby in NSW is preference to increased support in WA and Victoria”.

Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson was unavailable for comment, but was overheard to have insicated he was aware of the news up to a week ago.

Wallabies coach Michael Chieka was said to have been in very poor spirits, having commented on the demise of his “beloved ‘tahs players”.

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