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Video: 'There is a lot of questions still there' - NZ Rugby Players' boss Rob Nichol pro Pacific Super Rugby team, not sure it will happen

May 15, 2018

Nichol said there will be a lot of work needed to be done for a Pacific team to enter the competition.

New Zealand Rugby Players' boss Rob Nichol is on board with the inclusion of a Pacific Island team in the Super Rugby competition, but says there will be a lot of work needed to be done to turn the idea into a reality.

The New Zealand government and New Zealand Rugby funded an $80,000 feasibility study of a Pacific Islands team.

Nichol believes there is a whole lot of challenges for the idea of a Pacific team in Super Rugby to get off the ground.

"What's not so easy is the competition, logistics and operations. The commercial viability and the ability to secure player talent that adds to the integrity of the competition as oppose to detracting from it," said Nichol.

"And that is not just around a Pasifika team we've seen challenges with the current competition."

Recruiting players for a Pacific Super Rugby team will be one of many hurdles for the side, said Nichol.

"From what we understand and some of our team were in the room when the feasibility study was presented, you know it raised some opportunities but it also raised a lot of issues and challenges.

"Arranging from 'how do you secure talent? How do you bring it in? How does it affect the competition, the integrity, and the operations?

"There is a lot of questions still there and the point that we will make is those questions exist around a number of the existing teams as it is."

Japanese Super Rugby franchise the Sunwolves joined the competition last year and finished 17th on the ladder, notching only two wins and 13 losses. They currently sit at the bottom of the Australian conference on six points.

Argentina based Jaguares joined the competition in 2016 and struggled in their first two seasons, this year they have had some success with big wins over the Blues and Chiefs.

They sit second in the South African conference seven points behind leaders the Lions.

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