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New members: Japan, Argentina to join Super Rugby in 2016

By Allsports.com.gh
Sports News New members: Japan, Argentina to join Super Rugby in 2016
NOV 21, 2014 LISTEN

The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) and Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR) will be represented in Tokyo and Buenos Aires respectively in the rugby competition, which is set to grow to 16 teams next season when the Southern Kings permanently return after missing the 2014 campaign.

Both franchises, who will compete in the South African Group, are now able to start contracting players and staff ahead of their admission in 2016, SANZAR - the league's organising committee - announced.

"It gives us great pleasure to welcome the JRFU and UAR who will join the Kings from South Africa as Super Rugby prepares to expand into a bold and exciting new era," SANZAR CEO Greg Peters said.

"As Top 10 ranked rugby nations with established high performance level leagues and over 100,000 players each, there is no doubt as to Japan and Argentina's rugby readiness and passion for the sport.

"With a heritage stretching back some 115 years, Japan also offers tremendous infrastructure and an active fan base that we view as pivotal to the ongoing sustainability of the team.

"Japan has also been the focus of strategic investment by the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) and we view the region as a high growth, high potential sports and economic market with the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the 2020 Olympic Games and now Super Rugby on the imminent horizon."

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