Rugby Tournament: Teams and Tournament Sunwolves

rugby tournament: Newcomers to the tournament Japan's Sunwolves, Argentina's Jaguares and South Africa's Kings occupied the bottom rungs on the competition ladder and the integrity of the conference system, made necessary by a larger number of teams, was undermined by an unexpected weakening of teams in Australia and South Africa, according to The Waterloo Record. That resulted in teams forfeiting home playoff advantages to others that had performed less well during the regular season and in teams reaching the playoffs whose regular season records hardly justified that reward. The sudden expansion of the competition last year from 15 to 18 teams was unsettling to fans who saw playing standards drop in what had previously been regarded as the world's best professional rugby tournament. The glowing example was the Cape Town-based Stormers who finished top of their African conference but were beaten 60-21 at home in the playoffs by the Hamilton-based Chiefs, who were only the third-best New Zealand team. They have floated plans for further expansion into Asia and for forays into the United States and eventually Britain where Super Rugby would presume to take on established and popular domestic competitions. Tournament organizers SANZAAR have argued expansion is an unavoidable necessity, saying the commercial viability of the competition depends on its growth now and in the future, to retain the interest of broadcasters and to build its fan base. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.