This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
On May 12, 2020, officials announced plans to restart Super Rugby in Australia, with a competition potentially launching in early July as coronavirus restrictions ease.
The governing body, SANZAAR, suspended Super Rugby in mid-March due to the pandemic, but two plans have been drawn up to restart rugby in Australia, according to the official rugby.com.au website.
The first option is a five-team championship featuring Australia's four Super Rugby teams, Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, ACT Brumbies, and Melbourne Rebels, plus Western Force. The second option is a six-team version including the Sunwolves.
Ben Whitaker, Rugby Australia's high performance manager, stated that the Brumbies and the Waratahs were due to begin limited workouts this week.
With all teams expected to be back to full training by June 8, the competition is planned to begin four weeks after that.
Whitaker explained that the draw they are looking at is a 12-week competition, with 10 weeks of regular round matches and depending on the number of teams.
The move comes after New Zealand Rugby unveiled plans for a domestic competition, Super Rugby Aotearoa, kicking off on June 13.
The Perth-based Western Force were axed from Super Rugby at the end of the 2017 season and now compete in the National Rugby Championship and Global Rapid Rugby.
The Sunwolves are in their final season of Super Rugby after SANZAAR decided to drop them due to skyrocketing costs and poor on-field performances.
Whitaker acknowledged that including the Force in a domestic competition would be relatively straightforward, but the virus-induced border shutdowns made the Sunwolves a more difficult proposition.
He stated, 'The Sunwolves' situation is a bit more complicated than the others with their team, not just coming from Japan but a variety of countries having to assemble in Australia to take part.'
Whitaker suggested that the Japanese team could be based in Queensland or New South Wales for the duration of the competition.
Authorities in Canberra have already set a precedent for allowing overseas sporting teams into the country, with the National Rugby League's New Zealand Warriors basing themselves in Tamworth before a competition restart scheduled for May 28.
Whitaker also hoped that Australia's home Tests in July against Ireland and Fiji could be rescheduled to later in the year, along with Rugby Championship fixtures against New Zealand, South Africa, and Argentina.
