The Japanese Rugby Union had already indicated it would no longer underwrite the Sunwolves, as they feel it is not the best pathway to the development of the sport.SANZAAR, the governing body for Super Rugby, has announced that the Super Rugby from 2021 will feature 14 teams.
The decision comes after an extensive review that covered not only the commercial viability of the competition, but also broadcast considerations and player welfare. From 2021, Super Rugby will comprise of the current five New Zealand teams, four each from South Africa and Australia, plus Argentina’s Jaguares.
The conference system will be abandoned, and each team played all the others once, leading to a top 6 play-off series. The Japanese Rugby Union had already indicated it would no longer underwrite the Sunwolves, as they feel it is not the best pathway to the development of the sport.