IT'S win-win. If South Africa and Guinness PRO12 join forces, the north gets extra variety, a bigger television audience and a vital cash injection; the south saves two of its best breeding grounds for young talent. The positives are obvious; any negatives can be overcome.
This view belongs to a person arguably in the best position to judge. Alan Solomons coached for years in South Africa, taking the Southern Kings into Super Rugby along the way, and had spells coaching in Ireland and Scotland. If ever there was somebody with inside knowledge from both sides, he is that man.
He understands there will be issues with the planned expansion from the PRO12 to the PRO14 with the Kings, his old province from Port Elizabeth, and the Cheetahs, from Bloemfontein, being added to the current sides from Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Italy.
In particular, Solomons warns people not to judge the newcomers too quickly. After all, he points out, they are going to go straight from a 15-match Super Rugby campaign, with all the exhaustion and travel that involves, into the PRO14. Neither will they be able to finalise their squads until the last moment; the Cheetahs are having to juggle the PRO14 with Currie Cup commitments; and neither side is going to get a proper pre-season.
"It would be very harsh to pass judgment on the two teams on the back of their first season," Solomons said. "Once it finishes, then it will become easier because they can have a break, the same as everyone else, and be into it properly. The first season could be very, very hard for them. That should be borne in mind."
These temporary problems aside, he sees nothing but benefits coming from the link across the North-South hemispheric divide.
"There is a whole load of extra money coming in [to the current PRO12]," he said. "The competition desperately needs the funding and the television coverage because it does not have the same income and coverage as the English Premiership and the Top14 [in France]. There is a bigger rugby television audience in South Africa.
"They have money coming in and more variety in the competition – adding a freshness, something completely different. From the players' point of view, to travel to South Africa in the European winter will be refreshing, a really enjoyable experience.
"From a South African perspective it is important they have six sides playing at a professional level – four in super rugby and two in the PRO14."
As things stand there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the details of the competition, but Solomons is adamant the two-conference structure that has been bandied about is the only reasonable way forward.
"They have no alternative, they cannot do it any other way," he said "With 14 teams, you can't have a home and away league, the logistics make it very difficult especially when you have two of the participating teams in South Africa.
"I have worked out that if you play home and away within your pool and once across the pools [plus derby matches to complete the season] then the two South African teams can complete their fixtures in Europe in three trips of three games each. That is the best way of doing it."
That does not, however, answer all the questions. From a South African perspective, there are still issues about the playing strength of the Kings and Cheetahs, how playing for those teams will affect international selection and how they will handle Currie Cup commitments.
Though the Bulls were the worst of the South African Super Rugby sides this season, neither the Kings nor the Cheetahs have any pedigree in that competition and PRO12 demands for guarantees on quality were one of the sticking points in the negotiations.
On top of that Solomons feels some players may feel they need to play Super Rugby to compete for Springbok places – the Rugby Championship overlaps with the start of the European season. Despite that he is less worried about the quality issue.
"I think the South African teams will be competitive" he said. "The important thing to note about both of them is that they are great producers of rugby talent.
"I am sure the sides will both add value. The Kings in particular are very, very important, the cradle of black rugby in South Africa. They have produced some terrific players; it is vital that the Eastern Cape remains in a professional competition."
The really tricky bit is going to be playing conditions. The South African sides, brought up on the speed and handling skill of Super Rugby, will have to adjust to to the cold, wet conditions of a European winter; the PRO12 sides will have to adjust to the heat of a South African summer as well as the altitude in Bloemfontein. It will test both camps, but should make both stronger.
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