Rugby: Sanzar chief to consider future London matches

Sanzar chief executive Greg Peters. Photo / Getty Images

The success of last Monday's Super 15 match at Twickenham has prompted a review by Sanzar into the possibility of future matches being held at the home of English rugby.

But clubs playing in the English premiership have reportedly threatened to take their season's finale away from Twickenham next year, should Super 15 action return. The clubs were critical of the Rugby Football Union for hosting the first Super rugby match played outside the Southern Hemisphere, as the match provided direct competition with their own games.

Greg Peters, the Sanzar chief executive, would not rule out the possibility of further Super 15 visits to Twickenham.

"All the factors would need to be considered," he told the Guardian.

"Last week's game was a strict one-off, but in saying that we will review it to see how things went. I am not dismissing the idea of a repeat, but all the factors would need to be considered. Sunday gave us the chance to showcase our product. The north has been critical of our game in the past, but everything good about it was on show.

"Super rugby has leapt in the last 18 months, resulting in a game that both the fans and players like. Premiership rugby and the Heineken Cup have very different styles to the Super 15. The weather is also a factor in Europe, but I would say that rugby is strong in both hemispheres."

At a board meeting of Premiership Rugby 10 days before the Crusaders played the Sharks, English clubs voiced their concerns about the fixture. A vote was passed not to support the match, but given the charitable aspect to the match - a percentage of the gate revenue was donated to the Red Cross Christchurch Earthquake fund - the clubs did not campaign openly against it.

The Super 15 game attracted a crowd of 35,094 on the first full weekend of Premiership action since the end of the Six Nations.

- Staff reporter