KEY POINTS:
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) is "an absolute disgrace" and the Springboks should be kicked out of the Tri-Nations, says David Moffett, one of the chief architects of Sanzar.
Moffett, the former head of New Zealand and Wales rugby unions, told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper New Zealand and Australia had to cut South Africa from the next television deal, and instead play more trans-Tasman matches.
"It is imperative that Australia and New Zealand cast South Africa adrift," Moffett said.
"The players are just getting killed by all the travel."
Rather than having a Super 14 with five South African provinces, Moffett said the tournament should be disbanded and replaced by a Super 10 competition with five New Zealand teams and five Australian teams.
He told the newspaper that when expansion was required, national teams from the Pacific islands, based in Australia and New Zealand, should be included.
In 1996, Moffett was heavily involved in the formation of Sanzar, the Super 12 and Tri-Nations, but is now a vocal opponent.
He said this weekend's Tri-Nations test against Australia in Sydney had been tarnished by South Africa leaving 20 of their best players behind.
Moffett has been particularly trenchant on the subject in his newspaper column with The Press newspaper in Christchurch.
He wrote last weekend: "We are led to believe that all three Sanzar countries had agreed to field their strongest teams, and in fact NZ and Australia had sent their best available players to South Africa and filled the stadia and coffers of Saru.
"What was the response of our supposed partner? They waited until after the second test and selected a B team."
Moffett said there was a simple solution -- "ditch South Africa from the next TV deal".
"Selfishness seems to be the order of the day in the professional rugby era and perhaps now is the time for Australia and NZ to play that game."
- NZPA
