New Zealand boss Steve Tew plays down Brave Blossoms link to Rugby Championship
Chief executive raises concerns about Japan’s Sunwolves being ready for Super 18
New Zealand Rugby said Friday it was premature to speculate about Japan joining the Rugby Championship, particularly since there were already concerns about its preparations for the expanded Super Rugby competition next year.
The sport is currently on a high in the Asian nation after the Brave Blossoms exploits at the World Cup, which included a stunning 34-32 win over South Africa.
With Japan set to host the next edition of the tournament in 2019, World Rugby is keen to consolidate its popularity in a large and potentially lucrative market.
We’re all very excited by what the Japanese achieved at the Rugby World Cup … but we remain pretty nervous about their readiness for Super Rugby
The governing body's chairman Bernard Lapasset said on a trip to Tokyo this week that Japan should join the Rugby Championship, which currently comprises New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina.
But New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew said a more immediate concern for Japanese rugby was fielding a competitive side in the provincial Super Rugby competition in 2016.
"I saw Bernard's insightful views on that [the Rugby Championship] – at the end of the day we're all very excited by what the Japanese achieved at the Rugby World Cup," Tew told reporters.
"But we remain pretty nervous about their readiness for Investec Super Rugby and that's their next step forward."
Super Rugby will expand from 15 to 18 teams next year, with newcomers from Japan and Argentina bolstering the numbers alongside South Africa's Southern Kings.