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Sunwolves CEO Yuji Watase was inevitably asked about his team being axed
By Alex Fisher
Super Rugby's decision to axe the Sunwolves after the 2020 season will have a detrimental effect on Asian rugby, according to the franchise's chief executive.
On Friday, SANZAAR announced – after a substantial review – that the Japanese side would not feature from 2021 when the competition will be reduced to 14 teams.
The Sunwolves only joined Super Rugby in 2016 and have won seven of their matches in that time, their best return coming last season when they recorded three victories.
Despite their improvements, SANZAAR are keen to revamp Super Rugby going forward, but Sunwolves CEO Yuji Watase is disappointed by the decision.
"It is obvious that we have the responsibility to expand rugby in Asia as a kind of leader in Asian rugby," he told reporters after Saturday's 37-24 defeat to the Lions.
"It is clear that this [decision] is going to [do] quite a kind of damage, in terms of promotion of rugby.
"Personally I'm really sorry about it. But we have to find some other way [to promote rugby] and we have to decide after 2021."
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Latest Comments
We can all see this problem, eh? Love the clips showing how smart opposition coaches exploit it though. Thanks, Nick.
Borthwick has obviously earned the right to expect people to look elsewhere when the sort of personal problems likely at the heart of Jones' departure occur but it's hard to believe he's, if not entirely to blame, at least most of the problem.
England seem between choices in every aspect of their play to me right now
Go to commentsBM My rugby fanaticism journey began as a youngster waking up in the early hours of the morning with a cup of coffee to watch the Boks play the ABs on that 1981 rebel tour, where we lost the last game in the dying seconds to a penalty, and ended up losing the series 2-1. Danie Gerber, Naas Botha, Ray Mordt, and DuPlessis, to name a few; what a team! I believe we could've won another World Cup with those boys playing in their prime.
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