Chief executive Martin Anayi says the introduction of the Cheetahs and Kings to the Pro14 was ‘overwhelmingly positive’.
In an interview with WalesOnline correspondent Simon Thomas, Anayi said they would certainly look at continued tournament expansion after seeing what value was added following the debut appearances from the Cheetahs and Kings this past season.
‘It’s transformed the league both on and off the field and been incredibly successful. We are delighted with how well it has gone. We’ve not really had the kind of issues that one might have expected from expanding a major tournament.
‘That’s largely down to the hard work that was put in up front and just the positivity from all parties. When people are open and willing and there’s reciprocity, things get a lot done a lot quicker and in the right way.’
Anayi commended the Cheetahs, who impressively progressed to the playoffs, while suggesting that they expected the Kings to continue making progress in the seasons to come.
‘We are on record as saying we want to keep on expanding,’ he commented. ‘We go through a checklist of main items when it comes to prospective teams and if all the boxes are ticked ― the business case, the fan case, the competitive case ― we look at it.
‘South Africa makes a lot of sense for us from a structural point of view, so we will definitely look at them again. We have got to grow the league in a way that is sustainable and workable. I think the best number for our competition is 16.’
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