Plans for a new “Super Eight” competition involving clubs from all over Asia which could begin this season have been revealed by UAE Rugby Federation (UAERF) secretary general Qais Al Dhalai.
The new competition would see the top two teams from the UAE Premiership battle it out with Bahrain, Doha and four clubs from Sri Lanka for bragging rights in west Asia.
Meanwhile another eight clubs, four from Hong Kong and two each from South Korea and Malaysia, would play for the east Asia title. Each team would play two games at home and two away during breaks from the domestic season in September and February.
It is understood that there would not be any cross over between the two divisions in the tournament’s first season, however, from its second year there would be a grand final.
The winner of that game would then be given the chance to play a side from Japan’s Top League.
Al Dhalai, who also sits on the Asian Rugby Football Union’s (ARFU) executive committee, believes the competition will help raise standards across the continent.
“This is still under negotiations with the concerned clubs but it is one of the ideas. We’re going to have two Super Eights, Super Eight West and Super Eight East,” Al Dhalai told Sport360°.
“We are trying now to have a kind of Champions League. We are still trying to get the buy-in from all the clubs but then we can kick off and it will be another competition for club rugby.”
The UAE would be represented in the new tournament by the teams who finished in the top two of the Premiership.In 2013, that was the champions, Jebel Ali Dragons, and finalists, Dubai Hurricanes.
It is understood that talks are still ongoing with the clubs concerned, and Al Dhalai admitted that there could be a few stumbling blocks to the ambitious proposals.
Chief among them would be the cost of travel and hosting games, as well as availability of players, who have other work commitments.
According to Al Dhalai, though, the Internation Rugby Board (IRB) are keen to develop rugby in west Asia.
He added: “The IRB has insisted that west Asian region is a key market for them and that’s why we at UAERF are being a role model and driving this aim.”
Having taken over the running of cross-border competition in the Gulf in the wake of the closure of ARFU West Asia Ltd, next season will be a busy one for the UAERF. But Al Dhalai insists they can take it in their stride.
“There are basically three tournaments,” he said. “It’s easy for us to run that and it will be cost efficient and effective for ARFU as well.”
