THE Guinness Pro 12 organisers have confirmed that they are in advanced and positive talks with South African sides about joining the Celtic League competition.

In a short statement, Celtic Rugby confirmed that a final decision will be made as soon as is ‘practical’

The Cheetahs and the Southern Kings are expected to joining the Pro12 to make it a Pro14, with two divisions or conferences with seven teams in each, is the expected format, with a potential trip to South Africa happening only once a season for each of the existing Pro12 sides.

“Celtic Rugby can confirm that advanced & positive discussions are taking place with the South African Rugby Union regarding the introduction of 2 teams into an expanded Guinness PRO12 Championship. Given the proximity of the 2017/18 season start, a final decision on this potential expansion will be confirmed as soon as practical” </s> CAPE TOWN: Celtic Rugby have confirmed that "advanced and positive discussions" are taking place with South African Rugby for the introduction of two new sides into the Pro 12 competition for the 2017/18 season.

Although not named in a statement from Celtic Rugby on Wednesday, reports in Ireland suggest that those two teams will be the Southern Kings and Cheetahs, who have been axed from the Southern Hemisphere club championship, Super Rugby, from 2018 as that competition is downsized from 18 teams to 15.

The Pro 12 is looking to head in the other direction, expanding to new frontiers in order to open up new revenue streams as it falls well behind the English Premiership and France’s Top 14 in terms of income.

“Advanced and positive discussions are taking place with the South African Rugby Union regarding the introduction of two teams into an expanded Pro 12 Championship. Given the proximity of the 2017/18 season start, a final decision on this potential expansion will be confirmed as soon as practical,” Celtic Rugby said.

Celtic Rugby is the association of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian Rugby Unions, whose club sides make up the Pro 12.

Adding the Cheetahs and Kings will bring new broadcast markets, with local media reporting the deal is likely to generate an extra six million pounds per annum, on top of current revenues of 12 million pounds per year. Negotiations are also underway with clubs in North America and other parts of Europe.

Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) chief executive Philip Brown admitted last week that the competition needed expansion, even if that meant logistical challenges in bringing in teams from outside of Europe.

"The risk of doing nothing with the Pro 12 in the long term is the greater risk," he told the Irish Independent newspaper.

South African media reported on Tuesday that two more of the country’s Super Rugby franchises had expressed an interest in moving to the European competition when their contracts with the Southern Hemisphere edition expire in 2020.

The long and difficult travel across time zones to New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Argentina is taxing on the players and not ideal for television schedules, which has left the teams looking north instead. </s> DUBLIN — The two South African teams that were dropped from Super Rugby could join Europe’s Pro12 competition for its new season starting in September.

Celtic Rugby, the body that runs the Pro12, says it is in “advanced and positive discussions” with South Africa’s rugby union over the introduction of the Cheetahs and Southern Kings to the European competition.

Those teams were both cut from Super Rugby, which is trimming down from 18 to 15 teams. One Australian team, yet to be decided, will also lose its Super Rugby status.

The Pro12 is made up of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian clubs.

With its new season starting in two months, Celtic Rugby says “a final decision on this potential expansion will be confirmed as soon as practical.” </s> Europe's Pro12 has confirmed it will add two South African teams dropped from Super Rugby and expand to a 14-team, two-continent competition from this season.

Celtic Rugby, which runs the Pro12, said the Cheetahs and Southern Kings will join straight away for the 2017-18 season starting later this year. The Pro12 is currently made up of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian clubs.

The prospect of northern hemisphere clubs taking on rivals from the southern hemisphere has long been wished for by rugby fans on both sides of the equator, but conflicting seasons in the north and south have previously prevented that.

With the addition of the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs and Port Elizabeth-based Kings, Pro12 will be rebranded as the Pro14 and change to a two-conference system, instead of a straight league table, before the knockout stages.

Seven teams from the new Pro14 will qualify for the Champions Cup, Europe's top rugby competition, but Celtic Rugby said "at present" the two South African teams won't be eligible for that competition even if they finish in the qualification places. That will, for the moment, avoid the possibility of a South African team becoming the "European" champion.

Pro14 CEO Martin Anayi said the arrival of the Cheetahs and Kings "marks a bold and exciting new chapter for the Pro14 as a global rugby championship."

Celtic Rugby said the inclusion of the Cheetahs and Kings was part of a "long-term" agreement between it and the South African rugby union.

The South African union was forced to cut two teams from the southern hemisphere's leading club competition after Super Rugby decided to downscale from 18 to 15 teams.

The Cheetahs and Kings were dropped as the two smallest of the six South African teams in Super Rugby.

Joining the European competition brings complications for the Cheetahs and Kings, and for South African rugby. </s> (AP Photo/Joseph Nair, File). FILE - In this March 4, 2017 file photo South Africa's Christopher Anthony Cloete of the Southern Kings holds on to the ball during their Super Rugby match against Japan's Sunwolves, in Singapore. Europe’s Pro12 has confir...

Europe's Pro12 has confirmed it will add two South African teams dropped from Super Rugby and expand to a 14-team, two-continent competition from this season.

Celtic Rugby, which runs the Pro12, said the Cheetahs and Southern Kings will join straight away for the 2017-18 season starting later this year. The Pro12 is currently made up of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian clubs.

The prospect of northern hemisphere clubs taking on rivals from the southern hemisphere has long been wished for by rugby fans on both sides of the equator, but conflicting seasons in the north and south have previously prevented that.

With the addition of the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs and Port Elizabeth-based Kings, Pro12 will be rebranded as the Pro14 and change to a two-conference system, instead of a straight league table, before the knockout stages.

Seven teams from the new Pro14 will qualify for the Champions Cup, Europe's top rugby competition, but Celtic Rugby said "at present" the two South African teams won't be eligible for that competition even if they finish in the qualification places. That will, for the moment, avoid the possibility of a South African team becoming the "European" champion.

Pro14 CEO Martin Anayi said the arrival of the Cheetahs and Kings "marks a bold and exciting new chapter for the Pro14 as a global rugby championship."

Celtic Rugby said the inclusion of the Cheetahs and Kings was part of a "long-term" agreement between it and the South African rugby union.

The South African union was forced to cut two teams from the southern hemisphere's leading club competition after Super Rugby decided to downscale from 18 to 15 teams.

The Cheetahs and Kings were dropped as the two smallest of the six South African teams in Super Rugby.

Joining the European competition brings complications for the Cheetahs and Kings, and for South African rugby.

South Africa's main club competition, the Currie Cup, runs July-October, overlapping with the Pro14's traditional September to May season. It's unclear how the Cheetahs and Kings will compete in both during the overlap.

Also, the southern hemisphere's international Rugby Championship is in August, September and October, and the South Africa team tours Europe at the end of every year, also possibly clashing with the Pro14 schedule for international players with the Cheetahs and Kings.

Celtic Rugby says it will release its 2017-18 schedule next week.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> The addition of two South African franchises to the Pro12 competition is closer than ever according to a statement on Wednesday from the league's governing body.

The South African Rugby Union announced earlier this month that the Cheetahs and Southern Kings would be axed from Super Rugby, in accordance with the format changes to the competition announced by SANZAAR which will see Super Rugby reduced from 18 to 15 teams.

Talks have progressed swiftly in order for both teams to be included in the new 'Pro14' for the start of the new season in September.

Currently made up of four Irish and four Welsh provinces, along with two sides from Scotland and two from Italy, the competition is expected to be split into two conferences of seven teams with the addition of the two South African franchises the competition. </s> Europe's Pro12 has confirmed it will add two South African teams dropped from Super Rugby and expand to a 14-team, two-continent competition from this season.

Celtic Rugby, which runs the Pro12, said the Cheetahs and Southern Kings will join straight away for the 2017-18 season starting later this year. The Pro12 is currently made up of Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian clubs.

The prospect of northern hemisphere clubs taking on rivals from the southern hemisphere has long been wished for by rugby fans on both sides of the equator, but conflicting seasons in the north and south have previously prevented that.

With the addition of the Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs and Port Elizabeth-based Kings, Pro12 will be rebranded as the Pro14 and change to a two-conference system, instead of a straight league table, before the knockout stages.

Seven teams from the new Pro14 will qualify for the Champions Cup, Europe's top rugby competition, but Celtic Rugby said "at present" the two South African teams won't be eligible for that competition even if they finish in the qualification places. That will, for the moment, avoid the possibility of a South African team becoming the "European" champion.

Pro14 CEO Martin Anayi said the arrival of the Cheetahs and Kings "marks a bold and exciting new chapter for the Pro14 as a global rugby championship."

Celtic Rugby said the inclusion of the Cheetahs and Kings was part of a "long-term" agreement between it and the South African rugby union.

The South African union was forced to cut two teams from the southern hemisphere's leading club competition after Super Rugby decided to downscale from 18 to 15 teams.

The Cheetahs and Kings were dropped as the two smallest of the six South African teams in Super Rugby.

South Africa's main club competition, the Currie Cup, runs July-October, overlapping with the Pro14's traditional September to May season. It's unclear how the Cheetahs and Kings will compete in both during the overlap.

Also, the southern hemisphere's international Rugby Championship is in August, September and October, and the South Africa team tours Europe at the end of every year, also possibly clashing with the Pro14 schedule for international players with the Cheetahs and Kings. </s> A deal to expand the Pro12 to 14 teams from next season has been agreed, BBC Scotland understands.

The South African sides Cheetahs and Southern Kings will join the league after losing their Super Rugby status.

The six-year deal is likely to benefit the league to the tune of an extra £6m per season from the South African Rugby Union and additional television income.

All elements of the deal have been agreed and, once legally ratified, could be formally announced next week.

The new Pro14 league will kick-off in the first week of September and will comprise two conferences of seven teams. Each conference will have one Scottish side, one South African side, one Italian side and two each from Wales and Ireland.

The winners of each conference will qualify automatically for the semi-finals, while the teams placed in second and third in each conference will be drawn together in play-offs for the remaining two semi-final places.

The Pro12 currently raises around £12m in television revenues, meaning the addition of the two South African sides represents a significant uplift as the Scottish, Irish and Welsh rugby unions try to bridge the financial gap to the English Premiership and French Top 14 teams.

The increase equates to around £500,000 in additional income per season for the existing Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Italian sides in the Pro12.

The Cheetahs and the Southern Kings are the weakest of South Africa's Super Rugby teams, and they were cut from next season's competition, opening the way for the move to join the Pro12.

One of the anticipated clauses for the deal is that the two franchises will commit to strengthening their squads, to ensure the competitive nature of the competition is protected. </s> The Cheetahs and the Kings will join the Pro14 for the beginning of the season in September

A deal to expand the Pro12 to 14 teams from next season has been agreed, BBC Scotland understands.

The South African sides Cheetahs and Southern Kings will join the league after losing their Super Rugby status.

The six-year deal is likely to benefit the league to the tune of an extra £6m per season from the South African Rugby Union and additional television income.

All elements of the deal have been agreed and, once legally ratified, could be formally announced next week.

The new Pro14 league will kick-off in the first week of September and will comprise two conferences of seven teams. Each conference will have one Scottish side, one South African side, one Italian side and two each from Wales and Ireland.

The current preference is for two conferences of seven teams playing each other home and away. Within this format, the teams would also play one game against all the sides from the other conference, which would deliver 19 fixtures.

Additionally, each club would also play home and away derby fixtures as well, providing a total of 21 league games. However, other formats are also being discussed.

The winners of each conference will qualify automatically for the semi-finals, while the teams placed in second and third in each conference will be drawn together in play-offs for the remaining two semi-final places.

The Pro12 currently raises around £12m in television revenues, meaning the addition of the two South African sides represents a significant uplift as the Scottish, Irish and Welsh rugby unions try to bridge the financial gap to the English Premiership and French Top 14 teams.

The increase equates to around £500,000 in additional income per season for the existing Scottish, Irish, Welsh and Italian sides in the Pro12.

The Cheetahs and the Southern Kings are the weakest of South Africa's Super Rugby teams, and they were cut from next season's competition, opening the way for the move to join the Pro12.

One of the anticipated clauses for the deal is that the two franchises will commit to strengthening their squads, to ensure the competitive nature of the competition is protected.
In the wake of reports by various media outlets, including the BBC, that the Pro12 competition would expand beyond its Celtic–Italian base to include two South African teams, league organiser Celtic Rugby Limited confirms that "advanced & positive discussions" are ongoing with the South African Rugby Union to add the Cheetahs and Southern Kings to the competition from the coming season.