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Australia and New Zealand rugby are buzzing with the rumour that South Africa is negotiating to take its five teams out of the Super 14 once the SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) broadcast agreement expires in 2010.

South African teams have an ongoing complaint about how they are disadvantaged by all the extra travelling they are forced to do in the Super 14.

And according to The Australian newspaper the South African teams could end up playing in the Magners League - the old Celtic League involving 10 major provincial teams from Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Former South African Rugby managing director Rian Oberholzer, is the man rumoured to be negotiating with the Magners League -  but he told the newspaper that he had no involvement in such a scheme.

It was Oberholzer who helped negotiate South Africa's entry into an expanded Celtic League contest called the Rainbow Cup back in 2005, the year the SANZAR broadcast deal was signed.

SANZAR is scheduled to deliver a new southern hemisphere proposal to the Super 14 broadcaster, News Corporation, by June 30 but it would make sense for Australia and New Zealand to prepare a worst-case scenario plan that takes into account South Africa's withdrawal from Super 14.

The most likely replacement would be a trans-Tasman competition also involving Japan.

One thing is certain. There will be some fairly blunt exchanges at the next SANZAR board meeting in Dubai on March 4.

* Do you think the SA teams should play in the Magners League and not the Super 14?