South Africa's decision to withdraw from Super Rugby has come as no surprise to its NZ counterpart.
The SARU has voted to withdraw its four major franchises from the southern hemisphere competition to expand its presence in the European PRO14 competition.
But NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson insists the writing has been on the wall for a while and the COVID-19 climate means the time is right to push forward with the move.
"SARU has signalled for some time now they were looking at aligning with the northern hemisphere season," says Robinson. "All of the SANZAAR partners had agreed to look at more domestically related competitions in 2020 and 2021.
"During times like these, change is inevitable and we need to be willing to adapt quickly."
New Zealand's decision to proceed with a domestic or trans-Tasman competition had also made it impossible to deliver the 14-team Super Rugby competition in its original format, South Africa Rugby says.
The decision won't affect the Rugby Championship, with the Springboks likely to remain part of the tournament for the foreseeable future.
South African teams or not, Robinson is excited with the prospect of another year of the domestic Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.
"We were thrilled with how Super Rugby Aotearoa was received this year and are excited about what is shaping up for 2021," he says.
"We're also pleased to hear confirmation of South Africa's ongoing commitment to remain a key partner in SANZAAR, which strongly aligns with NZR's position.
"W look forward to seeing the Springboks in action during the upcoming Rugby Championship in Australia."
