The newly expanded version of what was originally titled the Celtic League kicks off tonight with the dilution of its Celtic origins well underway.
This weekend, South African sides Cheetahs and Southern Kings play their first games in the Pro14. The Cheetahs travel to Belfast to take on Ulster tonight, while the Southern Kings play the Scarlets on Saturday evening.
Suggestions that the league could be expanded even further are nothing new. The introduction of teams from Germany and North America has already been mooted.
According to Owen Slot in today's Times, two more South African teams are also interested in making the transition to European rugby.
It's said that both the Lions, based in Johannesburg, and the Sharks, based in Durban, have both written to their governing body expressing an interest in following their trailblazing fellow South African teams north. Exactly where they would play is another matter. It seems unlikely that the English Premiership or Top 14 would accommodate them.
The Cheetahs and Southern Kings departed Super Rugby after the number of South African teams in the competition was cut from six to four for next season. What was an 18-team competition this season will be a 15-team one next year, Australian side Western Force also lost out in the contraction.
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
