The Super 14 rugby competition will be expanded to 15 teams from 2011.

The home country of the 15th team will be decided by tender, with both Australia and South Africa keen on another team.

The 15 teams in the competition will be split into three conferences, one in each country and each side will play their own conferences twice, home and away.

Each side will also play against eight of the ten teams from the other two conferences, once.

The three conference winners will qualify for the finals along with the three other teams with the highest points for the whole season.

The season will be extended from 14 to 24 weeks, starting in late February and ending in August, although in World Cup years it will move forward.

There will be a three week break in June to allow for internationals against visiting teams.

In this week’s Super 14 semifinals the Chiefs versus Hurricanes semifinals kicks off at 7:35pm on Friday and the Bulls versus Crusaders match kicks off at 1am on Sunday.