Chances are, the Lions will again reach the Super Rugby final, thanks largely to a lift by the current conference system. Photo: Getty ImagesThe conference system is doing a disservice to the New Zealand teams in Super Rugby and gives a clear advantage to teams from Australia and South Africa. Dunedin firm Iris Data Science modelled a season in which all teams played a double round-robin and there was no conference system. As it sits at the moment, teams are split into three conferences in which they play each other twice. Under the present conference system, the likelihood of that occurring is just over 6%.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 14, 2019 15:33 UTC