South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina Rugby (Sanzaar) have declined to confirm a report that there is to be a change in Super rugby's try-scoring bonus point system this season.
The report appeared on host broadcaster Supersport's website, suggesting that a bonus point for scoring four tries would no longer be automatic.
In the new system a team would only be awarded a bonus point if it scored a minimum of four tries but also scored three more tries than the opposition.
So if team A scored four tries, team B would have to be limited to a maximum of one try for team A to gain the bonus point. If team B scored two tries, team A would need to score five to secure a bonus point, and so on.
The system is already in use in the French Top 14 competition, but Sanzaar would not confirm the change.
What other changes there might be was not divulged either but it is believed the referee's microphone will now be broadcast over stadium loudspeakers at selected venues.
Given the tournament's new format with 18 teams, which is already complicated, adding a late change to a system that fans are used to, so close to the start of the tournament, appears to be a desperate attempt to create hype.
