Australia has joined New Zealand in welcoming South Africa's decision to agree on a structure for Super rugby from 2011 and beyond. The three unions - the South African Rugby Union, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union (SANZAR) member countries were in dispute over the best way forward for the competition but reached agreement at a meeting in Dublin yesterday.

The details of the agreement have been kept secret until they are presented to their respective boards but will be presented to their broadcasters next month for consideration.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief executive Steve Tew was a relieved man after a new Super rugby agreement was reached in Dublin.

The southern hemisphere's annual regional competition was in danger of being scrapped after 2010 following a public spat between the three parties.

"We're very pleased. We needed some certainty. We needed to be able to get some work done on the details," Tew said from London during a conference call. "Everyone has had to make some compromises,” he added.

"It would be fair to say that we are all satisfied. No one is overjoyed or bitterly disappointed, which when you're trying to get three parties to agree to something as complicated as this then it's probably about the right result." - Reuters