SANZAAR

It appears the Brumbies, Reds and Waratahs are in the clear, but the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels have been left to battle it out for survival.

Last month, the Force was widely tipped to be the Australian team to get the chop.

But it has since emerged that it will be a genuine two-horse race for survival between the Force and Rebels.

The Australian Rugby Union will now let the two endangered franchises plead their case for survival.

The restructuring comes after widespread criticism of the first season of the 18-team format, which was introduced in 2016 after Argentina's Jaguares and the Sunwolves of Japan, joined the competition and the Port Elizabeth-based Kings returned.

SANZAAR has left it to the national rugby unions involved to announce the teams to be cut, Australia's Perth-based Western Force and South Africa's Kings and Cheetahs widely considered the most vulnerable franchises.