Southern Hemisphere
In rugby union, the Shaughnessy system has been widely used throughout the SANZAR countries of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, and remains in use for national competitions in the first two.
The Super Rugby competition, featuring teams from all three SANZAR countries, used the Shaughnessy format throughout its history as the Super 12 and Super 14, ending in 2010. With the competition's expansion to 15 teams as Super Rugby in 2011, the playoffs now involve six teams, with three conference champions and three "wild cards" advancing.
In South Africa, the Currie Cup uses a Shaughnessy playoff to determine the champions of both of its two divisions (Premier and First).
In New Zealand, the professional ITM Cup (formerly Air New Zealand Cup) adopted the Shaughnessy format in 2009, after having used an eight-team playoff bracket in its first two seasons in 2007 and 2008. In 2011, the ITM Cup split into two divisions, effectively re-creating the three-division system that existed in the National Provincial Championship era. The playoffs in both the new Premiership and Championship divisions use the Shaughnessy system except in World Cup years, in which only the top two teams contest a final. Since its inception in 2007, the amateur Heartland Championship has used the Shaughnessy system, implemented at the last group stage, to determine the winners of both of its trophies, the Meads and Lochore Cups.
Australia currently has no nationwide domestic competition. The latest attempt to establish such a league, the Australian Rugby Championship, used a Shaughnessy playoff, but was scrapped after its only season in 2007.
Read more about this topic: Shaughnessy Playoff System, History and Usage
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