Inaugural World Cup-winning skipper David Kirk is one of two New Zealanders who will determine whether Melbourne is admitted to an expanded Super 15 in 2011.

Former All Blacks halfback Kirk and retired NZ high court judge Barry Paterson QC have been appointed by SANZAR to adjudicate the dispute between Australia and South Africa over the location of the new team.

While the Australian Rugby Union believes Melbourne has a cast-iron case for inclusion in a five-team Australian conference in the revamped competition, South Africa is doing all it can to have the Southern Kings from the Eastern Cape admitted.

The independent panel of Kirk, who captained NZ to their 1987 World Cup win and is also the former chief executive of Fairfax Media, and Paterson is expected to hand down their decision within a fortnight.

They will review SANZAR documentation and the detailed applications from Melbourne and the Southern Kings. They can also request further information for clarification and validation.

The matter has been put into the New Zealanders' hands after Australian, South African and New Zealand officials were unable to come to a unanimous agreement at last week's SANZAR executive meeting in Brisbane.

All three nations have signed off on the arbitration panel but the South Africans will be pessimistic about their chances of gaining some Kiwi support.

Crusading former South African player and black rights supporter Cheeky Watson, the Eastern Province president behind the Kings' application, last week attacked SA Rugby for not doing enough to ensure the side's inclusion.

Watson believes Melbourne will certainly have the backing of New Zealanders.

"At this stage we'll take anything that comes our way," Watson told The Times. "But if you look at the relationships between the SANZAR partners, hell will freeze over before New Zealand and Australia will vote for South Africa."

Paterson is the chairman of the New Zealand Sports Tribunal and a Member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, as well as being a former New Zealand Cricket board member.

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