Where to for Super Rugby?

[hoggy]

For quite a while Brumbies been the only performing oz super rugby franchise now we have 2 quality rugby franchises that provide great derby clashes. They have set the bar of where Rebels, Force and Tahs need to get to.

The nature of a competition means you will always have teams below the bar, whether its 5 or 10 teams you'll have a top 3 and bottom 3, and some in the middle.
The question that needs answering is what has restricting the code here to 3/5 professional teams achieved for rugby in this country.

 

[Dan54]

The nature of a competition means you will always have teams below the bar, whether its 5 or 10 teams you'll have a top 3 and bottom 3, and some in the middle.
The question that needs answering is what has restricting the code here to 3/5 professional teams achieved for rugby in this country.

Probably the main thing it has achieved it keeping the game solvent. I was going to add maybe a semi pro comp below would be answer , but I suspect that is already there with Shute Shield and Hospital cup.

 

[hoggy]

Probably the main thing it has achieved it keeping the game solvent. I was going to add maybe a semi pro comp below would be answer , but I suspect that is already there with Shute Shield and Hospital cup.

Solvent. Well that could be debated.

 

[dru]

Solvent. Well that could be debated.

Utterly. It has provided a product that had no reasonable chance of being sold and a guaranteed ongoing down trend in interest and commercial opportunity.

 

[Derpus]

Haha on what fucking planet has Super Rugby kept rugby solvent? At best it's provides the talent necessary for the Wallabies, who pay all the bills. Still firmly in the overhead drawer IMO.

I don't know why I keep reading this thread. Like a fly drawn to shit.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Anyway. According to a bloke on twitter. The conditional participation of both the Drua and Moana is set to be announced today. I guess we'll see.

 

[hifflepiff]

Utterly. It has provided a product that had no reasonable chance of being sold and a guaranteed ongoing down trend in interest and commercial opportunity.

Super Rugby was like heroin to RA, gave them a brief high followed by a long debilitating decline into ruin.

 

[Dan54]

Haha on what fucking planet has Super Rugby kept rugby solvent? At best it's provides the talent necessary for the Wallabies, who pay all the bills. Still firmly in the overhead drawer IMO.

I don't know why I keep reading this thread. Like a fly drawn to shit.

I didn't mean Super Rugby had kept game solvent, but more professional teams would of I susoect broken the bank.

 

[Dan54]

Anyway. According to a bloke on twitter. The conditional participation of both the Drua and Moana is set to be announced today. I guess we'll see.

I thought only Moana Pacika were making the statement today. But would be good to hear about future of both teams.

 

[Dan54]

It is both teams that are in by look of it:
Fiji, Pasifika teams confirmed starters in Super Rugby 2022
By Sam Phillips
April 14, 2021 — 12.02pm

The Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika been granted conditional licences for entry into the Super Rugby competition in 2022.

World Rugby last month pledged a $2.16 million annual package to help guide the teams through their first three years in the competition and Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby have now deemed the expansion to a 12-team competition financially viable.

“In a significant step forward for Pacific Island rugby, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua have been granted conditional licences to join a planned new professional competition next year, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced today,” a NZR statement said.

“The NZR Board’s decision to approve licences is a major step toward the two Pasifika teams joining NZR’s existing five Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa clubs and Rugby Australia’s (RA) five Super Rugby AU teams in a new tournament being planned for 2022 and is conditional on their final business plans and RA’s support.”

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said the teams were now in the “final phase” of planning ahead of the 2022 season.

“We are moving into the final phase of planning for 2022 and beyond, and we have confidence that Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua will be able to meet the conditions of the licence, which includes final sign off on a sustainable business plan by 30 June,” Robinson said.

“In the next two months we will be working with Rugby Australia and the two Pasifika teams to formalise their place in the new competition for what we believe will kick off an exciting, new era for the professional game.”

The Pasifika team is expected to be partly based in south Auckland and the Fijians - who were part of the now-defunct NRC - could be partly based in western Sydney.

“That’s one thing that’s been brought up,” Fiji general manager of rugby Simon Raiwalui told the Herald.

“Obviously Fiji is a small market. We would definitely look at playing matches externally. Whether that’s in Australia, New Zealand or whatever other opportunities become available to us.

“With the Fijian and Pasifika communities in both countries and throughout south-east Asia, there are huge communities and huge support for anything Fiji rugby. That’s definitely an opportunity.”

Raiwalui believes the lure of returning home will help bring many Fijian stars now plying their trade abroad back to Fiji in the near future.

“One thing we don’t struggle with is talent. That’s our strongest resource. Obviously, it’s going to come down to timing with contracts and turnover,” he said.

“The first couple of years it’s going to be about building that initial squad. We have obviously talked to a lot of our talent worldwide. Whether that’s Australia, New Zealand or Europe.

“And there is a lot of interest to come back at the first opportunity to come and live in Fiji. To work and live in their home country, with their families and be able to earn a competitive salary

“It’s going to come down to timing but it’s not going to just be a one year project. It’s about planning over the next two, three, four or five years and targeting guys we want to bring back.”

More to come

Hope this is correct! It's only post I seen so far.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

It is both teams that are in by look of it:
Fiji, Pasifika teams confirmed starters in Super Rugby 2022
By Sam Phillips
April 14, 2021 — 12.02pm

The Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika been granted conditional licences for entry into the Super Rugby competition in 2022.

World Rugby last month pledged a $2.16 million annual package to help guide the teams through their first three years in the competition and Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby have now deemed the expansion to a 12-team competition financially viable.

“In a significant step forward for Pacific Island rugby, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua have been granted conditional licences to join a planned new professional competition next year, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) announced today,” a NZR statement said.

“The NZR Board’s decision to approve licences is a major step toward the two Pasifika teams joining NZR’s existing five Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa clubs and Rugby Australia’s (RA) five Super Rugby AU teams in a new tournament being planned for 2022 and is conditional on their final business plans and RA’s support.”

NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said the teams were now in the “final phase” of planning ahead of the 2022 season.

“We are moving into the final phase of planning for 2022 and beyond, and we have confidence that Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua will be able to meet the conditions of the licence, which includes final sign off on a sustainable business plan by 30 June,” Robinson said.

“In the next two months we will be working with Rugby Australia and the two Pasifika teams to formalise their place in the new competition for what we believe will kick off an exciting, new era for the professional game.”

The Pasifika team is expected to be partly based in south Auckland and the Fijians - who were part of the now-defunct NRC - could be partly based in western Sydney.

“That’s one thing that’s been brought up,” Fiji general manager of rugby Simon Raiwalui told the Herald.

“Obviously Fiji is a small market. We would definitely look at playing matches externally. Whether that’s in Australia, New Zealand or whatever other opportunities become available to us.

“With the Fijian and Pasifika communities in both countries and throughout south-east Asia, there are huge communities and huge support for anything Fiji rugby. That’s definitely an opportunity.”

Raiwalui believes the lure of returning home will help bring many Fijian stars now plying their trade abroad back to Fiji in the near future.

“One thing we don’t struggle with is talent. That’s our strongest resource. Obviously, it’s going to come down to timing with contracts and turnover,” he said.

“The first couple of years it’s going to be about building that initial squad. We have obviously talked to a lot of our talent worldwide. Whether that’s Australia, New Zealand or Europe.

“And there is a lot of interest to come back at the first opportunity to come and live in Fiji. To work and live in their home country, with their families and be able to earn a competitive salary

“It’s going to come down to timing but it’s not going to just be a one year project. It’s about planning over the next two, three, four or five years and targeting guys we want to bring back.”

More to come

Hope this is correct! It's only post I seen so far.

Well, it's been published in the SMH as well. So, I would assume it's somewhat on the level.

I think what we'll see now is them fleshing out a format. I suspect NZ will want a Super 12 throwback while RA will want something a little more substantial. Ultimately it will be on the broadcasters to make their recommendations.

I think the goal will likely be a 16 week structure with a 6 team finals series on top for 19 in all. But if they do go with just a single round of games I hope they look at some kind of Origin concept. If it were to just be Australian based then NSW, Qld and I'd actually like a combined PI side. If combined. NSW, Qld, North Island, South Island and again the aforementioned combined PI squad.

 

[Dan54]

Well, it's been published in the SMH as well. So, I would assume it's somewhat on the level.

I think what we'll see now is them fleshing out a format. I suspect NZ will want a Super 12 throwback while RA will want something a little more substantial. Ultimately it will be on the broadcasters to make their recommendations.

I think the goal will likely be a 16 week structure with a 6 team finals series on top for 19 in all. But if they do go with just a single round of games I hope they look at some kind of Origin concept. If it were to just be Australian based then NSW, Qld and I'd actually like a combined PI side. If combined. NSW, Qld, North Island, South Island and again the aforementioned combined PI squad.

Yep seen the announcment on All Blacks facebook page, so looks a goer.
Personally don't think a 6 team finals is much good with only 12 teams, but would not get too upset.
I kind of hope for a one round comp followed by finals, with all teams getting a bye or 2 built in would give a good length comp.
Have to say WCR , I know it probably too much to hope for ,but something like the Origin type concept thing after would be not too bad, be bloody exciting.
There are one or two little questions that I am a bit intrigued about, but will wait to see what else comes out.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Yep seen the announcment on All Blacks facebook page, so looks a goer.
Personally don't think a 6 team finals is much good with only 12 teams, but would not get too upset.
I kind of hope for a one round comp followed by finals, with all teams getting a bye or 2 built in would give a good length comp.
Have to say WCR , I know it probably too much to hope for ,but something like the Origin type concept thing after would be not too bad, be bloody exciting.
There are one or two little questions that I am a bit inrigued about, but will wait to see what else comes out.

My thinking on the Origin competition featuring NSW, QLD, Nth & Sth Islands (using the Maori names) plus a combined squad if we only go with a single round is based around not only providing more content but allowing national selectors a sort of built in trial system across several weeks. As well as provide the opportunity to both Wallaby and AB players of PI ancestry the opportunity to somewhat represent their heritage when not eligible via Test caps. Could even have Aus and NZ run one a piece.

 

[Dan54]

Prehaps with any origin concept, it would need to more than NSW and Qld as there are a lot of players from WA etc etc, but I agree there could be some way to split Aus in half.

 

[spikhaza]

Great news. the simple answer all along was for world rugby to fund the show in the Pacific, as it should.

12 teams will be plenty, the island teams bring an X factor which will keep it interesting. Going to go out on a limb and predict this structure will be a huge benefit in the long run for Aus Rugby.

We have up to 6 games a week in a good broadcasting time zone - this means that by satisfying broadcast requirements for a Fri night and Sat night game you can have a team that gets a good Sunday arvo game every now and then to bring families in, which is barely possible at the moment.

Permanently binning the South African teams is great, we now have 12 teams that will have a name recognition for almost all of them

The SMH article mentions playing in Syd and Auckland - I'd actually like to see them play in Fiji more often than not.

 

[KOB1987]

Prehaps with any origin concept, it would need to more than NSW and Qld as there are a lot of players from WA etc etc, but I agree there could be some way to split Aus in half.

I think the simplest solution for the SoU dilemma is to make the teams NSW/ACT/Vic/Tas origin, and Qld/WA/rest, in terms of an equitable split of players and geography.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I think the simplest solution for the SoU dilemma is to make the teams NSW/ACT/Vic/Tas origin, and Qld/WA/rest, in terms of an equitable split of players and geography.

Might as well make it Green vs Gold and remove any specific mention of states/territories. Or just go with NSW, Qld and PI with ACT and Vic natives falling into NSW and as you suggest. WA and the rest with Queensland. That's three pretty strong squads I reckon.

 

[kiap]

Better yet, forget about it.

It is a concept for a sport trying to compensate for no international presence.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Better yet, forget about it.

It is a concept for a sport trying to compensate for no international presence.

It's more to provide more content if they opt for an single round robin and a Cup competition between it and Japan doesn't materialise. If we get say 16 rounds and the Cup comp. Then it wouldn't be necessary.

 

[Rebels3]

If SOO or SOU games did happen, then no Frankenstein sides made up of numerous states. Just make it NSW v QLD and VIC vs WA if more players are to play. States with real rivalries to them beyond the footy field.

No NSW vs PI heritage vs Rainbow Unicorns vs QLD. It’s pointless and means absolutely nothing.