Where to for Super Rugby?

[WorkingClassRugger]

What I would like to see is the NRC expanded to be our main competition. And then a reduced Super Rugby with just the Reds and Tahs being picked from the best of the NRC players, competing against say 3 NZ teams (Blues, Hurricanes, Crusaders based on largest towns), Sunwolves and Fiji. So Super Rugby is actually super and acts as trials for international teams.

I'd imagine the Brumbies would chuck up an almighty stink if they were to be left out. Which would be fair considering they've been about since 96. But that's not a bad idea. Though I'd go 3 Aus, 4 NZ, Fiji and the Sunwolves. How would you structure it. A Straight 7 games plus finals or two pools of 4 home and away plus a game against each team from the other pool for 10 games plus finals.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

What I would like to see is the NRC expanded to be our main competition. And then a reduced Super Rugby with just the Reds and Tahs being picked from the best of the NRC players, competing against say 3 NZ teams (Blues, Hurricanes, Crusaders based on largest towns), Sunwolves and Fiji. So Super Rugby is actually super and acts as trials for international teams.

Ah almost the old South Pacific championship/Super 6 style.

We would have almost come full circle as it was the top teams from the NPC, Curry Cup, and Aus 2 who formed the S10 AKA the GOAT of Soup footy.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Ahhh. Super 10. Am I right in thinking that was when the Reds (or Qld) was top of the heap?

 

[VassMan]

I went with only the 2 to make them rep teams like State of Origin coming from the biggest rugby populations. Brumbies, Force and Rebels would live on via NRC whereas Reds and Tahs don't as Queensland and NSW need to be split into more teams. And I'd have just round robin with finals.

 

[hoggy]

One think Smith mentioned in the Australian article that is pretty relevant, SA have dropped restrictions for selecting players for the Springboks, so those SA Super sides over the next five years aren't exactly going to be Super, not exactly ideal for attracting fans to games to the Australian franchises especially as they have also reduced local derbies.

 

[RugbyReg]

we should start taking SAF games to regional areas then. Make them travel longer with their under-strength squads but also take a game or two a year to the country.

 

[hoggy]

we should start taking SAF games to regional areas then. Make them travel longer with their under-strength squads but also take a game or two a year to the country.

Yes, but equally a catch 22, with a 14 team comp that means you've got just 7 home games guaranteed, take two to regional areas that means for example NSW will only have 5 home games, no wonder Roger Davies the NSW Chairman said the new structure is unsustainable, let alone trying to compete with ALF & League.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

we should start taking SAF games to regional areas then. Make them travel longer with their under-strength squads but also take a game or two a year to the country.

The Tahs are. They're taking their game against Bulls to Tamworth.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

we should start taking SAF games to regional areas then. Make them travel longer with their under-strength squads but also take a game or two a year to the country.

Rebels are making the Sharks head to Ballarat.

 

[Silverado]

Yes, but equally a catch 22, with a 14 team comp that means you've got just 7 home games guaranteed, take two to regional areas that means for example NSW will only have 5 home games, no wonder Roger Davies the NSW Chairman said the new structure is unsustainable, let alone trying to compete with ALF & League.

I drove past Allianz Stadium on Saturday. It's just an empty site with no sign of construction so could be a while before the Tahs have a home ground. Being from a regional area, I'd love to see more regional games played. This year will be interesting as they play games in Newcastle, Wollongong and Tamworth and 2 at Bankwest leaving only one game at Brookvale and one at the SGC (A terrible ground to watch rugby at) in areas that are the traditional rugby heartland.

 

[Finsbury Girl]

Ahhh. Super 10. Am I right in thinking that was when the Reds (or Qld) was top of the heap?

Indeed sir. But it was the quality of the rugby that made it great. All of the teams were chock a block with test players of what were then the 3 best teams in the world. IMHO peak provincial rugby.

 

[half]

So after 4 seasons of Super Rugby you wanted it binned. Righto.

Yes I have explained why many many many many many many times.

In short all major world competitions and in Australia are based on local domestic competitions.

WE needed to plan our exit from Super Rugby from around 2000 and as I said spent at least 5 years developing the new competition.

To me its always been obvious.

Beyond that the miss reading by rugby folks who believed Super Rugby was going to crush all before it at the time I constantly argued was because of a number of very unique circumstances that pertained to that time period. These included but not limited to League was on its knees but recovering from the Super League war. Soccer was in its death throws and was obviously start a new competition, and the AFL had reemerged from a few years of poor management from the mid 80's to the early to mid 90's.

But guess what everyone said I was a trouble maker and had no idea what I was talking about and like your post cast doubt on what I was saying.

To me was beyond obvious, nay critical we develop a local domestic competition.

 

[Dan54]

we should start taking SAF games to regional areas then. Make them travel longer with their under-strength squads but also take a game or two a year to the country.

And then hope of course that the SA teams don't return the favour!!

 

[Brumby Runner]

One think Smith mentioned in the Australian article that is pretty relevant, SA have dropped restrictions for selecting players for the Springboks, so those SA Super sides over the next five years aren't exactly going to be Super, not exactly ideal for attracting fans to games to the Australian franchises especially as they have also reduced local derbies.

I think you are right on the money Hoggy. It was evident in 2019 that the SA sides were not as strong nor as competitive as they had been historically, and judging by the losses each of them have suffered in their squads for this year, it could be even more dire for SA at Super time.

However, they did then get to win the RWC by bringing their stars in from overseas. Raises the question of just what the role of Super will be if SA and perhaps Aus continue down the path of having no restrictions on selection for the national team.

One thing that could well result, is that NZ no longer look upon SA as their main competitor in Super, and just maybe will be more open to a trans-Tasman competition some time down the track.

 

[KevinO]

One thing that could well result, is that NZ no longer look upon SA as their main competitor in Super, and just maybe will be more open to a trans-Tasman competition some time down the track.

Cannot like this bit enough, all games in TV friendly time zones and can play everyone home and away. Would consider bringing back the Force or adding another kiwi side to make it 10 teams, 18 rounds. Top 4 make finals.

 

[RoffsChoice]

If SA is going, what's the main barrier to a Fijian, Tongan, and/or Samoan team in a new comp? Theoretically sound but I'd imagine the finances aren't great.

 

[hoggy]

If SA is going, what's the main barrier to a Fijian, Tongan, and/or Samoan team in a new comp? Theoretically sound but I'd imagine the finances aren't great.

I think for a Super rugby team the finances aren't great. But its hard to see a trans Tasman competition going ahead without at least one pacific team, it really does make a mockery of the whole growing the code argument.

They have teams in the NRC and GRR based in the Pacific, the trick is private money and ensuring the team is not just a money Pitt due to so called vested interests.

 

[Dan54]

Cannot like this bit enough, all games in TV friendly time zones and can play everyone home and away. Would consider bringing back the Force or adding another kiwi side to make it 10 teams, 18 rounds. Top 4 make finals.

While liking this is good Kevino, I think the thing everyone misses is it is only time friendly for Australia TV audience not NZ, unless Auusie agree to play at 5.50pm and Force play in afternoon..

 

[hoggy]

While liking this is good Kevino, I think the thing everyone misses is it is only time friendly for Australia TV audience not NZ, unless Auusie agree to play at 5.50pm and Force play in afternoon..

Yes, but the main advantage would be not having overnight games from SA, and is 9.30pm that bad a viewing time for Kiwi audiences, the reality is unless we go for purely domestic competitions then time-zones will always be an issue, you bring in Fiji or Japan, regardless will always be an issue.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

While liking this is good Kevino, I think the thing everyone misses is it is only time friendly for Australia TV audience not NZ, unless Auusie agree to play at 5.50pm and Force play in afternoon..

Play 2 on Friday and 2 on Saturday and 1 Sunday. Have each country have their own highlight games in their ideal time slot of 7:30 with the other on delay. Make the Sunday a 2:30 game. It's won't always work out perfectly but still better than watching games in the dead of night.