The way I see it we still need a "first class" competition feeding into the national side. Rather like the Sheffield Shield is for cricket. That can still be super rugby for us, either in the current structure or a champions league style thing where we have OZ + Fiji in one group and NZ + Moana in the other. The top two in each group play semis and then the final.
We'll always have club footy and that's a good thing, it's where the next generation of first class and test players comes from. The question for me is what needs to come between club and first class level, because to my mind we need that bridge.
I reckon there are two viable options that don't completely upend the current structures:
- Option 1: an NRC style comp where we have Force, Rebels, Brumbies/Vikings/Kookaburras, NSW Country, Sydney, QLD Country and Brisbane, plus probably the Drua.
- Option 2: a round robin champions league style comp with the grand finalists of each Premier grade across the five Super franchises. Split them into two groups and they all play each other once. Top two in each group play semis then final.
The games are played at suburban grounds or places like Ballymore to save money and connect with local rugby communities.
Each of the options taps into tribalism to varying degrees, provides more footy (which we're all crying out for) and bridges the club level comps with the higher tiers of the game.