Where to for Super Rugby?

[Dan54]

For heaven's sake, we need to get out in 2020.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11835387

"Tew told the Radio Sport Breakfast that New Zealand's top players believe there are too many local derbies under the new 15-team format, one of a number of reasons why the format might be re-jigged again after 2020."

"Tew said: "Japan are on notice that they've got to perform at a higher level as time goes on. "


Sorry, but if NZ think they have a right to put other member nations "on notice" , coupled with they seem to want the total opposite with less local derbies, frankly, our time together is at an end.

ARU has 3 years to come up with a viable Australia only competition to replace Super Rugby. Involve any Pacific Islands if you want.

Who said NZ put Japan "on notice", I take it to read that SANZAAR has put them on notice, and I think if you read it that NZ didn't want the extra derby matches it actually show that noone really got what they wanted!

I was actually discussing this at work this morning with a few non rugby men, and they pointed out that both League and soccer in Australia have gone through same scenario of having to force amalgamation and/or cutting teams. Anyway I know that doesn't really help those that are supporting teams that maybe cut, so I will leave rest of opinions for another day.

 

[fatprop]

The Sunwolves play some bloody nice rugby in front of loud good crowds in Japan, why they then play in Singapore baffles me

 

[Brumby Runner]

So ARU retain whatever their share of the rights money is regardless of the number of Australian teams. Given player salaries are set at 26% of total revenues & there will presumably be fewer players getting paid, it'll be interesting to see how RUPA deal with this windfall.

We should then be bloody grateful WOB that the ARU didn't agree to cut all five franchises so they could pocket the whole of the broadcast moneys themselves.

 

[Blackadder]

Pulver and Clyne made decisions to cut an Australian side. It will be decided in next 48 hours who will go

 

[Brumby Runner]

I'm at a complete loss.
Thank fuck for club rugby.
Club rugby can make it o Free To Air, and are trying to lift their level up and keep building.
They are looking to build a business from the grass roots.

Dave, I really admire your loyalty and commitment to the SS and the Marlins, but what is happening with those organisations will have negligible effect on the 100,000s of Super fans around the country.

 

[The torpedo]

http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/...ew-zealand-pressure-cut-super-rugby-franchise

Australia has again been revealed as the weak link in the SANZAAR relationship by bowing to pressure from several areas, including New Zealand, and agreeing to hand back one of its Super Rugby licences while getting nothing in return.
The Australian playing ranks were deeply angered when it was revealed the Super Rugby tournament would be cut back to a 15-team tournament next year and an Australian province -- almost certainly the Western Force -- would be axed.
The players will be furious to discover also that the Australian broadcaster -- Fox Sports -- told the ARU in recent days that its preferred position was the retention of the five Australian teams, including the Force, especially as Perth matches rated well on the pay-TV network.
ESPN has been told by several high-ranking sources that Fox Sports executives were eager for a Super 15 format that excluded the three latest additions to the tournament -- the Jaguares, Sunwolves and Southern Kings. Fox Sports' preference is understood to be a competition involving five teams each from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. However, Fox Sports was told by ARU officials that "pressure had been applied" to get rid of one of their Australian teams. So Fox Sports relented, opting 'to fall into line'.
Leading the anti-Australian charge were the ARU's New Zealand SANZAAR counterparts.

Missing Link (guy on the front page) summed up my thoughts best:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/no-laughing-matter-cheikas-right-angry/#comment-2970655100

 

[Brumby Jack]

Brumbies are safe.

The cut team to be decided on withing 48-72 hours.

 

[The Snout]

Who said NZ put Japan "on notice", I take it to read that SANZAAR has put them on notice, and I think if you read it that NZ didn't want the extra derby matches it actually show that noone really got what they wanted!

I was actually discussing this at work this morning with a few non rugby men, and they pointed out that both League and soccer in Australia have gone through same scenario of having to force amalgamation and/or cutting teams. Anyway I know that doesn't really help those that are supporting teams that maybe cut, so I will leave rest of opinions for another day.

Tew went on radio first thing Monday morning and made it know Japan are on notice. Don't see anywhere any announcement by SANZAAR to that end (happy to be corrected), only Tew. If SANZAAR did indeed tell Japan that, then SANZAAR should comment on it, if it's required to be made public at all, not the NZRU chief on behalf of everyone, that's out of line.

If no one got what what they wanted as you say, why are we even in SANZAAR. Seems to me that there are a lot mutually exclusive requirements from some nations. IMO.

 

[lou75]

Pulver and Clyne made decisions to cut an Australian side. It will be decided in next 48 hours who will go

I think it has already been decided who will go, they just can't figure out how to tell us

 

[Garry Owens]

New Zealand can have as many local derbies as they like

What is their alternative if we turn around and tell 'em to get fucked in 2020

Travelling across 2 x continents and playing the Jags , Stormers, Bulls , Sharks , Cheetahs and the Kings ?

Yeah good luck with that

The way I see it the Kiwis need us a lot more than we need them and their 30 point plus drubbings right now

The continued , ongoing , mushrooming score lines set up the continued International beat downs .

If we got to dance right now ....license gets transferred to the Force to deal with the private ownership issue and Brumbies is the natural Super Rugby feeder for developing game in Victoria , which , I reckon is fair to say isn't as far along in its development / traction than what it is in WA

Bolstering the Melbourne NRC franchise is key

Maybe come 2020 the vision should be to tell everyone to get fucked and re-establish the Rebels , try and do a deal with the Sunwolves , and look to do deals to establish franchises in Singapore and Hong Kong.

The possibilities of the big money markets in Hong Kong and Singapore that matches an Asian strategy with the Wolves ......all in the same time zone , in time , logic would dictate , would dwarf SANZAAR Revenues and would compete in retaining the best talent in Asia Pacific instead of pissing off to Europe

If this were possible ....watch the Kiwis want to get in on that action and burn the Julios and the Saffas

 

[Slim 293]

So it's come down to the Force and the Rebels..........

If the rumors are true it will be the Force, who are by far the least deserving of the two right now.

 

[Twoilms]

I was actually discussing this at work this morning with a few non rugby men, and they pointed out that both League and soccer in Australia have gone through same scenario of having to force amalgamation and/or cutting teams. Anyway I know that doesn't really help those that are supporting teams that maybe cut, so I will leave rest of opinions for another day.

I've said this before but when League cut the Bears they lost me as a supporter forever. I was pretty upset at the time (quite young). Just because they did it, doesn't mean it was the right thing to do.

Actually, the Bears/Manly amalgamation was widely regarded as an absolute cluterfuck.

 

[Brumby Runner]

For heaven's sake, we need to get out in 2020.


http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11835387

"Tew told the Radio Sport Breakfast that New Zealand's top players believe there are too many local derbies under the new 15-team format, one of a number of reasons why the format might be re-jigged again after 2020."

"Tew said: "Japan are on notice that they've got to perform at a higher level as time goes on. "


Sorry, but if NZ think they have a right to put other member nations "on notice" , coupled with they seem to want the total opposite with less local derbies, frankly, our time together is at an end.

ARU has 3 years to come up with a viable Australia only competition to replace Super Rugby. Involve any Pacific Islands if you want.

I don't know if the NZRU is behind the scenes pulling the strings or not, but they do have a very public stance about what they want to get out of the Super Rugby competition - fewer local derbies and more competitive inter-conference games. What they've got in this revised format is more local derbies and probably no improvement in the inter-conference competitin as displaced players in both SA and Aus go looking elsewhere for their careers. A very odd way of going about obtaining your goals I'd say.

And the outlook for post 2020 could be a whole lot drearier for the NZers if either or both SA and Aus pull out of Super Rugby altogether, as is certainly feasible. NZ will then be faced with local derbies only. Talk about the potential for shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[Garry Owens]

On top of the Asian strategy ....why the fuck isn't the ARU blatantly copying the League playbook and developing an ethnic - indigenous series

That is if you want to get traction in the Samoan , Tongan and Fijian communities and try and capture hearts and minds in volume . Or has the ARU already waved its white flag to League ?

Could be sort of like the South Pacific Cyclones v Mainland Fresh Meat

 

[zer0]

What is their [NZ's] alternative if we turn around and tell 'em to get fucked in 2020

.....

Maybe come 2020 the vision should be to tell everyone to get fucked and re-establish the Rebels , try and do a deal with the Sunwolves , and look to do deals to establish franchises in Singapore and Hong Kong.

The possibilities of the big money markets in Hong Kong and Singapore that matches an Asian strategy with the Wolves ..all in the same time zone , in time , logic would dictate , would dwarf SANZAAR Revenues and would compete in retaining the best talent in Asia Pacific instead of pissing off to Europe

Japan is the NZRU's alternative (future, arguably) and has been a part of their strategic thinking for a long time now. As I've said before on this thread, the NZRU is in a much, much better position to secure the Japanese/Asian market than the ARU, should Australia go off by itself. Australia's best bet for tapping into the Japanese market is with NZ, not by itself.

 

[Garry Owens]

And then finally , what about the ARU working with State Education Departments in QLD , NSW , Victoria and WA to establish designated Centres of Excellence in Rugby / 7's ?

I mean ....Keebra Park is the League School and there are other examples in curriculum where State Ed has designated that this school is the IT School , The Performing Arts School , The Maths School etc

That is if you want to widen our base across 20 to 30 private schools across the country where 80% of the players come from

 

[Dan54]

Tew went on radio first thing Monday morning and made it know Japan are on notice. Don't see anywhere any announcement by SANZAAR to that end (happy to be corrected), only Tew. If SANZAAR did indeed tell Japan that, then SANZAAR should comment on it, if it's required to be made public at all, not the NZRU chief on behalf of everyone, that's out of line.

If no one got what what they wanted as you say, why are we even in SANZAAR. Seems to me that there are a lot mutually exclusive requirements from some nations. IMO.

Yep ok Snout, but as I haven't heard the broadcast and you may of, I would have to say I have read it wrong, but I obviously wrongly assumed he was speaking as someone who on the Sanzaar board! Actually all the comments have been by individual board members so far.

 

[Garry Owens]

I'm not so sure zer0

Why would the Sun Pups , the Hong Kong Dongers and the Singapore Slings want to get horse whipped by the Kiwis very week ?

At least the Australian Teams are a bit more toward parity

If you get "the product" right it eventually forces a more even distribution of talent

 

[Brumby Runner]

Boy oh boy, Zero. Won't the NZ sides get some red hot competition playing the Asian sides eh?

 

[brokendown]

pulver just referred the Force as a bottom team-I guess being 2nd in the conference means bottom