Super Rugby’s 2020 vision

 
The Crowd Roar Pro

By Barry, 28 Oct 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Pro

Tagged:
 , , , ,

16 Have your say

Related coverage



Crusaders' Andy Ellisleft, bottom left, tackles the Waratahs' Dean Mumm as his captain Phil Waugh jumps to make room for a pass during their Super 14 rugby union game at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, March 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

Crusaders' Andy Ellisleft, bottom left, tackles the Waratahs' Dean Mumm as his captain Phil Waugh jumps to make room for a pass during their Super 14 rugby union game at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, March 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)

I had a dream. In my dream, the year is 2020. The conference system has worked well for Super Rugby, and the tournament has undergone rapid expansion.

The financial and management structures undergirding the tournament and individual franchises have changed somewhat, as have the structures undergirding Super Rugby itself.

Countries such as South Africa and New Zealand no longer support professional franchises plus extra professional teams in their national domestic competitions. Instead, there has been a merging of the second and third tiers.

There are now 10 franchises playing out of the New Zealand conference. They are the same (soon to be) 10 teams from their ANZC.

There are 10 franchises playing out of the South African conference, with a similar set-up to New Zealand.

There are 10 franchises playing out of the Australian conference (8 from Australia, plus 2 from Japan).

And there are 10 franchises playing out of the American conference (4 from Argentina, 3 from the US, and 3 from Canada).

The teams from Australia are Waratahs, Reds, Brumbies, Force, Rebels, a team based in Western Sydney, a team based on the Gold Coast, and a team from Adelaide.

Unfortunately, still no Pacific Island country is able to support a franchise.

However, a concession has been made to allow all teams to have an extra international player from the Pacific Island’s without jeopardising them from playing for their own country of origin during the international season.

This has opened up a potential 40 extra positions on top of the number of overseas players different countries allow their teams to have.

The tournament within each conference is basically a national domestic competition with an international finals system.

Within each conference, all the teams play each other twice (home and away) with the top 2 from each conference moving through to a final 8 knock-out tournament (3weeks). At the same time the teams ranked 3rd and 4th from each conference move through to the Plate finals, using the same knock-out structure.

There is the usual three week break during the tournament for the June internationals.

There are plenty of games for Pay TV, and they get the pick of the round; but there are also plenty of games left over for local FTA TV to pick up – which they do!

The Super Season runs from March through to mid-August, followed by the 4 Nations played over 8 weeks (involving Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Argentina).

And the year ends with the November tour.

Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.

Get a daily rugby union email

Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it.

We value privacy. More.