As for the “future” I just don’t understand how adding the united states, canada, or argentina etc to create some sort of world league split into conferences can make a better product, they are in other parts of the world and therefore shouldn’t be in the same competition. I can understand Japan, as it is in a timezone similar to our own.

Instead of this expansive Super Rugby, why can’t we have some sort of Rugby Champions League… every 2 years the best clubs fight it out. Do it like India has, keep it in one country, as a proper tournament. There is already the Heineken Cup, but I think one step further would be fantastic.

But having said that, there are some PNG boys that would razzle dazzle in union. That Will Genia for one …

The fairweathers come and go, but the rusted ons stay and slowly build. I still remember my first S10 game v Western Provence in 1994, with 12K crowd and that was huge for then. Now we’d turn our nose up at that number.

I think the problem is we had it so good through to 2003, that all the rusted ons got false hope, and thought the good times were here for ever. Now they have the slump that comes about 11.30am when the first 3 coffees are worn off and the sugar crash comes. Some of the rusted ons seem to be losing heart, when really we are still better off than we were 20 years ago in many ways, and in comparing ourselves to NRL and AFL we are kidding oursleves we are in the mix. Slow and steady wins the race. Plan for 20 years not 20 months time. Olympics, international code, etc.

I am re-signed for 2010 tahs pass. Same boys on again, all 7 of us. We’ll be cheering on Berrick, giving Rocky curry for being a traitor, and getting fired up next year.

Australia has 8 teams, Melbourne, Western Sydney, Gold Coast and Adelaide. Pacific Islanders manage to get 3 teams, one from Fiji, one from Samoa, one from Tonga. PNG also have a team(hey its 2020.) Argentina have 2 teams. NZ and SA have expanded there countries to 8 each. Free to air television is all on. Tri-Nations is 8 weeks. A 4 week competition involving Samoa, PNG, Fiji and Tonga and Japan. is like a 2nd tier Pacific Nations cup. There is still no more Australia A program.

I want to see PNG get more involved, even though they aren’t strong. An inclusion in a program like this could see their league players transfer to Union.

In 2020 the national comp includes the 12 Sydney PR clubs, 10 Brisbane PR clubs, Canberra & Perth. And Melbourne replacing one of the first 22.

A 24 team club national comp. Yeah, I’d like to see that?!?!?!?!?

But it’s only a dream…..

I’m still a fan of Chig’s time travel idea from Monday…

The problem is supporters having patience, and people these days are no longer patient, they want instant success and gratification. As a North Sydney and Waratahs supporter Ive learned that sometimes you need to be patient, in the US, some teams in NFL/MLB have waited something like 50 years to win. Ireland won the Grand Slam this year for the first time in 50 years.

I just hope a long term view is taken, and maybe the ARU needs to elect its management with this in mind…I work in an organisation where the top brass are on short term contracts for three years and it does not encourage any long term thinking, more a case of what can this three years do for me and my resume.

8 teams per conference might be more realistic.

True Tah’s outline also is viable. Although it would involve SANZAR deciding to end Super rugby, which would be a huge step. They will persist with it despite there being some limitations starting to show up. Once started, hard to go back.

Top 4 from each of the Currie Cup and Air NZ Cup qualify for SH hemisphere Cup. Top 2 from Australia and the Pacific Rugby Cup also qualify = 12 team competition.

Alternatively we could include Argentina and split the tournament into a Pacific and Atlantic conferences. This would remove some of the costs, as you would have the winners of each conference play off against each other. Potentially you could include Japan in the Pacific Conference.

Alternatively let South Africa focus on Currie Cup and maybe develop a relationship with Argentina, historically south africa has contributed a lot to Argentine rugby.

Australia, NZ, Pacific, Japan develop the Pacific Championship. Top 4 from NZ, Top 3 from Australia and Japan, Top 2 from Pacific. Four pools of three, with everyone playing each other home and away. Winners of each pool then go to next round, again on home and away, then we have the final. This would help get Pacific some Pay TV $$$ which they sorely need.

Would remove the costs of travelling to South Africa.

As always Australia is the fly in the ointment, but I propose that the teams each nation puts forward do not necessarily need to be provinically based, Australia could nominate the best three club teams in Australia, say the grand finalists from the Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra comps play each other with the best three qualifying. In both Japan and Argentina, the game is club based. The problems with implementing a regional system in Australia are associated with the clubs, they actively tried to undermine the ARC. Seeing their sides getting smashed by the Kiwi sides would certainly put them in their place, and maybe help them come to the realisation they need provincial/regional sides.

Sides for regional comp = WA, Vic, ACT, Qld, NSW Country, Parramatta Rams, Sydney Waratahs, South Australia.