Super Rugby 2013 draw: Kings in, all-Australian opening round
An all-Australian opening round will kick off the 2013 Super Rugby competition which includes a new team from South Africa.
The Port Elizabeth-based Kings franchise has replaced the 2012 wooden-spooners, the Lions from Johannesburg, following several years of political lobbying for a team in the south.
The 2013 draw was unveiled on Friday with the Kings scheduled to make their debut against the Western Force in round two at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on February 23.
Due to the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia, the home-and-away season extends to 20 weeks which will include two weekends of Australian derbies and two other rounds only involving South African and Kiwi sides.
The Melbourne Rebels will host the Force in the season-opener on February 15 while the Brumbies will be at home to the Queensland Reds the following night.
The NSW Waratahs have a first-round bye before meeting arch-rivals Queensland in round two at Suncorp Stadium.
The Waratahs, keen for more day-time matches at Allianz Stadium, will host the Blues and Force in back-to-back Sunday afternoon encounters in round six and seven.
The Force will be early-season travellers and must wait until round six before their first home game against the Cheetahs on March 23.
All five Australian sides will play against the touring Lions before the Wallabies three-Test series, which isn’t aligned with the All Blacks and Springboks internationals.
It makes for staggered rest periods and a disrupted draw with the Australian sides breaking from Super Rugby when the Wallabies-Lions clash from June 22 to July 6.
“The Lions tour to Australia presented some unique challenges in preparing the 2013 Super Rugby draw,” SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters said.
“The 2012 Super Rugby season was the most watched season of Super Rugby ever, both in terms of those attending matches live and also viewing on television. The 2013 draw will hopefully see us grow those numbers again.”
The defending champion Chiefs begin their campaign in Dunedin against the Highlanders in round two while the Bulls and Stormers kick off the season for the South African conference.
The Super Rugby finals series will kick off with qualifiers on 19-20 July, semi-finals on 26-27 July and the competition final to be staged on Saturday, 3 August.
© AAP 2013The Crowd Says (34) | Page 1 of Comments
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September 21st 2012 @ 7:58pm
Ballymore said | September 21st 2012 @ 7:58pm | Report comment
For the purposes of equality I really wish every team played every team atleast once. Also, shame the W’Tahs are playing at ANZ again.
September 21st 2012 @ 10:04pm
Superba said | September 21st 2012 @ 10:04pm | Report comment
The Waratahs are playing at Allianz stadium which is their home ground in Paddington and not at the awful stadium in Homebush .
September 21st 2012 @ 10:15pm
Johnno said | September 21st 2012 @ 10:15pm | Report comment
still annoyed about the grand final not having a 1 week gap.
September 22nd 2012 @ 12:58am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 12:58am | Report comment
I have no issue with the scheduling of the earlier matches for OZ, but it simply highlights the fact that when we need to accommodate a country in this manner, then it proves without doubt our calendar is too full, and the Super XV must be shortened.
Rather go back to everyone plays everyone else once and you save a good few weeks, plus only do semi and final and we save almost a month.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:03am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:03am | Report comment
ah but the revenue biltongbek.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:13am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:13am | Report comment
You know Johnno, that excuse is no longer good enough for me. At what point do they stop using that?
When we simply run out of the weeks in the year, where we train players in oxygen tanks and preserve their bodies midweek in a cryogenic chamber?
There are 52 weeks in a year,you have already seen the devastation injuries have created on our national teams this year, SA plays a pack with 2 experienced players, OZ are forever missing three top back line players.
And yet we keep on saying it is all for the revenue.
There is a thing called saturation point (I think the right terminology, I am thinking in Afrikaans here) whereby you give a kid five sweetes and he wants more, you give him another five sweets and he wants more, eventually he goes to bed sick from all the sweets, for the next month he wants no sweets.
When will rugby reach a saturation point?
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:51am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:51am | Report comment
Biltongbek good points mate the sweets analogy i like. Maybe think like MRwilly wonka and the chocolate factory. He taps into the human emotion one of the seven deadly sins greed. The one who was the least greedy won, hence the book charlie and the chocolate factory. The saturation point for rugby is bang on the money the right term. Proffesional Rugby to me is still like the internet a very young industry , it has only both been around for about 16 or 17 years max and is still finding it’s feet. And sports medicine still doesn’t know enough yet about what is too much and too little rugby, just like in cricket. IN australia a lot of fast bowlers have been getting injured and now some are saying coz they are being wrapped in cotton wool not playing enough.
The other problem biltongbek with saturation is population expansion, and the rise of middle class. Now south Africa has around 50 million , i don’t even know if broadcasters have remotely tapped into that population potential yet as still many south africans are improvised and can’t afford to get pay tv , or buy merchandise or attend matches.
Now as that increases the standard of living there will be even more demand in new markets for rugby , than are now. So that means to me sevens will fill that key void IPL T20 cricket style lots of flashy sevens weekends, the IRB has increased it’s sevens world series to 15 teams and will start a global promotion relegation system to tap into more teams and have more coutnries play in 7evens torunmants . So the reality is too me, it is no where near saturation point yet to feed the greedy broadcasters and sponsors, so for me the logical solution is larger suqds 40-50 players like in europe and rotation something that was seen as so dreaded 5 years ago when graham henry wa seen to be devaluing test matches. Now test matches have become squad rotations if the rugby championship in 2012 is anything to go buy.
Heck in basketball they play 82 regular season games plus up to about 28 play off games if needed,. In baseball in america they play i think 162 regular season games per team that equates too 2430 matches , incredible and add on the play offs too massive amounts.
And USA is an example of a counry with a strong middle class with lots of pay tv subscriptions. south africa have not even hit the tip of the iceberg with there broadcasting saturation and pay tv subscribers , but will over the next 35 years until 2050 no question and that means masses of more rugby, maybe a 2nd division style african super rugby torunmant . Heck south africa now has 4 tiers, tests, super rugby, currie cup, vodacom cup,schoolboy craven cup, and local 1st division at provincial level and has not even tapped into it’s full market share not by a long percentage, so along way to go before market saturation hits south africa and that means even more games.
September 22nd 2012 @ 2:00am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 2:00am | Report comment
I get your point, and yes there is still a huge untapped market in SA,but once again we must concede to the fact that they may not all come to love rugby.
The other thing about bigger audiences, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need more teams.
If you retain the number of teams with treble the audience you make more money per club/franchise.
Then also basketball isn’t rugby union, a contact sport even if it has beiiger squads will struggle to maintain the quality when players are continually rotated because players won’t gel as well and we already see how difficult it is to maintain the same quality when first choice players are out.
September 23rd 2012 @ 10:23am
Comrade Bear said | September 23rd 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Ha ha I tried to find that saturation point with my two boys using chocolate – turns out I ran out of money before they stooped wanting chocolate – but I see your point
September 22nd 2012 @ 4:08pm
Jutsie said | September 22nd 2012 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
Agreed, I was really looking forward to the extended super 15 season when it was announced but in the last 2 years I have experienced rugby fatigue towards the back half of the test season, which isnt a good thing. The number 1 draw card should always be test rugby and no other level of competition should take anything away from it.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:04am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:04am | Report comment
biltong you say the calendar is too full, but there are six countries in the northern hemisphere who have far longer schedules.
More matches means more product for the broadcasters, more gate revenus for the franchises, and more rugby to watch for fans.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:06am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:06am | Report comment
Yes and hence the season there is a confused as a chameleon on a smartie box.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:11am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:11am | Report comment
good potions both biltongbeck and KPM. Confusion is annoying but the revenue has to keep coming in biltongbek. I agree i prefer less is more and used to advocate shorter schedules and the player welfare side too but big squads and you can sorta get around that like in france. But the revenue and money has to keep coming in to pay for the stadiums, and star players and coaches. What annoys me about rugby is there attitude that it is okay to have no rugby on the weekend in OZ. What a joke at least in NZ and sty africa you blokes have the currie cup and itm cup to bring in the revenue and for the fans enjoyer ugly. No rugby in OZ this weekend at all nothing and i am suffering withdrawal symptoms and feel lonely guys. Watched some french top 14 on pay tv last nigth and loved it and had to watch bits of it again today to feed my cravings for rugby. Will watch some currie cup and itm cup but would of loved some aussy rugby this weekend heck and australia A match vs Japan A would of been good enough or samoa A, no rugby in OZ this weekend means no revenue.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:12am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:12am | Report comment
The perfect elimination of confusion may be outweighed by the manifold benefits of a longer season.
If the season started earlier overriding New Zealand’s objections and finished later shunting the Currie Cup later then there would be more money in the game in general and more rugby. Then, there could also be more teams, the ultimate goal.
September 22nd 2012 @ 5:29am
Kuruki said | September 22nd 2012 @ 5:29am | Report comment
Quality over quantity unless your goal is short term gain and long term demise. Longer super seasons will affect quality of all rugby.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:19am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:19am | Report comment
Listen I love rugby as much as the next guy, in fact I wonder if anyone watches as much rugby as I do.
Every year I watch live, 90% of all Super Rugby matches, totalling at least 100 matches, I watch the Six Nations, I watch the Tri nations, I watch Currie Cup, I watch some Vodacom cup, Craven week, some ITM matches and if that doesn’t fill me I watch Heineken Cup or some Aviva if there is nothing else on.
Ontop if that I watch every live test match between other nations.
But one thing I hate is when one competition has to take a hiatus, because the administrators can’t figure out how to have one complete before the next starts.
It is like watching a thriller and halfway through you have to stop, wait a week to see the final bit.
Ridiculous
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:34am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:34am | Report comment
Biltongbek i am trying to keep a straight face as i read your comment, a very serious point and i feel so happy and proud a man loves rugby so much and almost giggling you’ve given me the giggles biltongbek mate, coz i just couldn’t help but laugh, biltongbek you south africans sure love your rugby,, commitment you are the winner no1 biltongbek your opening line of this comment has me in stitches right now. Biltongbek i think it is fair to say you may not have to wonder if anyone watches as much rugby as you as i think you do watch the most rugby out of the guys at work the neighbours the guys down at the local golf club, or taxdrivers , or the hardhats on the docks and building sites, i think you can match it without he best of the guys biltongbek. You love rugby and you deserve a good schedule and a big thank you to watching a lot of rugby. And a good schedule would help that for you the fan. I am amazed these franchises and media networks so hungry to get fans like you biltongbek your time and money can’t improve there scheduling as they are so money hungry you’d think they’d have a good schedule for passionate fans like you biltongbek, and johnno and KPM and other fans on the roar. we love rugby so a good schedule would be most welcomed.
It’s amazing when one breaks it down just how much rugby we the fans watch in a season . In a lifetime we may consume 10,0000 rugby matches both 7′s and 15′s. Do you watch 7′s biltongbek as well i love sevens.
September 22nd 2012 @ 1:54am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 1:54am | Report comment
I am glad you enjoyed that mate. Yes if my 15′s schedule allow for it, I watch 7′s as well.
But do you see what I am getting at?
Lets finish one thing at a time.
The European schedule is crazy, one week test, next week Heineken then of for something else.
September 22nd 2012 @ 2:05am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 2:05am | Report comment
Happy i enjoyed that mate very funny. But this is the point about scheduling I 100% see your point and what you are are getting at , and where this all leads.
- I think this i won’t write an essay on it as it is such a big subject but will try and do some quick points.
-The IRB needs to sit down with all the big unions in the rolled, the media networks, and the various comp administrators and have a big conference maybe 1 or 2 weeks if need be and work out a right schedule , then go from there. And also dares the packer welfare issue about working out how many games and squad numbers. I think in europe the maximum a player is obligated to play is 35 , but he is allowed to play more. Sports medicine will get better over the next 29 years that they will be able to track better hear rates and how much distance each player covers in match they kinda do that now but it will get better. In australia to dare this the ARU is trying to have more contact with super rugby clubs and help with the sport medicine side of things and monitor more closely.
- http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/heavy-injury-toll-for-wallabies-leads-to-calls-for-national-player-welfare-program/story-fn8ti7yn-1226477620431
But the point is a calendar has to be soughed out as the injury levels can’t go on and rugby will kill itself if it lets this scheduling chaos to continue as too many injuries to star players.
September 22nd 2012 @ 2:45am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 2:45am | Report comment
Biltong and Johnno.
I guess it’s a question of appetite for rugby and how much one wants to watch.
I wonder Biltong whether your arguments aren’t prompted by, as a South African, not wanting a longer season as it would mean moving the Currie Cup?
I agree that it’s not desirable when competitions take a hiatus at all, but the alternative loss of revenue would be more damaging at least to Australia and New Zealand. To some extent South Africa is in the unique position of the three in not needing to worry too much about the revenue the game brings. Remember in Australia and New Zealand there is not only the pressure from other codes, in Australia rugby being whipped and thrashed, but also far lower crowds.
September 22nd 2012 @ 2:51am
biltongbek said | September 22nd 2012 @ 2:51am | Report comment
Kpm, I get that, it is not about the Currie Cup in this instance it is really just wanting it all to work in a way where one finshes before the next sarts.
September 22nd 2012 @ 3:03am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 3:03am | Report comment
KPM as judged by this years super ratings i would say a lot, . The RC test in gold coast did not rate well and i blame the ARU’s poor marketing and channel 9 for it, and the footy finals. Channel 9 KPM is poison to rugby in Australia KPM in my opinion. Hopless i hope channel 10 or sbs or anyone else on free to air gets it they have been awful for the sport.
September 22nd 2012 @ 3:35am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 3:35am | Report comment
Johnno channel 9 is doom for any code it touches as far as I can see.
Poor old Gold Coast and Newcastle instead of the representation they deserve have to make do with an occasional test!
September 22nd 2012 @ 3:44am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 3:44am | Report comment
I agree KPM. 7evens next month on gold will be okay but tail crumbs in the bigger picture. Gold coast and newcastle and add 1.5 million in south australia all treated with contempt. Your right KPM channel 9 are doom to any sport awful i cant even watch channel 9 sport almost now so angry with how they treat all sports in OZ, destroy it.
September 22nd 2012 @ 3:51am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 3:51am | Report comment
Johnno it’s sorrowful to think that of the 8 largest cities in Australia the 5th, 6th and 7th have no representation. I think it’s called digging your own grave!
September 22nd 2012 @ 4:05am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 4:05am | Report comment
Disgracful i agree digging your own grave if this continues the ARU may as well give up on rugby as we will be reduced to a sports status of field hockey or water polo within 10 years if this continues.
September 22nd 2012 @ 5:15am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 5:15am | Report comment
Johnno or NRL friday followed by AFL saturday! For all time…
September 22nd 2012 @ 5:58am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 5:58am | Report comment
I know sad reality, and we can thank the ARU and channel 9 for terrible business models and pathetic incompetant marketing. On the good news global rugby is booming but the fundamental fact is i want to enjoy local rugby too. Shute shield is lame now only about 2000 people attended the shute shield grand final , more people attend school boy rugby matches than that.
September 22nd 2012 @ 2:56am
kingplaymaker said | September 22nd 2012 @ 2:56am | Report comment
biltong yes it’s hard to think of a way round that-I imagine the problem here is that the northern hemisphere countries wouldn’t want to move their June tests to later as it would be in the middle of their off season.
If all three countries had New Zealand’s climate you could just start everything earlier.
September 22nd 2012 @ 3:40am
Pot Hale said | September 22nd 2012 @ 3:40am | Report comment
The NH season starts in August in T14 – they have 26 league matches to work through before the top 6 playoff finals in May/June. A league match is played nearly every week. On top of that are the Autumn Internationals, and the European Cup matches in the H Cup and Challenge Cup and the Six Nations.
The AP has 22 regular matches plus top 4 playoffs. And the Anglo-Welsh Cup for the second-String welsh and English squads. And the H Cup and Challenge Cup. And the tests in November, Feb/Mar and June
Pro 12 has 22 matches plus top 4 playoffs plus H Cup, Challenge Cup, and 8/9 tests. And the British & Irish Cup for second-String and development players/teams.
With the smaller number of teams, more of their club players are involved in tests so clubs like Leinster have an entirely separate team to play the league at this stage.
The proposals for changes to the European Cup has one critical demand bythe French, they want the comp shortened to 20 teams and to be played in a different pool structure so that it finishes a month earlier. This is likely to be passed for the new agreement starting in 2014/15 season.
The growing rate of injuries in SH comps was well predicted with the move to an expanded Super 15 and an increased season. The impacts of this at test level will start to emerge in November Internationals and tours next year.
Teams/clubs might follow a model such as Leinster have done whereby they are able to field almost two separate teams, as happens in SA largely with the Currie Cup, but I suspect the crowded schedule is going have an even bigger toll globally.
September 22nd 2012 @ 3:51am
Johnno said | September 22nd 2012 @ 3:51am | Report comment
Good anyalays pot hale thank you for the season time lines and matches. A global rugby calande rin my opinion would be ideal but how that is achieved i don’t know. Market saturation to me would not be an issues as NH and SH are in different timezones so you can watch the NH late at night after your SH rugby fix. But other issues in north like weather rin south of france form May-September.
But in saying that cold weather ris not healthy to and spectator quialit yi smooch better. rugby league has benifited massively from changing timetable to season all ending in same year. ANd much better for spectator comfort. Also change of calendar would help russian rugby more too and ukraine.
-I think squad size will increase in OZ it has to, soon we will star tot see 40-50 man squads inevitable coz i cant see the media networks wanting to cut down too many games. ALso better sports medicine stuff will help to over the next 10 years.
September 22nd 2012 @ 8:44am
Blue Blood said | September 22nd 2012 @ 8:44am | Report comment
“The Force will be early-season travellers and must wait until round six before their first home game against the Cheetahs on March 23.”
This was a necessity for the Force as the upgrade work at NIB stadium will not be finished until the end of round 4. I’m glad their request was respected as watching rugby at Subi is terrible.
Also heard through a club president yesterday that Chris Webb has finally signed on for the Force. Huge signing for them as they have had amateurs in that role. This will bring new professionalism to the franchise which has needed it from day one. There are many passionate people in rugbyWA but few have any real experience or skills in the positions they hold. Now to boot out Vern Reid (CEO who has been terrible for 2 years atleast) and we’ll be heading in the right direction.
September 23rd 2012 @ 12:51pm
Hollywood said | September 23rd 2012 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
I dont like all the friday night games in melbourne. Unfortunately the Melbourne draw seems to be for the corporate crowd rather than the family crowd. Love to see more saturday and sunday afternoon games in Australia.
September 23rd 2012 @ 1:04pm
Jutsie said | September 23rd 2012 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
Yeah its annoying isnt it? I work in the city but sometimes I would prefer to just go home straight after work and catch a game on a saturday evening instead.
The sunday arvo game against the cheetahs was great.