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South African, Australian and New Zealand bosses Jurie Roux, Bill Pulver and Steve Tew are sitting in a beach front bar in Sydney having a Sundowner.
Their conversation inevitably turns to a hot topic in Super Rugby.
Pulver: “So we are all agreed gentlemen? We’re going to expand this competition come hell or high water?”
Roux: “It’s the way to go mate, bigger is better.”
Pulver: “Agree mate, the more teams we have the more job opportunities we create and the more revenue we get.”
Tew: “Erm, yeah, well.”
Roux: “Thanks for allowing us to have two conferences gents, it will appease the politicians and we can employ more players.”
Pulver: “No worries mate, and thanks for conceding so many cross-conference matches, it will really save a bundle and make better viewing for us here in OZ.”
Tew: “Erm, well yeah”
Pulver: “What’s wrong Steve, you don’t seem convinced?”
Tew: “Has anyone asked the fans, who pay for the tickets, the TV channels and buy the merchandise, what they want.”
Pulver and Roux: “No?!”
This may just be pure conjecture on my part, but when you consider recent media reports, you come to realise that Super Rugby has completely moved away from its origins.
There will now be a four-conference model from 2016 and an inequality in how teams will compete against one another to qualify for the finals.
The new format will be even more convoluted than before. I am not only disappointed with this news, but completely disgusted that SANZAR has become completely ignorant as to what supporters want.
There have been many suggestions from fellow Roarers as to how they see Super Rugby’s future. But the one format that none of us even thought of (likely because of it being utterly ridiculous) is the one ARU CEO Bill Pulver has announced he fully backs.
I fear SANZAR has got this completely wrong. Their search for the almighty dollar has clouded their minds and sent them into a direction of foolish belief that the expansion of Super Rugby is the answer to their pot of gold.
If they are so intent on having conferences then the obvious answer is that these conferences have to be closed conferences and each country’s teams compete among themselves for a place in the play-offs. At least that way there will be some credibility to the qualifiers.
How the hell does that not make sense?
They want to reduce travel costs and they want to increase the domestic value of derbies per country. Each country is now going to have a local domestic competition with the ARU reinstating the National Rugby Championship.
That should be the basis of each conference.
How does it not make sense to allow each country to have a conference (for better or worse) the size they want it? Then simply have the top teams in a short format play off.
The repercussions of this new format are looming large before the agreement has even been signed. The new format will have no credibility. Teams will be allocated a schedule of overseas opponents that will read like a roadmap to hell.
South African teams will get to play among themselves twice a year, first home-and-away during the Super Shame, and then again during the Currie Cup.
I am sure if travel was not the big issue, all teams would still be playing each other, but the number of teams now in Super Rugby makes that unfeasible.
If you want to put a product on TV, then at least ensure it is what people want. Ensure that it has credibility. In my view Super Rugby has come to the end of its usefulness, and I for one will not be supporting it from 2016.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.