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Recently, I wrote a piece calling for the withdrawal of the ARU from the SANZAR alliance.
The piece was in many ways more a means of protesting my dissatisfaction with the model being employed in the upcoming expansion of the competition, rather than my distaste for Super Rugby itself.
I’m actually a big fan.
The development of new markets is a necessity and would be regardless of the domestic situations of either of the SANZAR unions. Super Rugby is a brand, a strong one at that.
It should be looking to expand its reach and influence over the next 10-20 years. The primary reason is money. There’s nothing shameful about it. The like of Manchester United have actively undertaken branding campaigns in order to develop their financial base.
There’s no reason why SANZAR shouldn’t look to maximise their brand.
Accessing greater financial windfalls allows the unions to retain domestic talent, which is under threat from the likes of the Top 14 and Aviva Premiership.
I have absolutely no issue with this. The problem I have is with the means in which they plan to go about this, not the fact that Japan and Argentina will have a team each.
That was inevitable but more in the piecemeal nature of it and the ad hoc structure which they have chosen to employ.
I think it could be done far more intelligently.
It may take 5-10 years more but it ensures that when ready Super Rugby can capitalise on its truly unique nature and become the first largely global sporting championship.
While I understand the development argument in bringing in both a Japanese and Argentine squad, I am yet to be convinced that this one-team approach is the best option available.
Surely it would be better to encompass the following suggestions.
1. Maintain the current conference structure
However, with the intent to move each to six teams a piece. South Africa will get their sixth team.
Auckland could host a combined PI squad and Australia could either look to do likewise or add another domestic based franchise.
2. Foreign player contracts
As part of this expansion, each franchise opens eight foreign player contracts. Six of these spots would be opened exclusively for the recruitment of both Argentine (4) and Japanese (2) talent, and the other two for developmental positions.
This would mean that between 60-64 Argentine players accessing Super Rugby in the near future and between 30-32 Japanese players. This will not only deepen the player pool but will provide both nations with enough depth to continue to improve internationally and potentially in terms of Japanese to integrate into the current Rugby Championship format.
Even if they involve a team from both nations, surely it would be better for the Argentine squad to fall into the New Zealand conference and the Japanese in the Australia.
From there, expansion should be done not in the form of individual squads but entire conferences. If the goal is to break into new markets, the piecemeal method will either just outright fail or take excruciatingly long to implement.
The base framework is already either in place or being worked on.
For instance, look at Japan and Argentina. Japan has a pro/semi-pro structure in the Top League. It’s unlikely that any organisation would be capable of being competitive at the levels required for Super Rugby. However, there are opportunities to drive the establishment of three separate franchises in Japan to form the spine of a Super Rugby affiliated Asian Super 5/6 Championship.
The goal would be to use Super Rugby branding to establish a conference league with three teams from Japan and one from both Hong Kong and Singapore (Dubai could be a roughy) with the goal of allowing at least five years in which to build to a point where integration would be possible as a conference unit.
Recruitment for this conference would not purely be limited to locals, though ideally there will be a strong local presence. They will be allowed to look outward for talent regardless of its origin.
For Argentina, they already have an established provincial championship – the Campenato Argentino de Rugby. Again, the goal should be using Super Rugby branding.
To transition this structure into a viable conference in which to be fully integrated. This essentially would be the conference for South America. It could even look to have a team in Uruguay/Chile as a means to concentrate talent within Argentina.
Opening spots for both nations talent in the suggested format above would be an effort to ensure that when both conferences come online, the level of talent and development knowledge is already present to ensure that they are as competitive as possible.
Finally, there appears to be opportunities developing in North America that if SANZAR are ambitious enough to seize could provide it the opportunity to break into that particular market.
There are currently two professional league proposals in the works. One is privately driven and the other is USAR backed. It could be possible for SANZAR to partner with one in a similar capacity to that in my Asia and South America propositions to look to bring on board a North American conference.
The key to this is money. It would not require SANZAR to provide any extra finances. The deal will be to provide branding, logistic and expertise support.
The payoff would come later when they are integrated, but only when they have matured enough to provide not only enough benefit to their host nations but to the original SANZAR unions themselves.
A competition with such a reach could be considered immensely valuable.
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.