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As the Super 14 winds to an end, you can’t help but wonder what might have been. Throughout the off-season, the option of an extended finals series, possibly including six teams, was discussed amongst the SANZAR partners.
However, like most positive recent suggestions, cold water was quickly poured on this idea.
Australia and New Zealand were understandably keen for the business end of the tournament to be extended for as long as possible. This part of the tournament attracts the most excitement and consequently, is the most profitable for the respective rugby unions.
However, the continuing trend of South Africa’s oppositional stance has meant that the four-team semi final series was retained. South Africa’s condition for approving a six-team series was that it must involve two teams from each country, no matter what position they placed on the table.
This way of thinking is hard to understand as it goes against nearly every principle of competitive sport where a team is rewarded for winning.
Giving two playoff spots to each nation could potentially result in a team who has placed highly on the table missing out on a playoff spot.
This just doesn’t seem logical.
Much has been made of the competitive nature of this year’s tournament and the fact that five out of seven of the final round’s games will have a bearing on the make up of the top four.
In the last month of the competition, up to seven or eight teams have still been eligible to make the playoffs. This shows that there is enough competition within the tournament to warrant a six-team playoff. It also means that the three or four teams who have dropped off the pace in the last few weeks would all still have something to play for.
Again, this would attract even bigger crowds to the remaining games and provide yet more profit for John O’Neill and his troops.
The Bulls, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Waratahs, Brumbies and Sharks have all shown glimpses in the last month that they have what it takes to win the competition.
However, some of these teams are going to miss out on that opportunity because they do not make it into the limited semi final places. Wouldn’t it be great to see all these teams involved in a finals series where bonus points go out the window and the teams that cope best with the pressure will ultimately succeed?
Who knows what might happen in a do or die situation?
The NRL, which only has two more teams than Super 14, employs an eight-team finals series that stretches out over a month.
This allows anticipation to build and it pits the best teams against each other time and time again. That should be what sport is all about: the best testing themselves against the best in a pressure environment where everything is on the line.
It would also provide the national selectors with an opportunity to see their players performing under pressure-cooker situations and give them an insight as to who will cut it at international level.
It seems to me that SANZAR has missed a great opportunity, not only in terms of revenue, but also in terms of a spectacle.
With all the talk about Super 14 needing a facelift, this seems to be an obvious and simple starting point.
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.