The move of Danny Cipriani to Melbourne is a beautiful thing for rugby. It might seem like Melbourne is bringing in a mercenary from the North; a big name player to put butts in the seats. This is only partially true.
What they are truly getting is a raw talent that will benefit from playing the game in the Southern hemisphere. In turn, he can truly live up to is potential.
The Northern hemisphere has the money and facilities, but fail to develop talent completely.
The level of skill in the Super 14 blows all the Northern comps out of the water. It has to do with the speed and intensity of the Super 14 game, and an emphasis on ball handling.
If you watch the matches in Europe, teams win through tactics and physicality. Skill, especially in the backline, is just not an obvious point of focus. Much of it could be contributed to the weather, but that really isn’t much an excuse.
What Cipriani’s move does for England could be something special. He could be molded into a top class five-eight through the forge of Super 14 fires.
Playing that Southern-style will open his eyes to attacking possibilities. The speed of the game will take some getting used to, but once Cipriani acclimates, his skill set will be complete.
The greatest issues concerning Cipriani are his intentions to return to England after his stint in Melbourne is complete.
England manager Martin Johnson has told Cipriani that his move South has effectively removed him from contention for England selection. Why Johnson would do this to himself is anybodies guess.
Cipriani will be a better player for his time in Australia. Bringing him back into the England set up would only benefit the team. This is yet another example of the narrow-minded English view of the world.
Granted, I am generalizing as there are a great deal to very talented rugby people in Europe. However, if the measuring stick on a rugby nation’s success is Test victories and World Cups, then the North is way, way behind the South.
I suppose Johnson feels he has a pass because he captained the 2003 Rugby World Cup England side.
However, this is a special opportunity. Not many of the Super 14 sides allow foreigners into their sides. Be having a density of local talent, you assure the national teams are stocked with experienced players.
The last thing the Southern hemisphere wants to do is open the doors to Northern talent, train and refine it, only to send it back to Europe with heads full of Southern secrets.
However, let’s think of what it would mean to Super rugby if the doors where open to foreigners.
First there is the economic benefit. More publicity could only benefit the competition’s profile globally which would help merchandise sales. Fans will want to follow their favorite players on television, so the ad revenue would increase.
Second is variety. If there is one thing that is a draw back to Super rugby, it is seeing that same players playing each other again and again and again.
Adding some spice to the teams would increase excitement from year to year. Players should be allowed to move between Super franchises at the very least and if you coupled that with European talent, it would be a very unique competition.
Lastly are the uncharted territories. The United States is a hotbed of athletic talent and economic wealth. If Super were open to foreign talent, it could tap into that.
The US sits between Europe and the Southern powers. If Super rugby were established in the US, they would have an extra ally against the powers that be in Europe.
When it comes to the IRB, the South lacks a powerful voice because it doesn’t carry the economic clout of their European counterparts. A country like America could swing that in their favour, but only if the US is firmly entrenched in favoring the Southern hemisphere’s style of play.
Hopefully Danny Cipriani’s move will allow those who in charge of Super rugby to see how much more dynamic the sport could be if it allowed on open trade of talent across boarders.
Fingers crossed, a US Super team?
Sam
Guest
Speak for yourself. I couldn't name any, but that isn't because I'm ignorant of English rugby.
Matt Manley
Guest
My rugby preferences are particular. I apologize if I seem to be hating on the North, but aside from the Heineken Cup, I just can't get into it. As an American and a rugby player, I want to see the best for US players. It is great and wonderful to have guys playing in Europe, but I want to see more Todd Clever's. He is playing for the Lions (scored a try vs Chiefs and setup another) and I know we have more just like him waiting for a chance to play Super rugby. Truthfully, a professional competition here in the US is a long way off. In turn we have to rely on sending our best talent overseas. From where I sit, I want to see us play in the Super rugby comp rather than in Europe. If people have a problem with that, so be it...
Matt Manley
Guest
I'm actually American. So now you have more reason to hate...
TommyM
Guest
Hopefully Cipriani's signing will open the door... to Matt Toomua moving to the Force next year. Its crazy watching such great players sitting on the bench without any opportunity.
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
I could list various players, Sam, but judging by your unwillingness to engage in discussion I suspect that you don't actually know a great deal about English rugby, and would simply prefer to troll.
Sam
Guest
No, because it was a policy applied to everyone - no player was singled out. The NZRU made the decision many years ago not to select overseas based players, not the All Blacks coaches.
Colin N
Guest
"Seems spiteful to me – if he is the best player for the job he should be selected." And when Mauger and McAlister left New Zealand after the world cup, was it 'spiteful' that they weren't selected because they were considered the two bests 12's in the countries?
Aljay
Guest
Hmmmm... what were you saying about arrogance?
Rusty
Roar Guru
Biarritz - nice. If I ever decided to head back to Europe for another sojourn of smash and grab of european currency then France is where I would like to go. Biarritz probably close to top of that list or Hossegor
Rusty
Roar Guru
Its worth mentioning that although we allow for the picking of foreign players - in the PDV world it will only be as a last resort e.g. "fark we only brought 2 crap TH props with us and one is the captain!!"
Rusty
Roar Guru
Having foreigners play in SA is nothing new, to mind we have had frenchman, kiwis, fijians, scots, tongans, australians and argentinians ply their trade domestically and at super level. I think it does add a bit of glitz per se but would be more attractive if the audience can identify with players in the oppositions team. So the lifting of the playing restrictions between SANZAR partners would be amazing but lets be honest I doubt the flood gates on marque players would open due to monetary restrictions. There is higher probability of younger talent being shipped around but this could lead to a bit of open poaching which wouldnt sit well with certain unions. To maintain the status quo there should be some form of transfer fee involved or we could say have the Brumbies poaching locks from Boland while the Sharks get a flyhalf from Christchurch with no benefit to the feeder union.
Pete
Guest
Pajovic, that Hickie try is fantastic.
King of the Gorganites
Guest
i dont agree with you RF. we should encourage international players into our super teams, espically since there is now another team. it can only be a good thing for the game. wouldnt you like to read (as you cant watch) interesting international players partaking in super rugby?
Sam
Guest
There are breaks in the season for the June internationals - remember the SH teams need their players for those tests too.
Hammer
Guest
So sheek - what you're saying is that in the future - the W/cup will be the be all and end all of international rugby - a 4 yearly showpiece and the remaining internationals will take on "friendly" status - like what we see with football ... because there's no way that the intense international game we see now will be able to continue when the top players are spread theroughout the globe playing for various clubs / franchises given the timings of the various seasons - sure there'll still be the tri-nations and bledisloe games .. but they'll be without the likes of Dan Carter, McCaw, Mortlock etc because they'll be contracted overseas and only be released by the clubs for specific matches and not for tournaments that run for over a month ... I can't see NH talent being lured down here until the money becomes equitable .. sure you'll get the odd Cipriani - a bloke so far on the outer at present that a whole number of factors come into the decision - but the rest of the players, those at peak of their game, will want to try and play for their country - and if you play Super rugby the timing is against you re 6N's ... and long may that continue the NZRFU have recognised that the need to stick firmly to their guns on this topic otherwise potentially their domestic game will become a backwater - and as long as they control their S14 teams they won't be making any changes to that rule ... it's not in the NZRFU's remit to make it easy for the Waratahs to become succesful that's why Sosene Anesi is the calibre of player that the Australian teams will only be able to grab well into the future
Justin
Guest
Sam - the S15 season will be played from Feb-August I think so he wont be available for any Tests except in December, although they wont pick him anyway.
Sam
Guest
He said he won't select players that cannot play in the Six Nations - so even though Cipriani will be avaliable for end of year and mid-year Tests he won't be selected. Seems spiteful to me - if he is the best player for the job he should be selected.
Sam
Guest
Who in the England squad isn't one dimensional?
sheek
Guest
Hammer, It's true NZ rugby is strong enough not to import overseas players. But into the future it will be about acquiring 'marquee' players. It will be about money. And NZ doesn't live in a bubble. For Australia, overseas players will be necessary to shore up shortfalls. But the future for rugby will be similar to football, with all local competitions exhibiting international players. The better comps - Zurich Premiership, Heineken Cup, French Top 14, Magner's League & Super Rugby - will attract the better players. But like it or not, this is the future. As previously stated, my only concern is that there is a cap on cross-fertilisation, so that national domestic teams still exhibit a majority of local players in their squads.
Pajovic
Guest
Apologies sport freak, perhaps I should have been a little more diplomatic. Don't get me wrong, Australia is a nice place and I used to live there, just when you come from from somewhere else, it doesn't really register very often in the grand scheme of things. Australia has a population comparable to EU member state Romania, or a quarter the population of Germany. It's a small market relatively speaking and politically it isn't of much relevance on a day to day basis to anyone other than Australians. The fact that when I walked through the Valley in Brisbane on my way to work I was stepping over passed out Aboriginals appauled me. It was normal. I have never seen this anywhere before. The general attitude torwards Asians is pretty shocking too sportfreak. Everywhere I went people bitched an moaned about them. Maybe people there are just more honest at voicing their opinions? I just found it all a little quaint and well backwaterish..... As for my overcast northern slum, that would be Biarritz. You should check it out. It has sun and surf, but it also has culture too! As for this antipodean website, I use it to stay in touch with my southern hemisphere rugby. I'll be checking out L'Equipe a little later on as I do my rounds. Toodle pip!