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The Waratahs Berrick Barnes kicks the ball against the Sharks during their Super 14 rugby match in Sydney on Saturday, March 7, 2010. The Waratahs defeated the Sharks 25-21. AAP Image/Paul Miller.
Am I the only Waratahs supporter who feels a bit dudded by the home matches on offer for the first season of Super Rugby? Am I alone in wondering how much if any of my hard-earned discretionary income will find its way into NSWRU coffers this year?
Or am I nothing more than a complacent and ungrateful wretch who deserves to be pilloried from Homebush to Moore Park?
The brave new world of Super Rugby gives the Waratahs eight home matches this season, four against their partners in the Australian conference, two against New Zealand teams and two against South African sides.
But two of those matches, against the Reds on February 26 and the Brumbies on June 18, are at Homebush. And I don’t go to Homebush to watch rugby, although the stadium is slightly closer to my place than the SFS. The ANZ Stadium is devoid of atmosphere even when full – a terrible place to watch rugby. Do the greed heads who schedule matches there think the Reds or the Brumbies will even half-fill the stadium?
In a bizarre bit of scheduling, the Waratahs play the Rebels on April 30 and the Force on May 7 both at the SFS. The Force have been making up the numbers since their inception and it’s hard to see that changing this year. Who knows how the Rebels will go? Only a fool would underestimate Rod Macqueen, even at 61 and after years out of the game, but his squad may well struggle in their first year.
The two NZ teams coming to the SFS this year are the Chiefs on April 1 and the Highlanders on June 11. The Chiefs occasionally flatter to deceive but they’ve never been a drawcard in Sydney. The Highlanders would be a fair bet for the 2011 wooden spoon, competing with the two South African teams coming to Sydney this year – the Cheetahs on March 19 and the Lions on May 21.
I can’t get excited about any of these games. I’ll wait for 2012 and hope that the Crusaders and the Bulls make it to Sydney – and by that I mean the Sydney Football Stadium.
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.