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A good administrator, like a good fighter plane designer, starts work on the next model as soon as the contracts for production of the current model are signed.
The current Super Rugby model has until 2015, and then it will evolve again. It has to if they want a 16th Argentinian team, as three does not go into 16.
Timing and travel expenses require that the competition run for about 21 weeks.
Here is my suggestion:
1. Go back to a single home or away round and play everyone once. This seems unlikely given the current penchant for ‘local derbies’ but has the advantage that the ‘Saders supporters will stop whining about this years’ draw.
The Waratahs could probably complain about having to play the Crusaders, Blues, Sharks and Bulls away, but that sort of thing is going to happen sometimes.
2. Give the number one team the Super Rugby trophy at the end of the round games.
3. Use the finishing standings to seed a four week, 16-team, phase two knockout competition.
4. If there are only 15 teams, then the number one gets a bye and advances to the second round with a deemed win over phantom team 16, as just reward for winning phase one.
5. The knockout competition takes four weeks so that the new season is 19 games long (with sixteen teams), which is about the same as now to keep the broadcasters happy.
6. The knockout competition will breathe new life into, not only the end of the provincial season (a couple of wins, a couple of upsets, and a strong finishing team like the Bulls could be playing for the silverware), but also the middle bit, where some teams’ fans lose interest because they can’t make the current finals.
Putting together a few wins and rising from 12th on the table to eighth could give your team a home game in the first knockout week against a similarly-ranked side.
And who knows, in week one, a low ranked team might knock off one of the big guns and throw things wide open.
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.