I have always been a fan of the Ranfurly Shield concept. It adds an extra dimension to games, and provides an opportunity to earn some silverware where a team might not be able to over a sustained campaign.
It also adds a bit of unpredictability to proceedings where the teams in the ladders are often the usual suspects.
True there is already an additional trophy on offer for topping your conference, but imagine the following, assuming the Bulls started off with the cup after winning the 2010 edition of the competition.
Rnd 3 – Highlanders bt Bulls (2 defences)
Rnd 4 – Stormers bt Highlanders (0 defences)
Rnd 8 – Reds bt Stormers (3 defences)
Rnd 11 – Canes bt Reds (2 defences)
Rnd 12 – Blues bt Canes (0 defences)
Rnd 13 – Reds bt Blues (0 defences)
Rnd 16 – Brumbies bt Reds (1 defence)
Rnd 18 – Tahs bt Brumbies (1 defence)
Winners of the inaugural Super Rugby Challenge Cup 2011: Waratahs
Given the amount of upsets and the derbies I could imagine the Cup changing hands several times. It would also always travel with the holders to be presented and if in defeat handed over.
Thoughts?
zhenry
Guest
Your 100 years time comment: I know paying for Carbon is not popular in AU at the moment but might I suggest: Colin Campbell Peak Oil, The Oil Drum and James Hansen (Columbia Uni) leading US climatologist, then imagine the future international sports scene.
zhenry
Guest
Ranfurly is grassroots, as someone above states, its the Village and belonging v the other Village and the history behind that, it worked because it was introduced in a time of solid grass-root support for rugby. The game was not a continuous stretch from the middle of summer to the beginning of the next summer conceived for a top down advertising model. I think we have to come up with another form of Super comp rather than adorn the present one, but that other form could be more grassroots based like the Euro/UK model, which many on here have elaborated on.
Bidz
Guest
Suggestions? I'm up for anything if it's good but the Ranfurly Shield concept has proven it works, no harm in making a Super Rugby equivilant.
zhenry
Guest
Very macho and brave. Know whats with rugby in a hundred years time. You can think even bigger and come up with some thing completely different.
zhenry
Guest
Good on you mate. Grassroots then, you got plenty of it in SA, why don't you do it in SA. You cant make Super a comp it ain't. Well you could but SA and NZ would have to agree and initiate.
Bidz
Guest
The idea is solid. Won't dilute the meaning of the Ranfurly Shield at all just creates something for every team to fight for regardless of their position in the table. Professional sport will never have the mystic feel of grassroots rugby but you've got to start somewhere. Imagine one hundred years from now when Super Rugby is world wide, a shield or trophy like this would fill the gaps in between championships, teams would hunger for the chance of a challenge. Think big ladies, don't let rugby suffer from peoples stubbornness and greed in keeping ideas to their own.
Rusty
Roar Guru
You already get a cup for finishing top of your conf so having another floating around intra conference seems a bit pointless. We might as well get a little American and start handing out medals for coming last
Mals
Guest
Rusty, I like the concept - could be better rolled out as a cup unique to each conference. Kiwis as commented above would be opposed to the challenge cup as it would dilute their own Ranfurly Shield & fair enough. Nothing stopping the Aussies & Saffas doing it though.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Im from South Africa mate - we have plenty of our own comps but nothing like the Ranfurly concept. Simply stating that I like the concept where a lesser team may be rewarded with something other than table points for an outstanding effort against another team.
zhenry
Guest
The Ranfurly Shield is grassroots rugby, history (as mentioned) and it’s a challenge system. They are very special and competitive games, it reinforces a home grown NZ identity (hard to find these days). Super is grassroots for AU, only, Tew has gone out of his way to oblige. What does NZ get out of it? A degraded NPC, Ranfurly Shield, Tew and AU owned media PR. Not sure what Tew gets out of it but when I go to games in AU, its kill those F..... Kiwis, forget about a reasonable conversation, its annihilation, very unpleasant. Not to the same degree (by a long way) in NZ. Get 'your own' national comp and you can have as many logs of wood as you like. I am not blaming AU, you are what you are, but as for NZers letting it happen! Bitter? Certainly and for the reason just given.
Darwin Stubbie
Guest
throw in the fact that part of the shields appeal / history is that it's open to the lower provinces to bung in a challenge - so there's some romance attached to it .. and it's also meant to be hard to win so it''s a homeground challenge - putting it up for grabs at every opportunity just makes it a lottery that no-one would really care about .... why for instance would the Highlanders cherish winning something one week that they then have to put up for grabs the following week in another tough away game ... SR is set up for 1 thing and 1 thing only to find a grand final winner ... a challenge cup would be up their with the mythical conference winners cups and non existent minor premiership titles
Rusty
Roar Guru
but hang on - doesnt the Ranfulry run in tandem to the NPC? As in does it mean an additional fixture? Im thinking this fits into the existing schedule not in addition. Perhaps it would be a the lowest on the queue behind the conference winner and championship but it would it would mean something for say a team like the Cheetahs if they were able to take it off the Crusaders and then mananged to hold it.
allblackfan
Guest
it would be meaningless. It would devalue the competition winner's trophy and end up suffering the same fate as the RWC playoff for third place: no-one wants to play for it yet they have to. I also think it smacks of being too similar to the Ranfurly Shield and MAY end up devaluing that competition.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Why? becuse it would detract from the existing one?
jus de couchon
Guest
Difficult to Imagine the Idea taking off . Its an unusual premise though that might run for its very old fashioned Idea of the Village defending its "honour" in a modern World of franchises and qualifying qualifiers.
allblackfan
Guest
No!!