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2012 is set to be a big year for southern hemisphere rugby. With Argentina set to join the Four Nations next year, the UAR (Union Argentine de Rugby) and the IRB are keen to get Argentine players back in the southern hemisphere to avoid player release issues with European clubs.
With the UAR looking to set up their own professional competition, SANZAR should see this as a perfect time to be looking at a new competition model to include Argentina.
While there has been talk of adding a South America conference to Super Rugby, logistically it would end up as nightmare with travel distances for a league competition likely to strain teams’ finances and leave players battered with jet lag.
While the Australia conference of the competition received a much-needed shot in the arm with the inclusion of Melbourne and it’s passionate fan base, the emergence of Queensland from the doldrums and the increase of Australian derby matches, a slide in the opposite direction is apparent in the two other nations.
The Super Rugby model is troublesome due to the fact that it is dragging down the sport in it’s two main stakeholders of New Zealand and South Africa.
The issues with Super Rugby are fairly obvious. New Zealanders and South Africans are getting bored of Super Rugby and a common theme among fans is that it only continues to exist due to the ineptitude of the ARU to produce their own domestic competition.
There are a number of factors that the competition’s structure is unpopular, but the main two are:
– Poor kick-off times due to Australian television demands leading to small crowds on cold wintry nights. New Zealand fans are crying out for some afternoon games, a cry which will never be answered while the competition is shared with other nations.
– A lack of tribalism in the competition. South Africans, as my friend put it, “Couldn’t give a toss about bloody Australian and New Zealand teams.” There are few genuine rivalries that rugby fans get excited about anymore save for the traditional spiteful game that is NSW versus everyone else.
Fans from each nation want their own competitions back, with the prestige Currie Cup, Ranfurly Shield, ITM Cup (and whatever the hell Australia could possibly throw up) to return to the centre stage of southern hemisphere rugby.
Should the ARU ever manage to create a sustainable domestic competition within this decade, SANZAR should begin restructuring Super Rugby into a Heineken Cup/Champions League-style competition – a true rugby showpiece for fans.
Such a competition could be played after the domestic season or concurrently as what happens in Europe.
The major positives of such a change would be:
– Rugby fans get to see the teams that truly represent them play the teams they want to play each week in their respective domestic leagues and divisions, while also having the international aspect of the game maintained through the new ‘Super Rugby’ format.
The tribalism that is present in ITM and Currie Cup games gets the chance to flourish again on the international stage, without having to be modified just to fit into an ‘internal’ conference.
– Governing bodies gain more individual control over their competitions in regards to competition structure, number of teams and kick-off times.
– More TV product to sell to broadcasters and more rugby for fans! Not only would you have the super rugby flagship to sell, but also there would be the two divisions of Currie Cup and ITM cup (with 14 teams in total over the two divisons), an ARC (which should be looking to involve the current super teams) and the new Argentinian professional league up for sale.
Just make sure Channel Nine are barred from any rugby negotiations!
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.