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Bret Harris’s article in The Australian about the SARU supposedly pushing for the Southern Kings to be included in the Super Rugby comp made me pause and think.
The first thought was how, if true, it reinforces the idea of the South African Rugby Union being to be a law unto itself.
However well intentioned – the aim being to get black players into rugby – the Kings are a pet project of the SARU. Expecting the other SANZAR partners to change so soon into a five-year broadcast deal to cater for it is bull headed.
It shouldn’t happen, especially when there is a need to bring the Argentines into Super Rugby now. That need is far more pressing than having a sixth SARU side, when two of their five of their current sides are always weak.
Harris also wrote about how the Australian and New Zealand conferences could add a Japanese and a US side respectively to become a Super 18 in 2018.
18 teams, with a very distant one in each of the ANZ conferences, just doesn’t make sense. Each ANZ team would have to travel a long way for just one game, where currently they head to South Africa for a two-game tour, getting their away games for that conference done in one hit.
As such, it would make more sense for South Africa to add the Kings and say Buenos Aires, and the ANZ conferences to each add two sides. Australia’s conference could involve two Japanese sides, building Japan’s depth and creating a Japanese derby, in a competition in which derbies are often the best thing.
Alternatively, it could be a Japanese and Hong Kong side, which would be made up of expatriates for the most part, but would get into the Asian market.
For New Zealand, add two West Coast US sides (say San Franciso and LA, or one Californian side along with Seattle or Portland) or a US side and Vancouver (to help out the Canucks).
Of course, we could just add a Pacific conference with all the above sides for a Super 20, but that wouldn’t allow the Kings in. And we know it’s all about keeping our South African cousins happy.
Yes, this topic has been done to death, but it’s still nice to brainstorm. After all, we all know John O’Neill is monitoring these forums and stealing all his best ideas from us.
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.