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The peak rugby competition in the southern hemisphere is desperately in need of a big rethink. I want to outline some of the reasons for this position – and also (because I don’t want to be simply labelled as an armchair critic) a possible alternative competition structure.
This post is structured in the form of a number of lessons that southern hemisphere rugby needs to learn.
Lesson 1: Don’t reinvent the wheel
We must use existing expertise for our benefit.
For example, the remodelling of the Super format into the American-style conference model, is an admirable attempt by the officials of our game to leverage American expertise.
In some ways it is well suited, for example for both the American and Super Rugby formats, large distances are covered which lends supports a smaller conference focus. However – the cultural precedent and history of a conference system is not part of rugby in the southern hemisphere, like it is in the USA for say baseball, NFL, college football or basketball.
On top of this, our rugby officials have not made a concerted effort at all to emphasise the certain characteristics of the conference system which make it great. Conference trophies and champions are hardly celebrated at all.
East v West All Star games (e.g. conference teams) are non-existent and there is no real provision for a wildcard entrant.
Lesson 2: Home is where the heart is
Regular away games in Super Rugby plain suck.
There is no way that fans can travel to South Africa or New Zealand regularly to watch their team play. What this means is that the atmosphere at games is crap – it is often just home fans, and lacks any parochial feeling that makes football great to watch even from your armchair.
Keep the game close to fans. Keep the teams in proximity to each other – such that fans can get in behind their teams and codes.
To do this, don’t waste the history and traditions of strong clubs like Randwick or Gordon, or Sunnybank, or Uni.
Leverage these to create parochial crowds of rugby supporters and stimulate grassroots growth. Bring back packed out Gordon Ovals on a sunny Saturday afternoon, with affordable beer and sausage sizzles – play to the hearts of the rugby community and create a distinct product from the rugby league style 7:30pm empty stadium games that we cannot (and should not) compete with.
Lesson 3: Rugby in empty stadiums sucks
Stadia should be reserved for big teams like the Wallabies (or state teams/Champions League teams as proposed in my model below). It is hugely depressing looking at half-filled venues – and it reinforces and validates this concept of not going to games is ok.
Quality over quantity – a few games a season and keep the product premium.
Lesson 4: Play to your strengths, and that will play into your pockets
The shift to night games for TV rights purposes has had innumerable negative effects on our game (worse slippery conditions to play in, less family attendance at game due to 11pm finishes often etc).
I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say rugby has sold its soul to TV networks for money. How do you expect to grow the game in the hearts and minds of young kids when in the half time break of a game a kid and his mates can’t jump into the backyard and recreate a sidestep or a chipkick?
This is just one example of a common theme with Rugby in Australia – it doesn’t play to its strengths, but seems content to compete with other codes in areas where they may be presently stronger.
Get out of the competition for TV timeslots etc. De-monetise the game and I think we will actually see an enhancement of the spectacle.
Return to clubfields, pack them out during the day with a sausage sizzle, make it a fun atmosphere – rejuvenate our strengths and stop trying to be like the NRL.
So what does this mean going forward for our game?
My proposal in brief:
•Australia needs to step out of the Super Rugby format altogether.
•Rather than thinking of club rugby as being too low a standard and needing a so-called ‘third tier’, club rugby Australian wide should be promoted as the best level of rugby available in Australia. I know that this would be a shock, but it is part of lessons 1, 2 and 3 noted above.
•From each state club competition take the top 4 clubs in NSW, Queensland and the top two in WA, VIC and maybe top club from TAS, NT and SA then enter the Champions League and Europa League equivalents.
•These leagues will have club teams from Japan, NZ, SA, Argentina, Uruguay, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga (IRB would have to get on board to finally spread the game).
•The games between these clubs would be played in a knockout way leading into the Champions League final. The use of concurrent competitions encourages player rotation and builds depth. This would be a fixture I would actually watch (e.g. University of Sydney versus Auckland).
•Alongside this should be a third competition (the other two being the Club Championships, and the Champions League) which involves all clubs statewide (right out into the country) and reflects the FA Cup format in football. Obviously there will be seedings etc, but this is another great way to unearth talent and build squad depth.
•I also wouldn’t mind seeing a NSW and Queensland team selected (from clubs) at some stage in the season, for a three game series for a shield (akin to the State of Origin).
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.