Super Rugby started last weekend but the aspect of the competition which will define Australian participation begins on Sunday morning in Port Elizabeth of all places, when the Western Force visit the new Southern Kings.
Playing offshore, combating the different conditions and tactical approaches of two other countries are aspects that are unique to Super Rugby among mainstream Australian sports.
None of the other sporting codes in this country require the travel load of Super Rugby, with the physical and logistical constraints it adds to match preparation.
This of course grows even further in the Rugby Championship now that Argentina has been added to the list.
The Southern Kings’ maiden appearance will be the first competition game for the year played by an Australian side against one of the South African or New Zealand sides.
Being successful both overseas and when playing these teams at home is critical if an Australian side is to win the competition.
The conference format that is now applied has distorted the significance of the ‘international’ games to some extent.
It has done this by providing the opportunity to pick up the dropped points against more familiar ‘home’ opposition, while also ensuring that Australian participation in the finals is guaranteed via winning the Australian conference.
Even so, history shows that very few teams have been able to win the tournament after finishing outside of the top qualifying positions – these being first and second on the final table.
Look at the Sharks last year. They performed brilliantly at the business end, upsetting Queensland in Brisbane before flying back to beat the South African conference winners, the Stormers, in Cape Town.
But the travel ultimately beat them. Because the Sharks then had to trip back through ten time zones to Hamilton a week after they had travelled to and from Brisbane.
This gave the Chiefs an advantage in the final they ruthlessly exploited.
So the international games remain important. Winning them is the key to qualifying on top after the round robin.
The concern in all of this is that it is not an area where we have collectively done too well recently, save for 2011 when the Queensland Reds won games in both New Zealand and South Africa on their way to winning the title.
Playing against the New Zealand and South African teams is something that is discussed routinely, both internally and whenever the players from the various provinces are together in the national set-up.
Notes are compared with regards to the various approaches taken to the travel. Tactics to counter the different teams, and their key players, are discussed, with ideas shared.
Ominously, Australian teams fared badly playing Kiwi opposition through the trials.
Although the warm ups are exercises in practice, with different combinations and tactical approaches trialled, winning is still a habit – especially against opposition who are not routinely beaten.
The Kiwis know this, which is why a number of their teams were prepared to kick penalty goals during the trials, in order to make sure they won them!
This attitudinal ruthlessness might also explain why they, alongside the South Africans, were so dominant at the business end of last year.
In 2012, Australian teams only won four matches against sides that finished in the top six, and one of those was the Western Force beating the Queensland Reds.
The Waratahs beat the Sharks, the Reds beat the Chiefs, while the Rebels caused probably the upset of the year when they brought down the Crusaders.
For all of last year’s hype around the Brumbies, they didn’t beat a single side that finished in the top six.
These are statistics that will have to change this year if Australia is to provide another Super Rugby winner.
Dave
Guest
'For all of last year’s hype around the Brumbies, they didn’t beat a single side that finished in the top six.' Not last year. But why would that be a surprise? It was their first season under an entriely new coaching setup and with substantial changes to the squad (13 out?). I think the hype, was probably due to how close they got to beating most of the top 6 (many at their home stadiums), how close they were to being the top Australian side and how crazy the turnaround had been over the previous few years. What's your call on this year?
Sandman
Guest
You tell him!
Shrek
Guest
+1
Hightackle
Guest
No they wont Johnno. Why the hell you think changing from 2 to 5 will make them come is a mystery and has no logic whatsoever behind it. Its fantasy. We cant fill the spots now and we only have 2 and Johnnos master plan is "make it 5". Wtf? How does that make sense to you? Name the big name players coming from outside the SANZAR nations coming to Super Rugby in 2013 & 2014. Haskell, Ciprianni, Michilack have left Johnno. They have gone to Europe to join G.Smith, L.Burgess, D.Mumm, Steenkamp, Thompson, N.Evans, F.Botha, Louw, Smit, Cowan, Masoe, S.Donald, Giteau, Hayman, Taumalolo, Pisi, Afoa, Howlett, Sivi and the dozens of big name super players leaving to play there. We have NONE coming our way. The only big name in super rugby from Europe is Delve and to call him a big name is a stretch. He was part of one of the worst Welsh teams in the modern era very for a short while. Not to mention SBW, Fourie, K.Thompson, Luaki, Soialu leaving for Japan. You are blind and live in a fantasy world. Whats worse you just dont shut up about it, you go on and and on about your fantasy.
Hightackle
Guest
Population has nothing to do with success. Nothing at all. NZ has less people than Vic, NSW or Qld. The solution of the Tahs not winning is not scraping them and making 2 teams. You seem to think a region or counties population is some kind of indication on how successfull the TV veiwers or team will be. It doesnt work that way ffs, it never has and never will. Sheek moans about everything and lives in some kind of nostalgic fantasy world also.
Johnno
Guest
Gareth Delve, James Haskell, Albe mathewson enough said, they will come if we open the floodgates .
Johnno
Guest
Hightackle, ARC or trans-tasman , sheek wants a new ARC and wants super rugby scrapped too. Reality is you get more revenue in an ARC from away matches, South Africa you get none. And the tahs have been a mess since day 1 of super rugby. Biggest franchise and city, in all 3 places and not 1 title. Some almost 100 point thrashings. The tahs appeal to no one, read Brett Harris article today in the Australian, about the tahs losing there heartland.
Hightackle
Guest
Well its a good thing that the ARU dont live in a fantasy world like you Johnno becuz thats absurd. Aust needs super rugby mote than NZ or SA. NZ has a very good national comp with big viewer numbers. SA also does. Aust cant do it for lack of interest and cant secure a TV deal without paying for it themselves, actually even if they pay for it themselves. Reality Johnno, you should try it instead of constently banging on about your fantasy on this site. It would be fantastic if anything you suggest was viable but thats the problem, its fantastic as in its based on fantasy, not based on reality in any shape or form. The ARU is not going to dump Super Rugby, the ARU is not going to dump the Tahs, SANZAR is not going to allow Aust to put in mote teams so write another letter to the IRB and stop constently subjecting everyone to your moaning about what is an awesome rugby comp of the highest standard in the world. Just watch the f-ing A League.
Hightackle
Guest
Completely agree. Johnno cant appreciate what he has. The Super Rugby comp is the highest standard in the world. Watching the NZ teams compete though, it is obvious Australian talent has been spread too thin and many of its franchises are not up to standard as far as player quality goes. Johnno thinks Aust rugby would be better off without the super comp becuz he lives in a fantasy. Without Super Rugby the Australian comp would be so much weaker and interest would fade. Thats why the national comp failed, there is no interest. They had to pay the ABC to cover the last national comp. You think about that Johnno, they didnt get paid, they had to pay becuz the interest was not there. And you want high profile import players playing in a domestic comp in Aust?! You live in a fantasy world. Aust cant afford a viable national comp, let alone name imports.
Pollock
Guest
Can't understand the continual calls for expanding the Super comp. After watching last nights game Chiefs Highlanders you realise that Aust and SA are each struggling to get 5 competetive sides on the paddock. Until you get that right you have a two speed comp that becomes a joke.
Johnno
Guest
Drop it all higthackle, and start again yep that's what i want, drop it all all. Sooner OZ rugby does the better.
Hightackle
Guest
Drop the Tahs, drop SA, drop the salary cap, drop the import restrictions, add more Australian teams (drop the standard). Johnno you want to drop Super Rugby. You have a problem with just about every aspect of it. Without it, Aust would prolly be in the rugby wilderness where any player of talent would be playing in Europe and local club rugby would be the pinnacle or perhaps a half a$$ rugby version of leagues state of origin. I wouldnt mind if Japan had a team, although Id prefer Singapore becuz its much closer and SA teams would not suffer as much if an Australian side were to fold it could even be included in the Aust conference. Unlimited imports but a salary cap needs to be in place, although a high cap for the first 5 years. I would have a stipulation that the imports come from Japan, the Pacific Islands, Arg and Europe rather than just plundering the established super franchises.
Johnno
Guest
Hightackle I'm one of those moaners. No point having a strong domestic comp, when you can't watch your team away, or neutral matches on delay. Take the Bulls VS Stormers last night. I wanted to watch that but it was at 4am in the morning. So I missed out this morning. I got up for the 1 off world club challenge this morning but it started at a respectable hour 7am. My point is South Africa in a trans-tasman domestic comp limits, the matches to watch for the true all encompassing rugby fan. Timezones, are too big and they are not going to change. So go to a domestic or trans-tasman, or Asia-pacific super rugby comp, with Japan far better timezones, and Japan teams can afford a stack of imports anyway allow them unlimited imports, heck there multinational firms which own them, could afford to buy a squad of 50 SBW''s, if they were allowed to and it would still be spare change. Plus about 10 guys of Kurtley Beale standard, if they were allowed to compete in a super rugby comp with unlimited salary cap. So just allow the Japan teams concession to get up to super rugby standard, unlimited salary cap , and unlimited imports, and they will be competitive hightackle. And far friendlier timezone to watch away matches.
Hightackle
Guest
"None of the other sporting codes in this country require the travel load of Super Rugby, with the physical and logistical constraints it adds to match preparation" I wish more people could wrap their heads around this. Too many people just dismiss the obvious difficulties faced by teams and complain that its not perfect. Imo the super format is perfect. If you consider that 3 countries play 5 teams each in a comp that spans half of the globe. Its truely an awesome comp between the 3 top rugby nations of the modern era. Still the moaners complain.
batman
Guest
because they're the 'insider'.....
soapit
Guest
why on earth cant we have the author of these pieces identified?
Lorry
Guest
I think it was a good option by the waratahs to not go for goal. They, in particular, have to entertain! As a side note, did anyone see SMH Richard hinds idiotic article, another rugby -badger? I've written an open letter to him on the roar, hope it get published ...
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Agree. Just watched bulls v stormers and again i think the intensity was a notch above the aussie games. wasnt as free flowing as the Highlanders v Chiefs though. not a great omen for aussie franchises.
Sadly for any team to beat the Kings won't be too much of a statement, I predict a points difference record in the negative for the Kings by end of season.
Allanthus
Guest
Not quite on topic but just wanted to say what a magnificent game it was last night between the Chiefs and Highlanders. It just shows what can happen when two sides and a referee go out onto the park with a positive attitude and back themselves to put a bit of skill on. It was hard to believe this was round one - if we see a better game this season then we're in for a great ride.