Starting in 2014, and hopefully continuing into the new Super Rugby agreement, is the new Australian Tier 3 National Rugby Championship (NRC).
The nine-team comp will be a critical vehicle for those who don’t have the opportunity to play at Super level to show their wares. It will also be important for those who need to maintain form, fitness and exposure to the national selectors when the Wallabies’ squad is in camp.
In addition to this is the opportunity to keep rugby in the public’s eye after the Super season ends and between Test matches.
Preceding the NRC each year will be the Super Rugby competition. However from 2016 this Super Rugby competition will no longer include home-and-away games (local derbies) between all Australian Super Rugby teams.
Some Australian administrators deem these local derbies important, I also believe they are. So what do we do?
Australia can, with very little effort and resource expenditure, address this by creating the Australian Provincial Rugby Championship (PRC).
The PRC will deliver:
• More Australian product by adding more local derbies (five more games);
• No overseas travel and all games in watchable time slots (for Australian audiences);
• No expenditure by ARU (broadcaster to cover costs);
• Sold to free-to-air broadcaster which will broadcast all five games;
• Gets Australian public watching rugby earlier;
• Quality ‘trials’ before the Super Rugby season for all Australian teams;
• Runs independent of, but includes Australian results from, Super 18.
How does this work?
Under the new Super 18 proposal, Australian Super Rugby teams will play each other once and then two of the remaining teams a second time. In so doing each team misses out on a return leg again the other two Australian Super Rugby teams.
So each team plays six local derbies rather than the current eight. This proposal completes those two lost derbies. As a result all Australian Super Rugby teams play each other home and away in meaningful matches!
What’s the motivation?
Firstly to be named the best, but secondly for salary cap exemptions and additions for the next season!
These salary cap benefits might take any number of forms, from straight dollar value increases to other ideas. For example first place might receive 200,000 exemption, second 150,000, third 100,000, fourth 75,000, and fifth 50,000.
Don’t get fixated on these as they are just examples. The point is win the APC and you get something significant in return!
Player considerations?
Each team plays an extra two ‘competitive’ games, so player welfare needs to be considered. However, these extra Australian derby games will replace some pre-Super Rugby trial games, and given in the new Super competition there are 15 games, this should not be a major issue for players.
The Super 18 Rugby season is slated to begin in March and this year some Australian teams played their first trial game in January!
Starting the APC in mid-February (as this year’s Super competition did) should be ok. RUPA and franchises may consider this an issue and so may consider their need to manage this.
I am sure there are plenty of good ideas that can be use to address this.
Who would broadcast these games?
One would think the broadcaster who takes on free-to-air Super games (if indeed there is to be one), the NRC broadcaster, or indeed the Test match broadcaster would take this up.
These games will be broadcasted before the NRL and AFL seasons start and will whet the appetite for rugby fans immediately prior to the start of Super Rugby.
Is winning the Super title more important than the APC? Yes! Does winning the APC have benefits? Most definitely yes!
Special thank you to Peter Robson for the idea of an Australian Provincial Rugby Championship.
Rugby101
Roar Guru
Matt the problem with Provincial sides playing touring teams during the Super Rugby competition is that Coaches are loathed to risk injury to their stars. Look at the Force last year against the Lions! Yes good exposure for up-and-comers but the best team wont be on the field. Without the star the spectacle will be lessened unfortunately. And of course it won't be on free to air :(
Matt
Guest
I'd also like to see a big-game fixture for each Aussie Super Rugby team against a touring team. The teams that tour here to play the Wallabies, can play one match against a the Super Rugby team. Some might play two tour matches, some might play one, but give each franchise at least one match against the touring teams and promote it as a top fixture, instead of relegating into the background. Give it the same promotion as a home Super Rugby fixture. Even an Australian Barbarians or NZ Maori could play a one-off every year or every second year to fill in the gaps against one of the Super Rugby teams.
Monsieur Gustav
Guest
The initial NRC might just be the precursor to the eventual replacement of Super rugby involvement for Australia. If it is successful maybe it'll become something like a 12 club national league played over the winter months without South African and New Zealander interference.
Scott
Guest
"Super Australian Rugby" such an easy sell!
Scott
Guest
And with this the ARU wouldn't have to pay a broadcaster to televise the games, as they have before!
Scott
Guest
This would be Australia's own Currie Cup style competition. State of Origin works with two teams, this will be great with five states playing each other in an Australian competition.
Garth
Guest
Not in NZ. Always in Australia (it re placed it). Rapidly becoming the case in SA.
paul craggie
Guest
Great Idea ! Come on ARU release yourself from Murdoch's grip and listen to the people for a change.
Scott
Guest
Perhaps biltongbek ,and other non-Australians, have a view on this idea? would be useful to hear them.
Scott
Guest
Perhaps they would get some novel ideas if they did! Given some of the ideas that have come out of the ARU, this one seems positively sound and rational. I suppose the only trip here is making sure they know this idea exists :)
Scott
Guest
Calling Brett McKay! Next time you're talking to Bill please mention this idea. cheers, Scott
Scott
Guest
The Australian Provincial Rugby Championship also saves the Provinces money because the broadcaster will be paying for two pre-Super 18 games for each team will play, in terms of travel and venue hire. So there is an additional benefit for the Provinces.
Scott
Guest
Elisha history has to start sometime. Why not now with an Australian Provincial champion? You could even determine the winners of this tournament retrospectively if you really wanted to. So 2013 was the Brumbies and 2012 the Reds, and so on. This is absolutely low hanging fruit!!
Scott
Guest
That's the idea idea Wozza. Must be on Free to air! Won't cost them much and gets Rugby on free to air before the other codes start.
Chopper
Guest
Playing NRC / ITM / Currie Cup and then Super Rugby in the same season would make sense if Super Rugby were a "representative" competition for the elite players - similar to how the NRL has its State of Origin. But the State of Origin has 2 teams selected from 15 NRL Clubs (excluding Auckland). Right now, the Super Rugby Conferences seem to be a direct duplication of the domestic tournaments.
Scott
Guest
well this is the start :) Expecting a call from Bill at any moment. Think it sells itself really. What's not to like?
Scott
Guest
Thanks Sam, just seems so simple! and with virtually no cost! In a market that is struggling, and in financial difficulties, this seems so obvious.
Elisha Pearce
Expert
Good idea mate. I thought they'd hand a trophy out at the end of the conference part of Super Rugby to Aus winner, and this would just make that work when the draw becomes unbalanced. I like it. And I've always thought Aussie rugby should put in something like the Ranfurly Shield. This could be where it starts.
Scott
Guest
Celtic334 exactly! FIVE MORE Australian local derbies. Then they all pay each other twice, home and away. what better way to determine the best Australian Provincial side?
Combesy
Roar Guru
Yeah mate, good article,we'll read and good idea. Deserved more hits, just think something that didn't at a glance look like another NRC article would have been quite popular. But well done Scott