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Super Rugby is the greatest rugby tournament, outside of internationals, anywhere in the world.
This sentiment harks back to before I even had a team of my own to support, and it continues to this day, despite the sub-par performances of Australian teams.
There have been an increasing number of voices lately calling for Super Rugby to end, saying it has become overblown and irrelevant. In a way they are right, as the tournament missed a golden opportunity during the expansion process and is only damaging itself by trying to contract back to 15 teams.
The main problems with Super Rugby as it stands are that the four conference system is confusing and perceived as unfair, there are too many games that don’t affect the teams not playing, and the quality of play between the teams is too imbalanced.
I propose an 18-team competition, split into three conferences of six.
The season would run for 22 rounds – 24 weeks if you include two byes – with each team playing home and away inside their conference for ten games and home or away against all sides outside their conference for a further 12 games.
The top eight teams would then qualify for a finals series that is either a straight knock-out or a clone of the system used in AFL. I would personally favour all finals positions to be determined purely by where you finish on the table, however I would be willing to accept guaranteed places for the three conference winners, though this could not affect the seedings for the finals.
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By balancing the conferences, things immediately become clearer for the casual fan, and every game would have meaning as they would affect teams outside of the two playing.
The competition would be fairer, as every team would play every other each year.
It would also provide greater opportunity for teams to make more money by providing more home games and derbies.
This structure would cost more to run, with increased travel costs, but would be offset by the increase in home games. The increased content should also provide a larger bargaining chip regarding broadcast rights, something we are currently lacking and would certainly diminish with a move to five teams.
The quality gap between teams is where Super Rugby needs to take a bold step and evolve beyond being a feeder for the international teams of SANZAAR and instead truly become the greatest rugby tournament in the world.
Super Rugby should divorce itself from SANZAAR and form an independent commission to run the tournament, distributing revenue among the teams. This would allow the national bodies to focus on their own provincial competition and grassroots development.
These changes would ensure greater movement between Super Rugby sides and hopefully player retention, with greater flexibility allowed for teams to attempt to keep key players in their squad.
Given time, this structure would ensure greater competition between teams and therefore result in a higher quality product.
It would return Super Rugby to its rightful place as the premier rugby competition in the world.
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.