At this time of year, when the six-month grind and rigour of Super Rugby has ended and the Rugby Championship is yet to kick off, Friday and Saturday nights are used to re-introduce yourself to family too often ignored during the season.
It’s also the time of the season to let the mind wander, and imagine what Super Rugby might – or even could – look like in its next guise.
Timely then, was the Western Force popping back into my TV guide last Friday night, resuming their World Series Rugby campaign after a three-week break, to play Hong Kong ahead of their anticipated match-up with former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans’ Panasonic Wild Nights this coming Friday night.
It was a healthy reminder of the incredible work that has been done in the west to ensure rugby fans are still able to get their fix of quality rugby, and Geoff Parkes’ experience at nib Stadium last Friday night confirmed a conversation I’ve had a few times since WSR kicked off earlier this year: rugby marketers only need to look west to see great examples of how to really build some hype into a game.
And for sure, the extenuating circumstances leading into the Western Force’s 2018 fixture list meant that rugby fans in Western Australia didn’t really need a lot of encouraging. Equally, the seemingly bottomless pockets of Andrew Forrest and the Mindaroo Foundation allow such an unrivalled matchday experience to exist.
Late last week, some of you might have seen my question wondering about WSR’s plans for 2019; for the benefit of those that didn’t, I just wonder whether less than eight months out from the proposed March start, does anyone have any concerns that we still don’t have any confirmed details of teams, let alone players and coaches signing on?
Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
Now obviously, a lack of announcement doesn’t mean a lack of action; a point several of you rightly made. But equally, you only have to look at the examples of aborted pro rugby comps in the US and countless Twenty20 cricket tournaments around the world that never happened to realise that no news is not always good news.
We may well find out more about World Series Rugby in the lead-up to and following on from the Panasonic match this weekend. Indeed, the Wild Knights have been mentioned in dispatches as being one of two rumoured Japanese side. Quite how that would work, with the Ota prefecture outfit playing rugby all year round in different hemispheres – and what the Japanese Union think of it – is something I’d be curious to find out.
Just as curious is the mention of sides from New Zealand and Western Sydney. Straight out of the ‘huge if true’ category, the rumoured inclusion of a side from over the ditch along with the increasingly abandoned and suddenly available west of Sydney means that conversations are obviously happening between WSR and the governing bodies either side of the Tasman.
The most intriguing part of the speculation around team location is the geographic spread: Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Perth are within an hour of each other, and though there’s a reasonable distance between the four cities, this longitudinal grouping is going to appeal to both broadcasters and viewers alike.
Sydney is two hours in front of Perth currently, and Fiji and New Zealand another two hours in front again.
Four different time zones for four hours difference west to east is a pretty reasonable advantage World Series Rugby will have over Super Rugby, which currently endures a fifteen-hour time difference from Buenos Aires to Auckland. Again, fans of the would-be WSR teams will be the big winners.
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But in targeting Singapore, Hong Kong and Fiji, WSR can position itself for additional development funding from World Rugby, which remains committed to developing the game to elite levels in new regions and particularly Asia.
The Fijian Drua in the NRC provides the blueprint, with World Rugby covering the travel and accommodation costs for not only the Drua playing in Australia, but the Australian sides heading to Fiji, too. It’s hard to believe WSR won’t, or haven’t already asked the same question of the global body.
Everyone wants a piece of Fiji, it seems, with the New Zealand Government this year commissioning a feasibility study into the basing of a combined Pacific Islands team in Suva to play in an expanded Super Rugby competition, playing games Suva mainly, but also Apia, Auckland and maybe even Sydney or Brisbane. It’s fair to say New Zealand are keen to see it happen.
And this is where it’s probably worth coming back to the discussion WSR would have to be having with New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia. The opportunity is seemingly there in Western Sydney, with the withdrawal within months of each other of Shute Shield club Penrith by the Sydney rugby union and NRC side the Greater Sydney Rams by NSW Rugby. It’s arguable if the same opportunity exists on the North Shore side of Auckland Harbour Bridge, but at least it would be targeting a large population base.
But as Geoff rightly added yesterday, there will have to be some kind of sanction or sign-off from NZR and RA before either of those teams can be included WSR. Perhaps this is why we still haven’t had any announcements eight months out from the competition start?
John Stewart of the Fijian Drua (Photo by Zak Kaczmarek/Getty Images)
So is there actually a bigger picture here?
Though it’s gone quiet again of late, the idea of South African sides pulling out of Super Rugby remains an ongoing concern. The worrying articles in recent weeks about the financial state of Western Province and the latest troubles within Blue Bulls rugby union show that things are far from settled in the Republic.
And though SANZAAR keep hanging onto the four national unions’ commitment in May to maintain the joint venture partnership, I’ll just say this again: the SARU remaining committed to SANZAAR does not mean they remain committed to Super Rugby!
Could NZR and RA’s agreement to World Series Rugby’s trans-Tasman ambitions pave the way for the next iteration of Super Rugby, where instead of spanning the entire southern hemisphere, we see a consolidation around the Pacific and a dramatic resolution to the time zone issues that have impacted the competition for two decades?
The work that’s gone on to get WSR up and running in 2018 has been quite extraordinary, given the timeframes involved. That’s very obvious; enviable, even.
But perhaps the work going on now for next year could have an even bigger impact on rugby in our part of the world than we may realise. That would be something.
Ex force fan
Guest
Listening to Twiggy tonight, he clearly relayed the message that 2019 WSR will go ahead with and without AR endorsement. I think Cameron Clyne and Co have been very instrumental to delay any progress on selecting teams and locations. The focus on adding a Western Sydney team is clearly to undermine the NSW establishment. RA will be fighting for relevance as through their incompetence, lack of any positive ideas and willingness to stand in the way of progress they are more and more viewed as the dinosaurs of World Rugby. While Rugby is making strides world wide a small group of people in Sydney is trying to keep the game in the Eastern States only.
Ex force fan
Guest
A competition where the winner is known with a high level of predictability even before the competition starts is not much of a competition, is it? Almost like the Superugby and the Rugby Championship - the winner will be the team that won last year.... It is a competition to select who comes second.
Ex force fan
Guest
RA interests is not to run WSR but to ruin WSR
Andys
Guest
But they are still bodies under one organisation. Organisationally, what is being proposed would be the equivalent of trying to do promotion/relegation between the English Premiership and Top 14.
Unanimous
Guest
It's normal for promotion/relegation to work between leagues controlled by different bodies. The top level in both rugby and soccer in the UK are run by different bodies to the level below. In French rugby, the top two levels are run by one organisation, but the third by another, and there is promotion/relegation between the third and second. Almost all countries and sports with extensive promotion/relegation have multiple league bodies involved running various levels and regions.
Unanimous
Guest
It depends how much of a drop in status there is. Low teams have already lost some status due to finishing low, and if the lower division is still fairly strong, as WSR might perhaps become, then dropping back might not be so bad, and winning more games can compensate for that. The difficulty comes in running two leagues without such a big difference. If there are plenty of teams from big TV markets in the lower division, then it can be funded to a reasonably high standard.
Puff
Guest
Brett, opinions are healthy and create open discussion. Unfortunately no-one is placing much emphasis on cost, salaries and how any organization can compete when less is more. The only issue we all agree on is ZANZAAR have to reinvigorate interest within the rugby futurity without damaging the revenue stream. For my money the NZ franchisers are the bench mark although we are closing the gap but I don’t believe we have enough innovation within the system or at the top level to be truly competitive. Further, downsizing competitive team numbers in SR will not increase player interest. Also reducing the winter window is also a financial restraint for small club who are reliant on families and mums and dads for revenue. To obtain a balance and invest in the future of this sport requires much more serious research. Rugby involving both sexes is the only true contact international sport we have. It is also an Olympic sport, with the WRC a major world sporting event every four years. So is the problem with the product or is the RU struggling to find that pioneering spirit that this great game once had.
Bob
Guest
I think HK were not that far off the pace a few top up players and they are ready to go. Japanese teams are turn key you would assume. Is funny that the Pro 14 coins it self as the only pro tournament that is played in both hemispheres. But Japan already play in WSR and if this tournament goes ahead their is a good chance that we will have an even north south split.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Yeah, I cannot see the Pro14 accepting anything less than the SR entities. And I tend to believe that we will see at least two more go north in short time. Which again doesn't mean the end to the JV. Just an adjustment of how it competes among itself.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Really? Ok. On a bus, conservatively speaking, 90 minutes from Auckland to Hamilton, 10 hours from Auckland to Wellington, 15 hours from Auckland to Christchurch including the ferry, 18 to Dunedin. Which oz or SA franchises take longer than that to get to its longer derbies, assuming theyre not as silly to bus...Oh, they fly... in oz without the Force travel is negligible. Would be similar in SA.
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
I very much doubt the Pro 14 bosses would accept a Currie Cup level side Bakkies. It wouldn't help the legitimacy of the comp. There may be an understanding in place that most of the Sharks SR players will be made available for the Pro 14? Interesting that the combined Cheetahs/Kings win ratio in the Pro 14 was almost exactly the same as it was in their last season of SR at 30% - that also helps the Pro 14's attractiveness to SA, esp if they can also offer the carrot of involvement in the European cups... Yes I've no idea who Premier Sports are! It seems BT and SKY are increasingly becoming an alliance under pressure from the likes of Amazon and other on-line providers!
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Cheers Brett - I recalled that dimly but couldn't place it!
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
Lets not forget that the Kiwis travel a whole lot less than any other conference in overall miles. Local derbies are a bus ride away!
Melburnian
Roar Pro
EFF, that depends on whether there is. SR competition remaining for them to be a part of though.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
I believe for the Sharks to join it will have be the Natal Sharks Currie Cup side as the Super Rugby side won't be able to leave Super Rugby until 2021. For the Stormers and Bulls sake I hope they are both still in business by then. There are new broadcasters on board yes however people aren't happy with it as it has cut out the terrestrial tv deals. Ulster fans have got a very bad deal. They lose the BBC NI coverage which has been key for their growth and their games will be on obscure subscription channel Premier Sports. I am not a fan of Irish rights going to Eir Sports (I have already let the IRFU and RWCL know my thoughts about the RWC rights going to them). They have a low subscription base and are tied to the BT package which doesn't have a good relationship with Virgin Media who are the main rival to Sky in the country.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
As long as Healey is not talking about Leicester with other ex Leicester players. You are probably referring to the Rugby Club from Sky which is not on the air anymore. Their player interviews were far more insightful than what you get on Foxsports these days.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
Yes he is.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
They already have Brett. They put in opposition through the RA which was featured in the list of 50 demands and objections that have to be met to Twiggy. The Sydney clubs don't have a leg to stand on as these players aren't contracted to them. You can't prevent players from joining a professional club.
alan
Guest
Do you honestly think that will work? Hawaii? Fiji? etc. Really? How do you suppose it'll be financed without the SA teams involved? Who's going to pay the Fijians, Hawaiians and others? With the greatest of respect, I doubt that such a plan would ever get onto an agenda, far less be implemented in reality.
Bakkies
Roar Guru
Plenty on their plate with running interference with a list of 50 demands to meet.