Why Australia should spearhead a Pacific future for rugby

Really enjoyed reading the concept. There are a few areas that might need to be looked at but overall I think it is a great idea. One area that I would like to comment on is the Pacific Island team. Fiji are clearly at the top end of NRC and, if able to retain some of the players in Australia, NZ Super teams and European club teams, are probably already very close to sustaining a Super Rugby level team from a playing perspective (perhaps not from a financial or administrative perspective). Tonga and Samoa are probably a different proposition. I would look to a combined (rest of outside of Fiji) Pacific Nations team (perhaps the South Pacific Dragons) playing out of Singapore or Hong Kong with one home game a year at Apia and Nuku'alofa. They would possibly attract good "local" crowds in western Sydney, Auckland etc. Engaging China in some fashion would also be worthwhile. They are keen to extend their influence politically in the region, have been generous donors to many Pacific nations in other forms and have a population base that may eventually build some grassroots rugby of their own (particularly if rugby is used in the Army and if they focus more on 7s for the Olympics).

Little disappointing no one has seen fit to right a piece about the Drua winning the NRC final on Saturday in what was a fantastic game played in really wet conditions by both sides. Really the shining light for the game in this country at present.

What Akari said! Look it's ok to occasionally have a breakfast game, but to build a core tribal support, you need to be able to be with your mates, with beer, in a pub. Look at AFL. Look at NRL. I'm happy to support the Jaguars in a Super comp, but having them with the same team at International level every year at breakfast is just a recipe for failure.

For a super comp to be credible, the team's need to be at least close to competitive with each other. If you has multiple teams from Japan and Americas, they would get an absolute toweling from any of the 5 kiwi teams. Also, while a Combined Pacific team would be the Windies of rugby, Samoa and Tonga could no way afford their own teams. Also, even if one or two more of the SA teams move to the European comp, doesn't mean they all will, and be good to retain 2 or 3 of them in Super rugby. A sixth kiwi team (Maori?) would also have some merit. Finally, Super rugby won't last if we keep a conference system - needs to be every team plays every team. Conference system artificial and confusing.

Same players. Same coaches. Same result. If Australia can't feild five team now how on earth will they magically fill a fifth squad. Same result is kiwi sides up top Three aussie at the bottom The rest scattered randomly Nice idea in principle but far too much starting ambition

1st A great concept. The game has been drawing small crowds compared to RL. To grow and build the game starts at grass roots. The PL should be the step to the NRC with Paficic nation members then to the Super Rugby. Give the supporters a team that is their team, they can be passionate about and is on the National and International focus. The expanded game as you state would provide more opportunites for young local players and the opportunity to play constantly with the experienced international players. the grouping of the teams and the nations, well that is up for discussion. 2nd The attendance at local games is low and also at NRC level. Apparently Foxtel were surprised at the number of viewers. Expand this viewing to easier access such as the streaming via say Tenplay, ABC Iview or SBS On demand and this would help reach a larger audience. Rugby.com streams but it appears not so many are aware. The addition of other countries especially the Pacific rim who show a massive emotion about their rugby would be a big influence. America is becoming a strong player and look at how they have grabbed hold of the World Series Rugby7's.

Thanks, mjseesred You've put a sound proposal for a way forward should the SA decide to go north and end their super rugby involvement. It ofc might not happen in the next 5 or so years given the Kings and Cheetahs are not doing well so far.

Too early perhaps for an ale or two to go with brekkie? Congratulations and top article in The New Daily this morning.

Started off well then you lost me. Look, if 3 national teams are included dont call it a "National" comp. Trouble here is that not all of the effort benefits Australia, dont we need this at the moment? Suer contract some PI players. Super rugby "Could you imagine a final series in Los Angeles, then Osaka" No..no I cant because I wont we watching, 1-3 time zones only please we have now learnt that spreading it across the globe doesnt work, its not what fans want. 6nations. By all means include all these teams just not composite selections, it doesnt develop nations, I want to see the PI teams in their own identity they are different and each bring something different to the game.

Sorry, what?

Don't quote me on this but I recall Brett McKay mentioned that viewership has surprised Foxtel in terms of the numbers. It should also be noted that outside of Sydney and Melbourne (though for completely different reasons) crowds have been quite good this season. Certainly above last season from everything I can tell.

What is the issue with Argentina's time zone Rob? Saturday matches from there are broadcast live at AEST breakfast time on Sunday morning - perfect.

Some good ideas in there. Super-level rugby is the key I think the Pacific Barbarians are a good idea for a super team - as Drua are showing in the NRC, there is just so much talent - but the questions are, will the team gel (think West Indies cricket) and will there be enough money for them? The big advantages are that they are good enough, close to Aus/NZ, and in the same time zone. The Pumas and Sunwolves are a good template of what can be achieved and what can't in a second tier rugby nation (apologies if this sounds condescending). Both having one super team and international team playing together all year lifts their quality. However the Jaguars are not in our timezone and whilst we can accomodate them, we can't do that with all those SA franchises as well. I can see the Sunwolves getting up to Super level over time, but very hard to see them up against ABs and Australia at International level. The American Barbarians don't have the player/supporter depth or the timezones - sorry but can't see them happening for a long while. So at Super level: 4 Aus, 5 NZ, Jaguars, Pacific and Sunwolves Played from Feb to August. Home and Away with 4 finalists. Keep it simple. On every week at a time when you can follow your team at home or on tv (with only the Pumas as an exception) At International level I think we need to take a different tack. Instead of trying to build an alternative to the 6 Nations (across so many time zones and such team quality differences) we should open up the touring windows for all nations in tiers. So for Australia and NZ we only commit to the 3 test Bledisloe in late September each year. Before that we have an inbound 3 test tour from a top tier side (SA or a 5 Nations, not Italy), and after that we head overseas and play the other 4 nations (not Italy) or a 3 test tour of SA. That means we only play internationals against top tier teams, except at the RWC. Note: NZ would do the same as us. SA super teams need to play in their timezone ie Celtic league, but at International level SA would do the same as us and NZ. Second tier nations ie Pumas, Sunwolves, Fiji, Samoa etc should have their own home/away test competition. And we'd all be there for RWC.

The loss of the Rams was unfortunate but the writing was on that particular wall when their licence was acquired by Eastwood. Which as someone who supported them since the NRC inception when it was announced that they were to be cut I was hardly surprised. Anyway, I'm going to put forth some thoughts regarding the NRC and your piece so here goes. First of all the NRC sort of contains the PI involvement you call for. Hell, this seasons final will be played this Saturday in Lautoka after the Fijian Drua earned the right to host by being the top ranked team came the end of the season and overcoming a tough Vikings side in the pouring ran in Fiji last weekend. We should encourage more PI involvement in the NRC in my opinion. WR has made overtures about entering a second PI based squad. As Fiji has proven they add so much to the competition. Regarding Aus based teams. I actually think RA and NSWRU have missed an opportunity by delaying the WSR Western Sydney team. For a couple of reasons. 1) A professional team playing regularly in the region would be amazing and 2) This would provide another professional quality side for the NRC. This would then allow NSW to go to one Union run team lifting the standard again. I do like the idea of national domestic competitions serving as the primary vessels and the concept of a Champions Cup like competition between them. Something involving the NRC, M10, Top League and emerging competitions like Major League Rugby in the US and Canada and the mooted Liga Sul Americana de Rugby in South America. Would be amazing in my opinion. But highly unlikely in practicality. For many reasons. What I have an issue with is the international structure you've put forth and the use of Baabaa teams for the Americas and PIs. Neither would be workable or fair. The combined PI concept was tried and failed for a number of reasons one being the PI nations have all their own individual identities and pride in those. Stripping that away and trying to cram them into one neat form does them no justice. Same for the Americas. What I would like to see is the Rugby Championship expanded to 8 nations across two divisions with promotion and relegation on offer. So you would have the current four in the 1st division with the top 2 teams from each edition of the Pacific Nations Cup and Americas Rugby Championship (excluding the Argentina XV for obvious reasons) featuring in the 2nd division competing for the opportunity to move up. This would obviously require Japan to compete in the PNC which isn't a bad idea. But using this years edition as an example you'd see Fiji and Tonga feature in the 2019 edition (if it were to start next year) and the US (who've won two titles on the trot) and Uruguay rounding out those four.

Forget about it, for exactly there's no interest from MLB in the Dominican Republic, Venezuela or Curacao. There's nothing to be gained financially from it.

is the viewership that good? i have heard otherwise. Where are the rugby community "turning out in droves"? this article doesnt cosider the financial problems of such a comp? tonga and samoa are tiny with little broadcast right? would the tongan and samoan teams be locals? they are tiny compared to Fiji?

Well mjseesred, I like the ideas you have, I know we can all find some reason why something couldn't or wouldn't work, but it good to see well thought out ideas that some people have. And I have to say it great to know that there are people who have positive ideas, and not just try to tell us what wrong with what we have now! Keep it up, makes it even more worthwhile coming into ROAR! As you can see by comment, I still getting my head around the whole thing, but in general I like it.