And so comes another year – and with it another dud SANZAAR decision.
The Sunwolves are set to be ejected from the competition by their charming overlords on the eve of a home World Cup in Japan with huge momentum in the land of the rising sun and the treats and fruits of the highest levels of rugby athleticism on display after a once in a lifetime World Cup.
Japanese rugby will celebrate by losing its only domestic team which plays in a high-level competition – the top league, of course, being a superannuation enhancement scheme.
The Sunwolves attracted commendable crowds despite their poor performances. They had respectable television audiences and were bringing rugby to a corner of the globe that has developed more than a passing interest and are in a favourable time zone for Australian fans.
Yet, seemingly at the click of a finger, they are dust – like the Western Force before them.
Rugby fans, who are among the most tolerant of egregiously inept leadership in the world, would have shaken their heads, not in shock, but in awe, at SANZAAR’s (rare) ability to run an inter-continental sports league with a membership policy roughly resembling the mean girls’ lunch club.
The history of SANZAAR’s bizarre decision making is an eclectic story of stupidity and self-interest combined with a near-comical foresight.
The competition expanded from the Super 12 to the Super 14 in 2006, which was probably justified.
It then expanded to be the Super Rugby in 2011, adding in the Melbourne Rebels, which was a very questionable decision given the performance of the Australian teams and lack of an organic grassroots pathway in Melbourne.
At this point you’d think SANZAAR, which had begun to have Napoleonic dreams of conquest, would realise that perhaps it had gone slightly cuckoo.
But, never one to acknowledge a mistake, they simply pressed on.
Instead of attempting to annex Russia, they went for both Argentina in Japan in one hit.
It is still begger’s belief that both Australia and New Zealand agreed to sign up to the Super 18. Did they conduct ratings analyses on the dilution of competition from 14 to 18 teams in just four years?
Rugby Australia, knowing it faces the scrutiny of fewer than ten professional journalists, regularly treats the concepts of openness and accountability with nothing but outright contempt and hasn’t released any information of substantive quality to the public in years. There are tinpot dictatorships which are more transparent.
Then came the bungling that leads to the Western Force’s exit from Super Rugby, which ought to make decent people feel sick. The process which leads to their exit was completely opaque and appears to have been a fait accompli.
The Force’s inability to get a fair hearing has also created Andrew Forrest’s’ rebel competition, at a time when unity was incredibly important to the future of Rugby in this country.
But, of all of Rugby AU’s mistakes, it is their inability to stand up to their infinitely more incompetent South African associates that must surely stand out as the smoking gun in a litany of Rugby AU catastrophes.
The South African rugby union (the corollary of which appears to be the South African Government) has been the driver behind some of the truly abysmal decisions in Super Rugby. They pushed for the competition to expand to 18 teams. They then suddenly performed an about-face and decided two must be removed.
Now, despite Australia not being in favour of the Sunwolves departing, the South Africans have managed to push their will onto the competition again. Amazingly, Rugby AU declined to exercise their veto right over their inclusion despite it clearly being in Australia’s interest.
The question is this – after being the driving force behind almost every train wreck of a decision which has steadily destroyed the integrity of Super Rugby – why on Earth does Australia take notice of anything the South African rugby union has to say?
(Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images for SUNWOLVES)
These are questions which ought to go the highest levels of leadership of rugby in this country.
Regrettably, any leaders in Rugby AU have long been replaced by obsequious goons or people with connections to the gambling industry. Gambling is the industry which most closely resembles professional sport.
Sadly, at the first Test, Australia’s rugby leaders have (again!) acquiesced to the idiotic demands of a lunatic business partner.
Rugby is the loser today, and Rugby AU needs to fervently and passionately denounce the behaviour of the South African rugby union to our New Zealand.
Furthermore, Rugby AU, if it has been threatened by the SRugby AU, should heed the lessons from those who have succumbed to pathetic threats in the past. In the long run, you will always lose.
The ball is in your court.
Joe
Guest
Yes all true but don't worry the ARU is poilically correct we have more female directors , we have a female ceo and we female commentators what more do you want , Jez you mean you want to actually see proper Rugby !!! Na mate bring on the pc
Danny McGowan
Roar Rookie
Has not the Japanese rugby union been the force behind them going by not underwriting the team after 2020? Do you think any NZ or Aus teams would be in the super rugby comp without the backing of their rugby union? Really I liked them there, but if there own RU don't want them playing in the comp, surely you should be questioning them!! And I can understand why they think putting their recources into there own comp is probably more beneficial!
Anthony Shields
Guest
Well said. SA should be cut loose in favour of a NZ, Australia, Pacific Island, Asia comp.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Bob, I am trying to keep an open mind, I am hoping we can put this one down to Journalistic incompetence and move on.
Tobokani
Guest
I think it also has to do with Japan voting for France in the 2023 world cup hosting bids. A lot of people down here, including myself, were really pissed off after backing Japan for 2019 as well as accepting them into sanzaaar. This is probably some form of payback. As soon as the votes came out, a lot of people down here were calling for them to be booted out of sanzaaar.
DaveR
Guest
So let me get this straight: there is a Rugby World Cup in japan in 6 months time - so lets cut the Japan Super rugby team now - with no discussion or pre-warning. Forget about any semblance of diplomacy or tact - lets just act and spin it as a financial necessity. Who should be surprised if the JRFU simply just cancelled the World Cup and left the idiots at SANZAAR and IRU where they deserve to be - precisely nowhere.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
South African rugby is increasingly being run by a whole host of conflicting forces. 1stly the SA government has a big Say in selections. 2ndly Most of the Unions are either technically bankrupt or close to it. The investors and sponsors now say what they can and cannot do. 3rdly The broadcasters. They have the biggest say of all. If they say cut the Sunwolves then cut it is. Finally SARU themselves. They are themselves embroiled in political bun fights. That's just how it is.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Money talks .. . The powerful exert their will for their benefit. That is life ! One can mount argument either way !
Bob
Guest
In the West australian today, Rapid rugby denied any connection to the “Superf Asia” Rumour Who in their right mind would want any oversight or connection to the basket case that is SANZAAR, why would twiggy put his money in their inept hands to steal for themselves and squander. Every time Sanzaar bring up expansion to America it is only money not anyone else’s benefit,
Hazzmat
Guest
It's purely monetary based. SA has the most pull as when it comes to TV rights as they attract the most interest so without SA there is not much coin to go around. In a logistical sense, it would make more sense for the SA teams to compete in a European competition and for Super Rugby to hold onto Japan and also include teams from the pacific island nations but the desired revenue for NZ and AU just won't cut it.
Slats
Roar Rookie
There should be a 'love' icon for this comment alone...
RahRah
Roar Rookie
What else does anyone expect from RA?
Julz
Guest
SANZAAR making final decisions by spinning the wheel..or flipping the coin..
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Awesome words "Rugby fans, who are among the most tolerant of egregiously inept leadership in the world" First they came for the Cheetahs and the Kings, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Cheetah nor a King. Then they came for the Force, and I did not speak out— Because I was not from WA. Then they came for the Sunwolves, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Sunwolf. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me. ~Niemöller (Mostly) During the Force "Exiting" many (myself included) were calling for the Sun-wolves to go instead, Looks like they will get their wish. I was disappointed to read the SMH Article this morning citing GRR as a second tier competition and a joint venture between RA and Andrew Forrest. I am disappointed if this it is bad, tainted, journalism. I will be even more disappointed if it is true, When Twiggy started it he described it as a premier competition. RA were less than helpful.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Sanzaar, is treading water whilst their reason for existence is dissapearing under them
Lano
Roar Guru
Good read. Can be an emotive subject. But you're spot on!
Puff
Guest
In reality we are all becoming accustomed to SANZAAR making unhealthy decisions in their quest to expand their reach for media sponsorship. In their earlier rhetoric it was all about increased participation until the RU became wasteful and SA rugby became very political. History has a habit of repeating itself and with time zones now a big issue for SA, plus not underestimating the fact some of their home games are not attracting big crowds. There is certainly an unwholesome shift within the SA model. Hence are SANZAAR trying to appease our southern African friends from moving more teams north? The fact remains, SA have been in the wilderness before only to see other nations becoming more competitive and no-longer concerned about SA’s influence within the game. SANZAAR have a practice of making poor assessments is this another.
Loosehead
Guest
Sanzaar Mission Statement. " If its good for Rugby, then we don't want to know about it."