Deans backs Sunwolves for Rapid Rugby

I've seen the word that Steve Berrick is planning to base a GRR team in Tokyo. He'll need to get approval from the JRFU though and they may be eyeing off that spot for the Sunwolves. Also heard the whispers that the Panasonic Wild Knights might swtich across, although that seems to have quietened down and appears they'll stay in Top League. Not sure they'd go for two teams there, one backed by the JRFU and one by Berrick?

It’s run through the Hong Kong Rugby Union although based in Rugby HQ in Perth.

Wait and see but here’s a hint. The “World XV” last Friday was coached by Robbie Deans, sponsored by Panasonic and had a significant number of Japanese players.

No mate, you aren't acknowledging my position and instead have divined what it is, quite magically, from afar. I've stated that I think it was fair for the JRFU/Sunwolves to pay a participation fee under the current agreement. I'm saying it is wrong of SANZAAR to ask for an increase heading in to the next agreement while negotiations that potentially include Japan in the Rugby Championship/World League are underway. It's further wrong to make statement that the JRFU have just elected to stop funding the team and made the decision that Super Rugby is not for them. An accurate statement would have been that SANZAAR asked them for increased funding to remain in Super Rugby and that the JRFU could not meet the demand so are exiting the comp. They've fooled no one with the release that they waited until Friday to make so what was the point of making the misleading statement?

So it’s just coincidence that without the full facts available (because with commercial matters like these they rarely are) that you’ve just decided on a narrative that you can get angry over, rather than equally plausible ones that aren’t as anger worthy?

Deans is right. Let this Pacific league get underway and watch it develop. A few years down the line the Kiwis and Aussies might be begging to get involved. Maybe they could have a sort of "Super Bowl" final between the Super Rugby winner and the Pacific champ if it does take off.

Nope

You can’t cop it because you refuse to consider things like the fact that test rugby is what provides the majority of the revenue. You want to be angry so you’re looking for reason to be angry.

The solution is to put a team in Perth. Oh, that’s right RA decided to save 6M a year....so we can assume that the JRFU were pumping a similar amount in to provide the 5th team in the Aussie conference. As I said above I think that the Sunwolves will be better off in GRR if it gets off the ground. I just can’t cop the false narrative from SANZAAR and RA

Rich Freeman’s article said it was $7M. $2M of that solely on travel. Which is the issues with standalone teams - every away team has to travel internationally for the game. There’s no cheap weeks.

Well SANZAAR know, they just don’t tell us. What on earth does the 13m get spent on? This is after paying players.

Nobody knows because SR is bundled with RC. Though it’s considered that RC offers the same value.

Fully agree that Oz need to build the NRC and that they have missed a trick with Twiggy. RR should be thought of as an Asia-Pacific thing and not an Oz one and in that context it makes more sense

How much is the subsidy? Is Super Rugby losing 13m AUD per team per year? Something is drastically wrong if that is the case.

I have enjoyed watching the Sunwolves but it was never the right decision for a Japanese team to join SR. John Kirwan made this point years ago when he was coaching Japan, he said it wasn’t the right way to develop Japanese rugby, and so it has proven to be. SR has failed with expansion because Sanzaar has made a series of dumb decisions based on earning more broadcast money and not for sound rugby reasons (Fiji should have been included back in 1996 based on their playing ability). Sanzaar’s first priority should be to create a compelling rugby tournament. Yet, they have made it worse and now it’s in decline, contracting, with thousands of empty seats at every game. No wonder more SR players want to play for European clubs in tournaments that have integrity and fans are passionate about. Anyway, let’s see what happens with Rapid Rugby. I’m not convinced by that either. What Aussie rugby needs is a proper National Championship to rival AFL and NRL. If Twiggie was to merge RR with NRC and negotiate with the Shute Shield and Brisbane clubs, that could be interesting...

Also it is crazy not to think about it. Can they afford to spend money for 10 years there? I’d say no. If they could, they should have spent money elsewhere locally prior.

No. It’s the problem when you populate the board with people who are used to delivering for stakeholders, as opposed to people who risk and work only for themselves. Their actions are driven by who they answer to, not the way they make their money.

Apparently according to Rich Freeman on twitter, $2M. So basically nothing actually. When you consider that Aus/NZ/SA all subsidise SR through the RC it is basically less than zero.

It's the problem when you populate boards with bankers rather than entrepreneurs. Bankers want guaranteed short term income, not longterm risky ventures (which is why most private lending in Australia is for housing, not productive investment). Japan has a per capita economic ouput on par with Australia or New Zealand and a population of 125 million people. And it is the gateway to Asia. Crazy not to think about that market.

Japan can’t be zero though? Why would it be nil? Sure Sunwolves involvement isn’t likely to increase the money raised from the other regions but if they aren’t there the other countries need to pay to produce that content and are likely to be earning less from the Japanese broadcaster. Can also see the Japanese sponsors engaging with Aussie teams. How long do you think NEC continue to sponsor the Tahs now?