New Zealand Rugby is confident it will get buy-in from Australia to join its new-look franchise competition in 2021 but says it will be highly selective over which teams will be invited to take part.
Trans-Tasman negotiations next week will determine whether Rugby Australia enters expressions of interest for its teams to join the competition or breaks ties and forms its own model.
An RA statement on Friday revealed few clues to its stance in response to the NZR announcement of an eight-to-10-team competition to replace Super Rugby.
A three-month NZR review concluded the five existing Kiwi franchises should form the core and be joined by one professional entity from the Pacific Islands.
That leaves room for two to four Australian teams and removes the involvement of franchises from South Africa, Argentina and Japan.
Negotiations are under way with potential Pacific candidates but talks with Australia will not begin until next week.
NZR chief executive Mark Robinson said the bar will be set high for teams interested in joining what he believes will be the strongest professional league in the world.
“We’re very conscious of any teams coming into the competition, that they are highly competitive, they are financially viable and that they bring value that can attract fans and retain interest in the competition,” he said.
RA chairman Hamish McLennan has previously expressed a desire for all five Super Rugby AU teams to be involved in any trans-Tasman venture.
McLennan recently described his organisation’s relationship with NZ as “master-servant” in nature and has threatened to set up an Australian-run competition if terms cannot be reached.
An RA statement on Friday gave no indication whether it favoured New Zealand’s model, saying only that it intended to “work constructively” in talks over coming weeks.
“Rugby Australia will also continue its discussions with stakeholders in Australia and is in constant consultation with our valued SANZAAR joint venture partners.”
The statement said RA recognised the need to consider alternative models to Super Rugby given the global disruption caused by COVID-19 and would consider what worked best for Australian rugby interests.
Robinson has not directly addressed what problems would be caused if there was no Australian involvement in NZR’s proposed setup.
“We’ll work through that more as we go,” he said. “Certainly there’s aspects of Super Rugby Aotearoa (that) have shown that it’s a particularly popular domestic league.
“Conversations with Australia have been constructive and positive and we think they’ll engage in a positive way.”
Robinson stressed that the suggested model is for 2021 only and that there remains a possibility of including more Australian teams in future.
He said ideally the season would finish with cross-border games against the leading teams from other club and franchise competitions around the globe.
NZR is still to determine the ownership model of its proposed venture and offshore investment is being considered.
Jokerman
Roar Guru
Come on Mark if that was the case your whole country would be sent away !
Terminator
Guest
Are you out of your mind suggesting CONFERENCES? There is NO WAY NZR supporters would tolerate a conference system ever again. You are trying to manipulate the schedule so Australia teams avoid playing the harder NZ teams.
Rich1234
Roar Rookie
Interesting thread, very interesting. At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, Australia are currently not in a position of strength. However that can change in a couple of seasons. But here is the bigger point. Doesn’t any normal rugby supporter want to see hard fought and close games between the Australians and the Kiwis? Isn’t rugby better off whereby we have many strong teams instead of a few. I know I believe and want that. So maybe the kiwis can gloat now but the bledisloe cup is actually a weaker experience until the Aussies improve. Maybe I am being a bit to philosophical but I just don’t think the kiwis see the bigger picture whereby a stronger Australia rugby is actually beneficial for them. Pretty simple really.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Thanks DA. Now, anything constructive or was that it?
ME
Guest
That's your answer? Clearly not one of the smart ones
AndyS
Guest
No it didn't. NZ created the SR teams from nothing over the top of the NPC and all those same teams still play in the M10C and Heartland Championship. If the NZR lead the way in anything, it was demonstrating that plastic franchises + time + promotion = short memories.
piru
Roar Rookie
What mythical evidence? See above
moaman
Roar Guru
I just thought if you had one and a half 'four packs' you could call it --I dunno.....a 'six-pack'? :silly:
Mark
Guest
Fewer raided by the NRL? Are you sure? Check out how many Kiwis playing the NRL have come from Union backgrounds
Mark
Guest
People seem to forget NZ went from 10 Teams in the NPC to only 5 in Super Rugby NZ reduced its number of Teams to remain Competitive NZ were ahead of the game They understand what was required to keep the teams competitive and to manage costs Aus didnt, haven't and aren't by the sounds of it The thing with fewer teams is that you concentrate talent and there are no easy games + you build combinations You should never expand unless you have talent overflowing and not getting games This was never the case Unfortunately John O'Neil thought Rugby = Retail and thought More Product = Better It isn't and it doesnt As SR Aoteraroa has shown
Mark
Guest
What? France and Japan were poaching NZ players in the prime before the game went professional They kept doing it when the game went professional - in fact they did it more We have been losing players to the NH and Japan continuously and consistently since the inception of Professional Rugby
mark
Guest
Then your memory is bad When Aus had 3 teams they were very competitive Also the Wallabies They had players in the National side that had built combinations honed in Super Rugby Theres none of that now Expansion was the worst decision Aus ever made
Mark
Guest
5* in NZ = 2* anywhere else in the World
Mark
Guest
What utter tosh Australia fulfill ALL their obligations under CER It is entirely their right the refuse entry and refuse the right to stay to Non Citizens who have been found guilty of breaking the Law As a NZ'r in Aussie - I agree - send all the Criminal NZ'rs back to NZ - I don't want that scum here
allblackfan
Guest
That 2004 PI team wasn't solid, nroko! After those games, the players said 'never again'. You may as well form a team of English, French and German players.
Double Agent
Guest
Pfffft! I don't do beer by halves.
Double Agent
Guest
With the same 5 kiwi teams how is it harder competition? Seems the same to me. Actually without a couple of good SA sides it's actually a bit easier.
Double Agent
Guest
Have you forgotten the flogging in Perth?
Double Agent
Guest
"With over 400 comments, I haven’t been able to read them all." Lazy %$$^& !!
Dally M
Guest
Not yet they aren't, but no one has been asked. Who's bankrolling the NZ comp? The NZRU's finances weren't in much better shape than AU just prior to eradication of COVID and the return to play.