With Super Rugby Aotearoa wrapped up and Super Rugby AU coming to its conclusion, the question looming large in everyone’s minds is what’s next?
The 2021 season is not that far away, so it’s starting to look as though launching a Super Rugby competition encompassing the Asia-Pacific region may not be feasible for next year.
Now, assuming that NZ Rugby and Rugby AU manage to work out their much publicised differences and get on with things, a kick-off in 2022 could be a more realistic goal.
The upside to that delay is that they could create a competition that actually works.
The question is how?
The answer lies in re-imagining Super Rugby:
Trophy
A good way to start is that the actual premiership trophy or cup itself be named after a guy who was a founding father of the professional game – Jonah Lomu.
It would be a fitting tribute to the man who gave world rugby so much, as well as creating an iconic and even more aspirational appeal to winning a Super Rugby championship.
Season
With the refresh, let’s also look at playing Super Rugby in rugby season. Start it in mid-March, playing a round-robin system where each team plays each other once only.
That way, the competition won’t suffer from the rugby season gate-crashing our summer, as has been the case over the past few years. It would ease the need for players have their playing workload managed.
(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
Obviously a timetable like this would be determined by how many teams are in the competition. So…
Teams
Forget all the bickering – let’s lay out a format with 12 teams. Yes, 12.
Include five Australian sides (including Western Force), the five existing New Zealand sides, one new Pasifika team and welcome back the franchise with the best crowds in all of Super Rugby – the Sunwolves from Japan.
I can hear all the arguments about competitiveness and blowout scores already, but this format can actually work. All we need is for Super Rugby to actually turn pro.
What do I mean by that?
Players
Mark Ella suggested back in 2018 that an open-border policy should exist in Super Rugby. That means that any player can play for any Super Rugby team regardless of what country they qualify to play Test rugby for.
Add in an effective salary cap and you could see players like Samu Kerevi and Beauden Barrett chase big dollars in Japan and play for the Sunwolves and not be lost to Super Rugby. Just imagine Barrett and Kerevi in the Sunwolves’ back line.
Other players like Taniela Tupou could represent his Tongan roots while remaining a Wallaby, and emerging talent like Reesjan Pasitoa, Fraser McReight, Asafo Aumua, Will Jordan and Etene Nanai-Seturo could flourish, getting more game time by being in the starting side, not stuck on bench duties. Let money and opportunities dictate where players go. That’s a professional competition.
For the 2022 launch season, you could kick-start things and go all in with teams only allowed to protect their top 15 players and put the rest into an NFL/NBA style draft. Picture this: “With the first overall pick, the Pasifika team select…”
Think that would draw some interest?!
Game day
It’s time for Super Rugby to pull better crowds by vastly improving the experience for fans at games too. That starts with better stadiums.
Sydney and Christchurch are getting new digs (and not before time too). Next stop should be looking at Auckland, especially with Eden Park having outlived it’s practicality and with the pending potential of having an Auckland-based Pasifika team.
Why not future-proof these stadiums too with covered playing fields, bars and food courts to really elevate game day and make more people want to head along.
(Photo: Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Better alignment of games will also draw a wider supporter base. The idea of curtain-raiser games that could cover women’s rugby, club rugby and marquee high school matches could draw more supporters, engage fans and better integrate Super Rugby’s presence in the overall rugby landscape.
Playoffs
Getting the number of playoff teams right is important to create a suitable amount of incentive for teams and reinforce meaningful matches.
For a 12-team competition like this, a top-five playoff series would be great. The format would basically match what the NRL used to offer with the top three sides being given a second life in the playoffs and taking four weeks to complete.
So an 11-week round robin plus four weeks of playoffs equals 15 weeks total. The top teams could also qualify for a Champions League-style format against other top clubs from around the globe. Then we’d really see who the best club team in the world is.
All in all, such a re-imagining of the competition would further accentuate its star power, create more exciting matches, create a more manageable playing programme and – most of all – treat fans to the true potential of Super Rugby.
Jon
Guest
I went to the Waratahs game on Saturday - the music nearly drove me insane. At every single break in play, even just in the 10 seconds it would take for a line-out to happen, they were playing super loud music from the 1970s and 80s for no discernible reason. It was atrocious.
Kevin
Roar Rookie
Great idea. The free movement of players across the league is vital, in order to create a worthwhile league that develops the sport and therefore increases elite playing numbers in Aus in particular. Look at how the leagues in Europe love the top players playing even if they are not nationals. It is those players that add the icing on the cake. By having, (funding), the top PI players in the league, it would add quantity of quality players. NZ could have 6 teams, Aus 5 and bring in the SC Tigers instead of the Sunwolves, as the JRU cannot fight against the clubs there. A PI team would not be financially viable as the revenues from home matches would not be big enough. 2 conferences, home and away in conference and home or away v other. 16 game season with play offs for top 3. Week 1: 2nd v 3rd in conference Week 2: Semi finals, 1st v winners week 1 Week 3: week off, press week. Week 4: Grand Final Aus winner v NZ winner at a pre determined final venue. 20 week season, guaranteed 8 home matches, players can then move to international season or to NRC or M10 cup to create the development pathway.
BleedRedandBlack
Roar Rookie
Just had a look at the news this morning, and this seems the best place the best place to comment, given the reference to sizzle. The NZ Herald is reporting that the SA Super rugby teams are about to join the PRO14, participation starting in early 2021 with an improvised season, to a certain based extent on SA v SA results from Super Rugby. Ho hum. Nothing really unusual there. Been well telegraphed. It go me thinking though. One the barriers it seemed to me to a full SA move north was the weather. And no, not the wet February nights in Limerick. The African heat. But the Cheetahs and the Kings have in fact played through a SA summer without many problems. What if the biggest change coming will be the one we didn't see, that having lost SA, NZ and Australia will be persuaded/pressured/forced to move their professional rugby season to summer, all to create a global season? If the Africans can handle that jandal, shouldn't we be able to? At first blush it of course makes no sense, why play a global season in a European winter and an SA/OZ/NZ summer, but if NZ and Australia are going to be left on their own, if almost all the Rugby money in the world is going to spent September to May, then isn't a move to summer desirable, and more to the point, inevitable? I mean, Australian rugby not having to compete head on with League, bigger crowds because of more light at night, not having to go to OrangeTheory Stadium on a balmy July night... You heard it here first.
ME
Guest
Or here is the more likely scenario. NZR agrees to five Aussie teams next year, when RA don't get any real money from TV, twiggy baulks at funding more than the force, and the bottom 3-4 teams in the TT comp are Aussie, RA has no alternative but to start chopping teams.
ME
Guest
Not yet they haven't. Hence why NZR was only looking for a comp for one year. As it turns out ot might be a replacement long term, however that has still to be decided.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
NZ doesnt have a deadline… Yes they did Jacko – end of August – which is why they were looking at EOI’s last week, from such high quality outfits as the BOP-Shanghai Lions, and possibly an internal 6th NZ team based around Tasman if rumours are true. They were even trying to get Twiggy Forrest to fund a team there (allegedly). Which is unsurprising as he received $2 billion in mining dividends over the last year. There is supposed to be some sort of announcement on September 1.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
" It would also do to remember that there are still existing contractual obligations with SANZAAR in place" No there aren't. Frustrated contracts are terminated. The Super Rugby agreement is gone.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
Jacko, you need to pay attention to what NZR is now saying through the press – this week in articles in Stuff (by Paul Cully) and in the Guardian (by Matt McILwraith) . NZR are no longer trying to dictate to RA what it should do, and have backed down.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
That is a pretty poor post woodart. Apart from parroting a line which NZR has abandoned, you don't have your facts straight about the Sunwolves. The JRU decided they would no longer financially support the team, and SANZAAR as a whole declined to replace the funding.
soapit
Roar Guru
we do need a baby sitter if youre offering jacko
Sluggy
Roar Guru
Terminator, you need to pay attention to what NZR is now saying through the press - this week in articles in Stuff (by Paul Cully) and in the Guardian (by Matt McILwraith) . NZR's attempt to take control of SR and dictate terms has failed, and they know it. They are backing down, trying to claim the reduction in Au teams was just a "suggestion", and saying they have no in principle objection to 5 Au teams in a TT comp starting in, probably, 2022. They even rolled out Ian Foster to give a presser and say that the AU teams have all been improving and their standard isn't so bad afterall. Please try to keep up.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Keep up the good fight JN!
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Amen to that JD Kiwi.. There's been a lot of pushback in SA about proposed moves to the North etc.. Fans not keen at all. I mean playing Glasgow just not the same as playing the Chiefs, Crusaders or Brumbies.. Not sexy at all.
Jacko
Guest
Only the Aus deadline is approaching......NZ doesnt have a deadline...
Jacko
Guest
There goes my baby sitting fee...Are you sure i cant get you a drink or something?
soapit
Roar Guru
You asked me the question. Answering (with an explanation) was not going to help either of our funny bones so that's what I said Generally your safe to do what you like as I don't need anything from you
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Yes you definitely have to do that. The bottom tier side needs to be properly funded to compete with the top table side when it comes to the domestic competition.
Jacko
Guest
I got the joke hence the reply...What do you need me to do? Put LOL after it?
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
1) The Sunwolves are gone. Kaput. Dead. Japanese Rugby is moving on with a new 3 tiered professional league system. It would need a huge reversal of direction for that to happen. Which I seriously doubt would even be possible. Submissions are in. Clubs are implementing infrastructure. We have to stop living in the past and stop suggesting the Sunwolves as an option. 2) While an 10-11 game (whereby each team plays one another home and away with the top two seeds progressing to the major semi finals and 3-6 playing to join them) season for the likes of SR AU might work as a means to running something worthwhile in terms of content. It makes no sense commercially. At all. Same for a TT competition. The franchises have been vocal about the need to host a minimum of 8 home games to even go close to turning a profit. A TT competition should be a double round robin and treated not as a extended trial system but as a proper commercial venture.
Jacko
Guest
Has to be the Roosters...Lomu didnt have hair