South Africa’s intention to join the European pro rugby competition is a gift to the Australian and New Zealand rugby unions. The two trans-Tasman partners of SANZAAR have been given a golden opportunity to re-envision, reshape and rebuild professional trans-Tasman rugby.
Now is the time to embrace a brave new rugby world – a world of strong domestic competitions with international flair.
If rugby’s 2020 is to have a silver lining, it is the success of the Super Rugby ‘domestic’ spin-offs – Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU. The domestic derby format has seen a marvellous refocus on the traditional rivalries between provinces on both island nations. The two trans-Tasman unions must build on these successful resurgences of provincial rivalries.
As both unions have annually posted financial losses, surely developing separate domestic competitions would afford them some financial reprieve from the previous jet-setting schedule. It is also worth considering that the inconvenient time zone location of South African games is not an ideal broadcasting selling point.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The scheduling of ‘double-headers’ each weekend has been an absolute joy for the rugby audience. Rugby fans have been able to enjoy watching a game played in New Zealand before then flowing straight into viewing the Australian-based game. It’s as if the two-hour time zone difference between the islands was geologically formed to foster such a rugby schedule.
Both competitions on either side of the Tasman Sea have had their own unique strengths.
Watching incumbent and hopeful All Blacks go head to head each week during Super Rugby Aotearoa has made for absolutely stellar viewing. Then, as a post-season treat, like dessert after a fine dinner, we were privileged to see the return of the North Island vs South Island match in New Zealand, bringing with it a wave of nostalgic joy.
Rugby is a game that loves its traditions, so why not cap off the New Zealand domestic Super Rugby season with a return to this one? If scheduling and commitments allow, it could even turn into a series, as some prominent All Blacks players have suggested.
Meanwhile, over in Australia the forced return to regional stadiums – Newcastle and the Gold Coast – has allowed Rugby AU to reconnect with a proud yet long-forgotten fan-base that lives beyond the city limits. The success of the Queensland Reds ‘Reds to Regions’ program before the 2020 preseason, followed by their preseason matches hosted in country towns, is worth the consideration of Rugby AU to envision a rugby landscape inclusive of their regional and rural fan-base.
Rugby AU should consider how a city vs country exhibition match or series played at regional stadiums could capture the hearts and imaginations of their untapped and proud regional fan-base.
Rugby AU and New Zealand Rugby Union must capitalize and build on the strengths and successes of their 2020 domestic Super Rugby variations.
Rugby union is, however, an international game, and professional competitions must continue to reflect this special status of the game. The provincial sides in Australia and New Zealand still need their international tours to prepare players for the step up to international representation. Now is the time for the New Zealand Rugby Union and Rugby AU to reimagine how this can be achieved.
If the single-host format of 2020’s Rugby Championship is a success, then Rugby AU and New Zealand Rugby Union should consider such a format for provincial tours. The unions could annually alternate hosting their neighbour’s touring provincial sides, saving them some money on travel costs while still getting international exposure.
Such a format could even open up the opportunity for a combined Pacific Island team or even a representative side from Japan’s Top League – maybe as the rebirth of the Sunwolves?
However Rugby AU and New Zealand Rugby Union choose to proceed, they must look upon the horizon with optimism. The sun has set on South Africa’s time in Super Rugby. The days of heading west past the Indian Ocean are over. South Africa’s involvement is not financially viable from either a travel or a broadcasting perspective.
What the trans-Tasman rugby world will look like now is anyone’s guess, but cousins Rugby AU and New Zealand Rugby Union have been gifted a golden opportunity to create something that works for their unions, their players and their fan-bases.
Let’s hope this opportunity is not squandered.
Buddy boy
Guest
Sure am going to miss the bokkie super sides, their butal style was a refreshing addition that the northern hemisphere will now benefit from, but a transtasman competition should be much better with friendlier time zones, also our styles are similar. Dave Rennie hopefully will be able to do something exciting with the Wallabies.
Yep Id LOVE to see RA do that......And all ABs will be home for christmas.....
Ex force fan
Guest
we should have said ‘one out, all out’ and exited Super as a group RA didn't even had to say "one out, all out" they had a SANZAAR veto that they failed to use. I think the Force carcass will all those players, coaches and money than could prop up the other four franchises to instant competitiveness just looked too juicy....
jeznez
Roar Guru
Oh well, go for your life then - poach as many or as few of our teams for you comps as you like/can. Sounds like NZR are completely justified in trying this. Will be great if they announce a team or two on the 30th of November and then RA veto them playing any games here, or indeed from touring.
Ex force fan
Guest
Rugby AU will then contact the respective National Union(s) within whose territory such match, tour or series of matches is due to take place and request for ‘Permission to tour’. If RA have issues then the Force would need to affiliate with HKRU as they did with GRR. Then RA can officially be knows as Rugby East Australia. Hope we will not get to silly games like these and that RA will make an offer to the Force to play in SRAU that they cannot refuse. The ball is still squarely within RA court to make the Force part of the RA landscape.
No I only go off the Pulvar staements also saying RA could no longer afford to keep opperating 5 teams
jeznez
Roar Guru
:laughing: You are on fire today mate. No I only have the public statements from Pulver to go off. I assume you have actual minutes that prove him a liar?
Jez thats BS…RA DID NOT WANT TO KEEP THE FORCE……..They wanted to save the $$ just as much as the other SAANZAR partners…I gather you have “NOTES” to prove your BS and you are calling them Minutes?????
jeznez
Roar Guru
Sure the only member of the group that wanted to keep them is to blame. :laughing:
Almost as if NZR weren’t part of the group that forced RA to cut a team in the first place RA as much a part of that team as NZR is...You keep forgetting that with your need to blame NZ over it. Yep I would have loved it if RA had said 1 out all out yet it was as much RA saying "we cant afford" 5 teams as it was anyone elses fault so wear some blame on that one yourselves..... I stand by what I said that RA is why the Force are no longer an SR team....
jeznez
Roar Guru
"as soon as anyone else is interested then they suddenly want to control the Force again" Love this little furphy, so we are only looking to add them because NZR are keen? * Almost as if NZR weren't part of the group that forced RA to cut a team in the first place * That NZR didn't knock RA back when we said we were keen on a TT if we had 5 teams in it * As though we didn't just play Super AU with them back in the fold * That we haven't held a firm line from the moment they came back in that they are in whatever competition we are involved in from now on I stand by what I said back when our delightful partners forced us to cut a team - we should have said 'one out, all out' and exited Super as a group.
jeznez
Roar Guru
RA can deny permission for a touring team to come in, and are the party that needs to request permission to tour for any team wanting to head to another nation to play. I’ve never seen the power used, whenever I’ve been involved in asking the HKRU regarding a tour it’s been fine but the power is there. https://australia.rugby/participate/rugby%20administration/tour%20applications Here is the link to RA’s application to tour, if you’ll read it you will see this little section which couldn’t be clearer: Rugby AU will then contact the respective National Union(s) within whose territory such match, tour or series of matches is due to take place and request for ‘Permission to tour’. When approval is received, Rugby AU will notify this approval direct to the club/team/school. Rugby Australian Touring Terms and Conditions can be found on page 5 of the Rugby Tour Application Please do not leave this to the last minute, as the process will take some time. Please note: If approval to tour is not received prior to the arrival in host country, the National Union may not sanction games to be played in their union.
well I very much doubt that RA has the power to block a match being played in Aus or an Aus team to be in an NZR run comp as Im sure WA can just withdraw from RA so we will just happily agree to disagree. Its clear that its fine for RA to reject the Force for years but as soon as anyone else is interested then they suddenly want to control the Force again...I think Mr Forrest is awake to that rubbish and wont be conned...
jeznez
Roar Guru
The national body has to sanction any rugby union matches played. In Australia that is RA and not NZR. I don't believe you could have a WR sanctioned referee. I think WR could apply suspensions or other penalties if a party went against the national body and hosted a rebel match. Is why RA had to give approval to GRR in order for the Force to be able to play matches. Now maybe WR would utterly sideline RA and not sanction NZR if they wanted to come and play our teams locally without our approval but that would be a pretty incredible betrayal.
JEZ NZ can hire grounds in Aus and play games.....On what basis do you believe RA could stop that? RA rejected them and has continued to do so until it became to their advantage...maybe Mr Forrest enjoys that NZR respect him as a human rather than just a possible sponsor They were forced to by their SANZAAR partners which included the delightful NZR. Aus is the A bit in SAANZAR so were as much a delightful part of the force going as anyone else was. RA were offered for ALL of their 4 teams to be in an NZ comp but chose their own pathway....Now they have to walk on that path and negotiate all the twists and bends NZ told you were there. But the lies...the backstabbing, the demanding of when Tests are played and the reneging on agreements plus the coaches constant intrusions into NZRs selection, Captain choice and the deliberate deceit of the schedule says RA needs to go their own way. NZ will survive and may well even thrive.....Who needs a partnership with someone who says you have a "debilitating syndrome"? As for your broadcast deal well thats ALL ON RA as they dont even know what they want or have to sell.....They handed over 10 options of what may or may not be available and even presented NZR as part of their proposals when they have already turned that down. If RA had been aduls then this would not be happening but when you crap on others then try to demand they do everything your way then things go wrong.....Yet again RA expects NZR to be their saviour but to do it under RAs rules....And they have demanded it rudely rather than go in with a genuine option. Yep time to go it alone and see who comes out the other end.....
jeznez
Roar Guru
RA never wanted to cut a team. They were forced to by their SANZAAR partners which included the delightful NZR. And you keep raising NRL, NBL etc. Tell me how many professional teams folded in NZ when just one was added to the Oz competition? Not comparable at all. I have been pretty angry about the NZR behaviour but am now just feeling confused. Even if the Force decided they wanted to play in NZ, they couldn’t host a game in Perth without RA approval. Given RA’s aim to have at minimum a 5 team Aussie comp, I don’t see how that approval to play in someone else’s comp would ever be forthcoming. I do retain a bit of anger, we are desperately trying to sign a broadcast agreement. NZR muddying the waters leaving broadcasters unsure how many teams we have can only damage that process. You keep calling for a split, I’m at the point of being with you. Be great if NZR was as well.
Jez we did invite you in but you made so many demands that it was impossible so we decided to do what you want and not bother with a TT. Im sure that just like the NRL, Basketball and Soccer its all good to have Aus teams in an NZ comp. The NZ sporting bodies wernt talked to from those sports yet here we are with teams from NZ playing in an Aus comp. Why does it upset you that NZ will have the Force when Aus clearly dont want them and havnt for some years now....Well they didnt want them until someone else did eh! Its extremely clear to Forrest what RA has done. Why would he now want back in the smae tent where he had crap thrown at him and was kicked out of.
jeznez
Roar Guru
That only works if NZR stops seeking to get Aussie teams to join their competition Jacko. I think we've been pretty measured in our response to NZR's open attempt to break up Australia's pro teams.
Argentine game times are great TV viewing times in Aus and NZ
Spot on Phantom and also NZ offered 2-4 teams not 3 as Blue claims......And 4 is every SR team Aus has.....