If the main issue for New Zealand Rugby is increased injuries and player welfare due to the intensity of a straight Super Rugby Aotearoa, then simply follow the European model and play Super Rugby Trans-Tasman throughout Super Rugby Aotearoa on designated weekends.
This would give the New Zealand teams plenty of breaks from playing each other. It would also allow Australia to keep Super Rugby AU while getting continual exposure to the New Zealand teams throughout.
Because there are only 18 weeks or so in which to fit any model between the end of February and the July Tests, Super Rugby Trans-Tasman would be divided into three divisions: Cup, Shield and Plate (for want of better names).
In the Cup division, you would have the top two teams from Super Rugby Aotearoa and the top two from Super Rugby AU. In the Shield division, you would have the next two best teams (third and fourth) from each and in the Plate division, you would have teams placed fifth and sixth from each.
Within each division, you would play everyone not from your own domestic competition twice, home and away, for four games plus a final for five weeks total. And you end up with a Cup, Shield and Plate winner.
The rankings for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman would be based on the previous year’s Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa. If a team wants to move up into a higher division of the champions league, they need to embrace the challenge of improving their position in their respective domestic competition.
Now if the format of Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Aotearoa is a home-and-away double round-robin with six teams each, including finals, you would need 12 weeks plus five weeks for the champions league plus one bye for 18 weeks. A perfect fit.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
The Super Rugby season would look as follows:
Week 1: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 2: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 3: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 4: Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Round 1
Week 5: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 6: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 7: Super Rugby Trans-Tasman Round 2
Week 8: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 9: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa (week off for all Test players in camp)
Week 10: Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup (week off for all non-Test players)
Week 11: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 12: Super Rugby Trans-Tasman round 3
Week 13: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 14: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa
Week 15: Super Rugby Trans-Tasman round 4
Week 16: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa (semi-final)
Week 17: Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa (final)
Week 18: Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final for each division: Cup, Shield, Plate
However, if we are serious about involving the Japanese teams and creating a revenue-rich, power-house rugby-block in the Asia-Pacific region, then this format easily allows for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman to be transformed into a champions league involving all 12 teams from Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU and the best teams from Japan’s Top League.
In the Cup division, you would simply add the top two teams from the Top League, the next two best teams from the Top League (third and fourth) to the Shield division, and teams placed fifth and sixth in the Top League to the Plate division.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
No extra weeks would be needed. Within each division, you would play everyone not from your own domestic competition once for four games plus a final for five weeks total. And again, you end up with a Cup, Shield and Plate winner.
Every team would still get a minimum of two home games and two away games each in the champions league.
The season would run similarly. So for example:
Week 1: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 2: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 3: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 4: Champions league Round 1
Week 5: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 6: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 7: Champions league Round 2
Week 8: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 9: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League (week off for all Test players in camp)
Week 10: Anzac Day Bledisloe Cup (week off for all non-Test players)
Week 11: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 12: Champions league Round 3
Week 13: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 14: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League
Week 15: Champions league Round 4
Week 16: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League (semi-final)
Week 17: SR AU/Aotearoa/Top League (final)
Week 18: Champions league final for each division: Cup, Shield, Plate
Every team from Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Aotearoa would be involved in the champions league at some level, and every team would get a minimum of seven home games and seven away games each year.
And again, the New Zealand teams would get plenty of ‘breaks’ throughout Super Rugby Aotearoa with games against Australian and Japanese teams.
While divisions in the champions league are necessary in order to fit within the 18-week window, they also keep the best New Zealand teams only playing the best Australian and Japanese teams, and the lower-ranked Australian and Japanese teams only playing the lower-ranked New Zealand teams. This is important to help make games more competitive with fewer blowout scores (hopefully!).
In any case, the season is only short and the rankings within Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa will change from year to year. Teams will be able to improve and move up divisions in the champions league pretty easily.
So forget the debate about whether we should move to a full-season trans-Tasman in 2022 or keep the current format of Super Rugby AU/Aotearoa followed by Super Rugby trans-Tasman.
Any format for Super Rugby needs to fit with an engaging champions league for fans and spectators from all countries involved in the Asia-Pacific region. That’s where the big money is.
The next step would be to invite Japan to be part of the Rugby Championship.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Wrong time for it, Jacko. When the world recovers ... maybe.
Wayne do your research. SA has been and has actually gone north for years. Blaming NZR is a uneducated view. Educate yourself as the info is all there to read. SA made choices for SA
I kinda hope not. Time the RA and NZR unions spent a little time apart. Build some bridges...
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
no, jacko. The question, though, is will RA sign off on the teams for next year.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
Good for SA! But NZ never messed this up. It was covid-19. Heard of it?
Wayne
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately its too late for all of us that want SA & Kiwi sides to play against each other. NZR seriously messed up the relationship with SA Rugby to the extent that it will never recover so SA Rugby have officially and permanently moved North. SA have already gained entrance into the Pro16, European Rugby Champions Cup, European Rugby Challenge Cup & the European Rugby Continental Shield. NZR & ARU got the Super Rugby Trans Tasman that they wanted.
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
No they're not. Just for the duration of the pandemic. Kiwis want to play SA sides.
Wayne
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately not. NZR permanently shut the door on all competitions involving SA sides.
Emery Ambrose
Roar Rookie
Top article!! I like the idea of involving the Japanese teams, I think it’s going to end up being what we need to do for NZ , AU and pacific to survive. Time zones are good, and with more overseas players heading to Japan, quality will improve. The champions league style will be good to keep everyone at the right competitive level, with chances of improving each year.
KCR
Roar Rookie
I like the concept, having some sort of international provincial competition creates some variety and provides a point of difference between rugby and other professional Aussie sports. Keeping a high quality domestic product is also important for youth talent to develop.
I think you are assuming wrong.
Little Royalty
Roar Rookie
This is great, I really like your idea and is something I have supported/been calling for. I really like the Cup, Shield, Plate format - alternative to that maybe 4 pools would work (like the Heineken Cup/World Cup), where if two Aussie or NZ sides are sharing a pool then the game doubles as their Domestic Aotearoa/AU game? I think knock out rugby adds excitement and uncertainty that the current Super Rugby TT round robin lacks. Another point is when you look at the top Japanese club squads, they have 7 or 8 quality foreigners but can only have 2 or so on the field at once in the Top League. This works well for their domestic comp, but for this Champions Cup we should ask that they remove/increase the limit and field the strongest side they can from their 40 odd squad size. Would add alot of interest to see the likes of Keiran Read and Michael Hooper both playing against their old teams. Just need to ensure the Japs aren't incentivised to target our best players even more! I'd also echo what others have asked and ask whether there is any opportunity for SA involvement, but understand this is likely impractical due to the European season. Maybe we could also reserve a could of spots in the Plate comp for two MLR sides from USA and look to explore the potential $ of a Pacific rim Champions Cup. Also worth noting is that if you were to have the Pacific Champions Cup final around June or so, this more or less aligns with Europe's final. Is there any reason why a week/fortnight later you couldn't have the two meet for a World Club winner's game? I'm sure there were calls to move the June test window which is the obvious blockade.
Johni di Monki
Guest
How do you consider it a “break” if by not playing NZ teams against each other, the NZ teams have to fly to Perth/Japan. You may perceive it as less physical impact from running into “softer opponents”, however unless in your ambitious plan you also find supersonic jets that can fly from Hamilton, Wellington, Dunedin to Perth in less than 4 hours the travel stress is not worth the flight. If you were to introduce a neutral venue and do fortnightly magic rounds at one venue to negate travel it could have merit- but then the middle ground for most teams is Sydney/Brisbane which may not give the ticket value back to the NZ grass roots teams that helped make NZ such a force.
Brian
Guest
I don't get the hybrid model. You either have a full trans Tasman competition with say 8 NZ 6 AU and 4 Japanese teams. 16 teams 15 round and finals so an nrl or nba type competition Or Each country has their own competition so generally 6 teams 10 rounds plus final and the complimented with 4 or 5 weeks for the Champions Leauge where say the top 4 NZ top 2 Australia and top 2 Japan champions fight to be the Pacific Champion. Yes this is essentially the Champions League of Rugby
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
They’ve already shown a greater interest in Europe. Better for everyone’s time zones.
2 Bobs Worth
Guest
I agree with you. However, I feel no matter which way you choose to arrange a competition against NZ teams, NZ teams are going to dominate, at least in the near future. The purpose of competing with them is to improve the rugby standard in Australia. Rugby in Australia is starting from square one. It has so much potential to grow and build strength. I'm backing RA to raise Australia back to one of the top rugby nations in the world.
2 Bobs Worth
Guest
I think it is assumed the Fijian team will be part of the SR AU and Pacifika in SR Aoteroa.
2 Bobs Worth
Guest
Is there any way to incorporate the South African teams in the Champions League?
therealnews
Roar Rookie
I think for this to work you will have to have at least 4 kiwi teams in the top division and may be 1 or 2 from Australia and japan otherwise you are still going to see a lot of blowouts and kiwis lifting all 3 trophies.
DAVEC
Roar Rookie
dont forget to include Samoa Fiji and Tonga then