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Super Rugby Pacific will continue as a united front until at least 2030 after Rugby Australia and its New Zealand counterpart resolved a financial dispute that threatened to tear the competition apart.
As part of the new agreement that secures its future, Super Rugby Pacific has unveiled plans to implement a nine-person board that will explore the possibility of creating a unified women’s competition similar to the men’s.
RA chair Hamish McLennan previously threatened to transplant the five Australian Super Rugby teams into a breakaway men’s domestic league from 2024 unless RA received a greater share of broadcast revenue.
Since non-Pacific teams exited the competition with the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand Rugby has banked close to $90 million a year from its broadcast deal with Sky Sport, roughly three times what RA collects and significantly more than when participating countries split revenue equally pre-pandemic.
Talks between Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby culminated in a joint press conference in Sydney on Friday, when the bodies announced they had buried the hatchet and put pen to paper on a partnership spanning from 2024 to 2030.
The bodies have come to an agreement regarding broadcast revenue for the final three years of the current deals but the exact distribution of monies has not been disclosed.
“Today marks the dawn of a new era of Super Rugby within our region,” RA CEO Andy Marinos said.
“Securing this long-term partnership provides stability and continuity that the competition and Super Rugby clubs need to enable rugby to grow in stature and importance across the region.”
The newly-announced board will include an independent chair, four independent directors, and one representative each from NZR, RA, the New Zealand Rugby Players Association (NZRPA) and Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA).
Plans to unite Australia’s Super W in Australia and Super Rugby Aupiki in New Zealand come only weeks after the women’s Rugby World Cup concluded in Auckland.
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
The final, a win for New Zealand over England, drew the biggest crowd in the history of women’s international rugby.
“We saw the quality of women’s rugby throughout the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand,” NZR CEO Mark Robinson said.
“While it is not a case of copy and paste with the men’s structure in Super Rugby Pacific, we believe there are enormous opportunities to build a world-class cross border professional women’s club competition in the Pacific region.”
Eddie Jones has hit back at “sad” critic Sir Clive Woodward and insists he will leave England in a good shape when he eventually departs.
Coach Jones is under pressure after he watched his England side conclude a dismal autumn series with Saturday’s 27-13 loss to South Africa, who were without their European-based players but still inflicted a sixth defeat of 2022 on the hosts at Twickenham.
It completed England’s worst year since 2008 and the Rugby Football Union is now conducting a review, which will inevitably decide if Australian Jones is to continue until next year’s World Cup as planned or will leave his post 12 months earlier.
RFU chief Bill Sweeney admitted “results are not where we expect them to be” and Woodward, who masterminded England’s solitary World Cup win 19 years ago, was yet again fierce in his criticism of his old rival Jones after the match.
Woodward labelled rugby in England as a shambles and insisted the weekend defeat was “one of the most depressing games I’ve seen at HQ”.
Jones, who has already agreed to step down after the 2023 World Cup in France, told Men’s Health UK: “I feel sad for him (Woodward). If that is the best thing he has to do in his life, then he hasn’t a lot to do.”
The pair’s rivalry stretches back a long way, with Woodward having coached England to their World Cup final win in 2003 over Australia, then led by Jones, after a tournament in which they sniped at each other.
“I’m 62 now and in pure coaching terms I am coaching better than I ever have. Results aren’t always perfect, but I’m happy with how I have been coaching,” Jones said.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
“After this, I want to do something really meaningful. I’ve enjoyed England a lot, it was a bit of a rescue job at the start, now rebuilding, and I am confident I will leave things in good shape.”
England were booed off at Twickenham after defeat to the Springboks, which meant their record for 2022 finished at five wins, one draw and six losses.
Scotland, Ireland, France, Australia, Argentina and South Africa have all beaten the World Cup runners-up during the past 12 months but Jones believes they can still be a force at next year’s tournament.
Currently the fifth favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, England will avoid the front-runners until the semi-final stage, with one of Australia, Wales or Fiji a probable last-eight opponent in France.
“If this was the Cheltenham Gold Cup, there’s a pack of four out front – France, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand – and we are fifth, right behind them, right on the rails,” Jones said.
“A good position, provided we keep improving.
“Australia are there or thereabouts with us. It’s going to be the closest World Cup ever. France and Ireland are the in-form teams right now, but things will change.”
Kiwi Warren Gatland has reportedly emerged as the top contender for the England job if the Rugby Football Union decides to sack Eddie Jones ahead of the World Cup.
Jones is facing increasing pressure after his team’s end-of-year series where they won once in four games – against Japan. They did draw with the All Blacks but lost to Argentina and South Africa.
The Daily Mail has reported that Gatland – who previously distanced himself from England due to a long association with Wales is “understood to be open to taking charge of England on a caretaker basis if Eddie Jones is sacked”.
France winger Damian Penaud has been voted the Player of the Series for the 2022 Autumn Nations Series after a stunning campaign for Les Bleus including the late try that won the game against the Wallabies in Paris.
The 26-year-old has played a central role in France’s unbeaten 2022 and receives the award ahead of New Zealand’s Ardie Savea and Italy sensation Ange Capuozzo.
The shortlist was compiled by a panel of journalists from each nation and pundits from across the home nations helped whittle the list down to three final candidates before the public plumped for Penaud.
The French speedster enjoyed yet another stellar Autumn Nations Series campaign after his sensational performances last year.
France won all three matches for the second consecutive year, taking their winning streak to 13, and Penaud was at his very best for Fabien Galthié’s side.
With his team trailing late on against Australia, Penaud burst through the attempts of Tom Wright and Jock Campbell o score a decisive match-winner in Les Bleus’ opening 30-29 win over the Wallabies, before starting the 30-26 win over South Africa in Round 2.
Damian Penaud #14 of Team France celebrates the victory during the Autumn Tour match between France and Australia at Stade de France on November 05, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by Xavier Laine/Getty Images)
He then entered the top 10 all-time French try scorers list after bagging a double against Japan in a 35-17 win to round off France’s Autumn Nations Series in style.
With 21 tries in just 37 Tests, Penaud now sits just 17 tries behind all-time top scorer Serge Blanco, who scored 38 tries in 93 Tests.
© AAP
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