Like the Highlanders back 3 – very tasty.

Course the Blues are not exactly missing class in their back 3 either!

Yea good point – again their squad is so packed it’s crazy really.

Only reason I don’t think they will win the comp this year is that they are lacking a WC 10 to direct the team around – but could be very easily shown to be wrong.

Don’t think so – Kemara at 10 is a youngster with talent but is very young and think can be put off his game.

That being said – Crusaders are again packed and still missing a couple of AB’s in Williams and Taylor.

Jags were in the Super Rugby final in 2019 – so they are a quality team and can bring something to the comp.

What is pretty apparent and even over the last weekend is that it’s very questionable if Oz has the player base to be able to support even 4 Super level sides.

If they can make the costs (flights etc) work – love to see it happen

Really need the Brumbies to beat the Chiefs this weekend otherwise could be a tough season for Oz fans.

Personally I thought the Rebels could challenge this season given the players that they have picked up – but after watching them on Friday and how easily Brumbies cut through them, won’t be tipping them again!

That lump sum you are complaining about is what is used to pay the players…

AR and Clubs can have a discussion group over who exactly is to blame for lack of crowds – either way if effects both the bottom line in regards income and then shows a lack of interest into the comp.

Again if no one is prepared to turn up to support the team, will be very hard to get RA to be able to justify (though think they want the Rebels and another club gone) continued support.

Pretty disappointing but no surprise I guess.

Guess they need this Super Rugby board up and running ASAP to give some direction to a comp which really needs it. Given state of the game real head scratcher why Hamish M and board appeared to drag their heels over making necessary appt’s.

For me – Rebels and Force were poor, Brumbies will again challenge and Highlanders will throw up some surprises. Chiefs/Crusaders/Hurricanes no suprise and guess litmus test for Reds will be this weeks game.

Must say pretty disappointing crowd for Rebels – I know that tickets were on sale late but if given the news and such a little number of fans rock up, pretty hard to see how given their debt situation RA will be able to continue to support them.

Makes one worried as well about fan numbers this weekend in Melbourne – Comp needs some decent crowds in Melbourne to showcase the game.

Maybe you need to consider the average crowd….

Real question is why would you compare vs Wellington, when the reality is that you need to consider vs. Melbourne, Perth and Western Sydney on commerical imperatives.

Reality is that highlighting NZ Locations is meaningless, when reality is that in this dicussion they are not exactly compteting to host an Oz franchise.

If as appears Oz Super has to shrink – because both for commerical and depth issues think simple question is can you afford to carry a side in a small city like Canberra?

Brumbies are a fantastic team and indeed could go all the way this year, but the market they operate in is very small and they get small crowds.

If RA does decide to drop to 3 teams – think the key question is around the commerical aspect not the rugby.

Perth clearly can get big crowds and can generate good sponsorship dollars – so where does it make sense to place that 3rd team?

I mean RA would need to balance the decision around your points regards rugby but then as Professional rugby is first and foremost a business now – work out commerically what is best for the code.

Might be that the likes of Stan would tell RA that 3rd side needs to be on the east coast (Canberra/Melbourne) due to Time Zone, but they need to decide what works best both commerically and Rugby wise for Oz.

Surprised at how poor the Force were.

When you look at the Kiwi Retirees picking up a pay-check as they can’t get a gig in NZ sides, shouldn’t be surprised I guess.

Then watching how poor the Rebels were, pretty clear that Australia really only have the player resources to have 3 Super sides.

Rebels are clearly gone and guess the next big question (and per articles in The Australian) – which is the next team to go – Force or Brumbies?

Bumbies are a fantastic side but Force appear to have a geninue fan-base and even though terrible time zone for people in NZ/East Coast – could if populated with some quality Super/International players could turn into a Super Rugby powerhouse.

Terrible for the staff involved.

Get the feeling that RA is hanging on by their finger nails really. Just have to hope and pray that the Lions and then the WC enrich RA – or at least enable them to be able to meet all their debts.

When you look at this news and then consider Joseph S. was hired at 1.6 million a year/DR given circa million for garden leave – I mean what was going on within RA last year -it seems they literally just p***** money away?

I mean tough times need tight fiscal mgmt – something we are not exactly seeing in RA etc.

Couple of years ago in the pristine days of yesteryear yea taking PE is not great.

But we live in the real world where NZ can’t competete with overseas salaries and we are effectively an Oil well to be milked dry by World Rugby for our players.

I like the fact that NZRFU is taking proactive steps to maximize income for NZ including taking on PE and then growing it’s international footprint to build out the AB and NZ Rugby brand.

Reality is that NZ is a market of 5.3 million people with a small economy and limited means to grow income to ensure that we can at least retain the game or further grow the game further in NZ.

I mean given the current market/geographical location/size etc – what alternatives does NZ rugby actually have?

Yip, in today’s world people love to get the pitch-fork out and do a bit of public hanging – alway’s wonder if those who scream the loudest have ever reflected on their own lives etc.

Also purely on rugby reasons – yip K Beale should depart these shores and build up his retirement fund in Japan and/or US – where lot of Kiwi/Oz older players appear to be heading.

What it is is tasteless and not exactly classy.

Again I judge players by their play and not by their morals.

So you want to judge people want they do in the bedroom now?

If you want to exile every adulterer who get’s up to non criminal mischief from Rugby, gonna be a pretty long list.

Don’t think that’s a very fair comment

Per the Sydney Morning Herald:

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated for about an hour on Friday afternoon before returning with verdicts of not guilty to all charges

I’m no fan of Kurtley Beale – but if a jury with 7 women takes “about” an hour to decide he is innocent – pretty clear very questionable if he should have being charged in the first place.

Any business pitching for $$ is going to ask how can we maximize our value and that would include what type of comp structure the likes of Stan/Foxtel want.

So remember that it’s not just RA talking to Foxtel/Stan but also Foxtel/Stan talking to RA about what type of comp they want to televise.

Remembering that it’s in the best interest’s of Stan/Foxtel to have the best comp to maximize what they want – paying viewers who generate income and profits.

That no party has come out and suggested a NRC, Super Rugby Oz, any/all new different comp structure – I think is pretty telling.

I mean fundamentally I just don’t see how an organization in the financial position that is RA, can discard something that it has invested for years and that generates income for what is effectively a punt on a new comp and hopping and praying that fans will take a liking to.

It would be effectively like RA going into a Casino and betting everything on black…

You don’t think when RA was negotiating with Stan/Foxtel they weren’t throwing ideas like an Oz only Super comp, greater NRC etc at them to see if there was any interest/someone prepared to fund it?

RA does not love Super Rugby and with good reason. However unless they can find a pot of gold somewhere and a Media Company prepared to fork out serious dollars to televise it – RA is locked into Super Rugby.

And then in regards pathways – do you really think the cream of Aussie Rugby talent is going to hang around and play in a semi professional comp vs. departing for NZ, Europe or the NRL?

Let’s say you have a talented 17 year old looking to build a career – why on earth would he pick a semi pro comp that is of low quality vs. any of the above locations/comps?

I mean it’s great to have mutiple ideas around best structure etc – but the only reason I think Oz is playing Super Rugby is because RA could not find any interest in any alternative that they offered the powers that be – Stan/Foxtel etc.

You just have to recall how much Hamish M. hated having to deal with NZ Rugby and not know that if he could have identifed a real opportunity/alternative to the present structure he would have dropped Super so fast whist giving the finger to the NZRFU!

So the answer is to set up a comp with no guarantee of success and after seeing what a success it is/will be – someone will pitch in millions to fund it?

I mean how exactly does a heavily indebted organization give up the main source of it’s funding – current TV rights, set up a new comp from scratch whilst bleeding cash?

How long do you think the Bankers would be happy to continue to extend the 80 million credit facility to RA if it loses it’s main source of funding?

I mean Field of Dreams was a Movie not reality. If you build it – what happens if they don’t come?

Interesting point of view I guess.

But for how long exactly will the Wallabies last if there is no Super rugby?

If you have no pathways, how exactly does your 18 year old player find a way into professional rugby vs. taking easy route by just going to the NRL?

If Oz has no Super Comp or one of equivalent quality – then the Wallabies would be at Portugal’s level in 10 odd years.

Just consider every NZ qualified player in the Wallabies/Oz Super rugby teams – as teenagers would they stick in Oz rugby or just jump across to NZ?

Talented kids would just jump to NRL, NZ Rugby, Europe if can access via Parent/Grandparent rule and Wallabies would be left with what exactly?

Super Rugby is not a great comp by any measure but suggest a better one (that people/organizations would both fund and watch) that will develop/support the Wallabies?

I mean on this site people come up with mutiple ideas about setting up different comps etc. And it’s obviously it’s easy as pie to think up different type of comp that could be set-up – until it crashes into the reality of who exactly will fund it?

Given it’s history with the NZRFU, I think if RA could have identified any interest in this type of comp by the Media companies it would have dropped Super rugby like a hot potato – that they haven’t I think shows how limited RA are in the choices they are able to make given their fiscal postion.

Maybe one of these types of comp would have worked out in the early 2000’s when RA was cash rich and the game was riding a popular wave.

But now – zero chance.

Biggest issue for Oz rugby is income. Income to be able to pay the player wages and not run clubs at a loss.

So when I see Proud Aussie Supporters saying they have ditched Stan real head scratcher for me.

If people do pull away from Stan in numbers (and given what has occured over past 12 odd months I can understand why etc) – will they be surprised to see even worse results on the rugby field for both Super and Wallabies?

If RA can-not generate income it needs to run a professional sports it can’t pay competitive wages and accordingly retain players in Oz. Longer term no youngsters will play rugby but will just head to NRL given lack of opportunities/pay in Oz.

Let’s hope that Stan has not seen an exodus of viewers because how attractive are the TV rights and if the $$ value does head south, what ability will RA have to fund the game?

“No doubt NZRU is better managed than RA. How much better”

Good question really and NZ Rugby faces it’s own challenges due to market size and further lessening of interest in the game.

That being said it’s setting up new structures and hopefully moving forward to a more stable financial position. Think a great step since the PE investment that they have set-up the NZ Rugby Commerical to run the commerical’s around the game:

https://www.nzrugby.co.nz/about-nzr/new-zealand-rugby-commercial/

Setting up NZR+, getting some great people (Ex CBA CEO, Ex CEO Air NZ) onto the board/team running the commerical side, so that at least in challenging times they appear to be attempting to face the challenges that rugby has in NZ.

Reality is that for both NZ and Oz Unions some pretty big challenges ahead and to me personally not to sure where the game will be in 5 odd years.

What I find most shocking around EJ – is that as soon as he walked in, he was treating the role like a short time gig.

Personally think he thought he was going to come in, get the Wallabies deep into the WC and then depart to cheers for reviving them and heading into the sunset of a very well paid role in Japan.

That he and the board did not consider if existing coaches would stick around and they then allowed him to throw kids into a WC mix, when everything about previous WC was just how importance having experienced players just out and out weird – appeared any demand from EJ they just agreed to.

Again the mis-management of the game in Oz is not just down to Hamish M. What was P Waugh doing around the stupid decisions around WC Squad or the crazy sums to pay JS to move from the Roosters?

I mean in any normal company/institution – wouldn’t just be the Chairman to go, shareholders would demand mass resignations. Guess as it’s a sports maybe the Board members don’t feel responsible for the decisions made and accordingly not prepared to fall on swords?

But the big issue for Oz rugby – is that a large number of the decision makers who have lead the game to current situation are still in situ.

The sad fact for both the Rebels and RA is that this year they probably have their best team ever and in actual fact if it were not for the insolvency, I think they and the Brumbies were the two Oz teams that could push deep into the finals(might still do it as well!).

That being said and discussing pathways etc, it is spiked on the iceberg of cold hard financial realities. Effectively there is no money in the game so even with the best intentions it’s hard to see how a team based out of Victoria can roll out in next seasons Super comp.

For me and watching from afar the implosion of Oz rugby for the past couple of years – low ball Stan offer, quick turnover in RA CEO’S, DR firing, EJ hiring, Joseph S hiring on irresponsible wages, WC selection and then debacle, Super teams in financial stress and then Rebels to cap it off – 20 million in debt?

Fans deserved so much more, because RA for me appears to be fun by a bunch of incompetents who should not be anywhere near running an organization/code.

I mean given the debacle in the game – how is it that only Hamish M. has gone from the board?

I mean when you look at Joseph Sua’ali’i’s hiring on 1.6million over 3 years – it was a lovely sugar hit of publicity for the code but financially for a code with the challenges that rugby faced in Oz – just madness.

Compare that to NZ – it has waved goodbye to Richie Mo’unga because NZRFU were not prepared to match Jpn’s offer of circa 2 million a season. Now Mo’unga is in the prime of his playing career and the AB’s want him back but NZRFU was/is not prepared to competete with Jpn – maybe the AB’s will regret this but it makes sense financially.

Then if you want another comparision consider Oz BaBa’s last year. RA paid staff and 10 odd players to sit in Europe in case the Wallabies needed them during WC – AB’s by comparision – they were sat at home awaiting a phone call and long flight if needed.

Again one Union was making sound financial decisions basis upon best interest’s of the game.

Sadly I think the Rebels are gone (and I think RA want them gone), not because they deserve to but more just the general incompetence that appears to be the norm in the mgmt of the game in Oz.

As I said – very sad for Rebels and Oz rugby fans – because what they have put up with in terms of mgmt of the game in Oz, well they deserve a whole lot more than what has being delivered.