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I don't think they will either, but I think it would be disgraceful. The only change we should agree to in the short term is 3 conferences of 6, in a similar model to Super XV. There's no good reason for us to drop a team. The whole point of doing so would be to try and keep our very best...

Wouldn't have to be by next season. SANZAAR and the broadcasters have a contract that ends in 2020. Any change to Super Rugby (involving all parties) before then requires unanimous support.

You already know we agree on the first point but how do we possibly get a Trans-Tasman competition by sticking with Super Rugby as is? If it's not NZ's preference it's impossible unless we force their hand in some way. By going along with a plan to reduce our number of teams to 4 that only gives...

Do you believe the ARU will be able to keep the bulk of our best players based domestically in the long term? The only way this can happen is if the salary gap between European club rugby and here either reverses or at least stops growing. How will this happen?

The most amazing piece of that article is this bit: "Alexander said the regions and the broadcasters were still discussing PwC’s recommendations for a Sanzaar meeting to be held in Japan on May 11 and 12." It's groundhog day. Are we sure SANZAAR isn't a satirical organisation at this point?

Sorry but the argument that Australia doesn't have enough good players for 5 teams is ridiculous. It's a stupid point because rugby has a global player pool. If there aren't enough good Australian players for 5 teams then our teams should be able to sign more international players. The...

Exactly. And surely if the players are united they could basically force the ARU to use that veto?

Well I don't think SANZAAR or the ARU could actually have any hope of cutting teams if the players collectively rose up against it. And what won't make me happy is if 20% of the professional rugby opportunities in this country are lost, and thousands of fans abandoned. I believe it's...

Given the player strike in Paris seems to have worked a treat, I wonder if players here and in South Africa will consider the same should the ARU and SARU agree to cutting teams half way through the season.

Seems much more likely that the ARU have a 15 team competition as their preferred model, with 4 teams each in Australia and South Africa. If that wasn't the case there'd be no need for South Africa and broadcasters to figure out if they would drop a couple of teams.

A few points in response to this. First, broadcasting revenue only makes up something like 25% of the ARU's revenue, and a lot of that is for test rugby, which wouldn't change. Second, we have no idea what broadcast revenues a proper length, well-scheduled, Australian market focused...

Imagine how much better everyone would be feeling about the state of rugby in Australia right now if the ARU had been uncompromising and open in their support of keeping all 5 teams from the get go. It'd have been a real confidence boost to players, coaches and supporters. Perception matters...

Maybe but it'd just be an NRC third tier competition with fewer teams. I think it would generate a little more interest than the NRC does now, but it would still leave the region with the cut Super Rugby team abandoned. And it would still be seen as a short development competition. Ultimately...

I doubt that would work out, it's too confusing and too obviously a development competition. Any genuine professional national comp here has to contain the Waratahs, Reds, Brumbies, Rebels and Force.

The salary cap wouldn't have to be that low. Say you just spread that $25M (which is currently more than covered by ARU grants) across 8 Australian teams, you're talking over $3 million per team. There could be more teams in the comp than this, but probably not from Australia. I think by moving...

Well at least they have a decent competition with the potential to grow.

Any candidates for a rugby version of Frank Lowy? Maybe it's time for a reset.

It becomes less brave and more of a no brainer the further Super Rugby falls. And especially when you consider the 2019 world cup is in Japan. What a springboard.

Yeah that'd be fine though I doubt NZ would want to be in a closed conference on their own (or with PI teams). There wouldn't be enough teams and the commercial markets are too small. I think the aim should be for two separate Atlantic and Asia-Pacific tournaments that meet for playoffs, or in...