Most will know my views over decades, that Super Rugby was the wrong way to structure a competition hoping to capture an Australia wide audience or even maintain existing status.
Further, many would have seen my more recent comments that we need Waugh and Co, to use existing Super Rugby contracts to develop a new competition format.
Rugby management has made some epic strategic errors most highlighted on the site.
Puts on helmet, however, all the blame cannot be sheeted home Rugby management alone, Rugby media by and large has supported Rugby management rather than ask awkward questions, place the blow torch to the belly like Phil Gould in league, and Craig Foster in Football.
Another, aspect gaining more recognition, was going from amateur to professional overnight meant we had the wrong people in charge. This should have been obvious but as a code we choice to stay with Rugby folk who led us during the amateur years. Further we continue to make such appointments Waugh being the latest example.
This is somewhat of a biggie IMO its fans, we ignored the environment Super Rugby was born, and then ignored the changing environment. Super Rugby was born in the middle of Leagues super war, with both Basketball and Football in decline, and AFL having a rare bad time. Post 2000, Football, Basketball have recovered, and their national teams are far better known, League has recovered, AFL continues to expand and plunder Rugby, today Cricket with 20 20 and almost year-round matches is never off our screens.
Today we have E-games and R-games, as well as the rise of what were before minor sports, surfing, BMX etc, crying out for support.
Rugby isn't dying. Even Super Rugby isn't really dying. What's killing Rugby and other traditional options is that people no longer watch anything unless they actually consider it worth their time. Nothing is getting watched just because it's on anymore. We have endless choices and the Super Rugby format is not popular so people drift to other areas.
So takes helmet off, and repeats it’s not all managements fault we all share a collective part of the blame, some more than others.