Japan Super Rugby team

[Omar Comin']

Stadium also has aircon of a sort. Hopefully we can get 10,000 plus but will need to be promoted well.

Are there many South Africans in Singapore? Gotta think they'd be the easiest to attract.

Hopefully there's enough novelty value to get others to show up and support the SunWolves, and that ticket prices are reasonable.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Are there many South Africans in Singapore? Gotta think they'd be the easiest to attract.

Hopefully there's enough novelty value to get others to show up and support the SunWolves, and that ticket prices are reasonable.

I am still getting my head around 3 matches in singapore...is this to build a wider following outside of Japan and targeting Singapore due to high number of ex-pats for eg...

I sort of get it but to do so early....

 

[kiap]

Singapore was largely a sop to South Africa. With Japan in one of the African Groups it means the Saffas have less travel.

The other stuff is fringe benefits.

 

[Highlander35]

I think it's just a compromise because the Saffas wanted the Asia Pacific Dragons based out of Singapore to reduce their travel requirements, even though that would have been a stupid decision from a Rugby perspective.

 

[Antony]

Stadium also has aircon of a sort. Hopefully we can get 10,000 plus but will need to be promoted well.
Social media and website below for rugby fans in Singapore.
SUNWOLVES HP: http://super-japanrugby.com/
SUNWOLVES Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/superrugby.sunwolves
Email: PR@super-japanrugby.com

Welcome to the forum mate. How good is this - the team has had a name for two days and we've already got a representative.

 

[Scooter]

Fiji coach John McKee and assistant coach Frans Ludeke are expected to move to Japan as the head coach/assistant coach of the Sunwolves and Cherryblossoms.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...-super-rugby-job/story-e6frg6n6-1227558046201

Could these possible appointments mean we might see some Fijians in the Sunwolves team?

BTW love the Sunwolves name.

 

[ChargerWA]

So the Force play the Sunwolves in Tokyo in May.

I haven't been to Japan and looking at flights they're only about $1100 return.

Seems like the perfect opportunity to kill two birds.

 

[mxyzptlk]

They really need a short anime intro to go with that logo and name, and play that on the big screens before every match.

 

[Tangawizi]

So the Force play the Sunwolves in Tokyo in May.

I haven't been to Japan and looking at flights they're only about $1100 return.

Seems like the perfect opportunity to kill two birds.

I'm kind of hoping that one year Easter & the Hong Kong 7s fall on the same weekend & then Reds play the Sunwolves in Tokyo the following weekend.

That would be a bit excellent. Either that or we play them really early in the season so still a chance to get to the snow

 

[rugbyskier]

How about a GAGR ski trip with your own instructor?

 

[Rob Ward]

Are there many South Africans in Singapore? Gotta think they'd be the easiest to attract.

Hopefully there's enough novelty value to get others to show up and support the SunWolves, and that ticket prices are reasonable.

From the tipping comps it looks like there are more SA supporters in Sing than ANZACs - that said I haven't met many.

 

[Rob Ward]

I am still getting my head around 3 matches in singapore.is this to build a wider following outside of Japan and targeting Singapore due to high number of ex-pats for eg.

I sort of get it but to do so early..

Would not be surprised if there is some sort of government support. Need to use that great big stadium that we now have.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Would not be surprised if there is some sort of government support. Need to use that great big stadium that we now have.

Assume (not 100% sure) there is sizeable ex-pat community.....that would attract some fans....Japan has opportunity to represent wider Asia so may make sense - just don't have a lot of the evidence/facts to make sense of it - but could well be strategically good play on there part?

 

[TOCC]

I don't think it makes sense, I think the games in Singapore are going to be a failure with poor crowds. However that is the compromise that was needed to appease both parties, in the longer term I hope the team can host all this home games within Japan.


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[Bring Back The Ruck]

So the Force play the Sunwolves in Tokyo in May.

I haven't been to Japan and looking at flights they're only about $1100 return.

Seems like the perfect opportunity to kill two birds.

Best time of year to go IMO
Planning a trip to coincide with game also
You will love japan

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Interesting article by Wayne Smith in Australian today about secret old boys club of rugby who are interested in own interests and not growing the game....

Mentions about Georgia topping ENC and outgrown competition but won't be able to get in 6 nations despite petitions circulating as old boys club won't have it.

Equally talks about how Japan and argentina would never have got Guernsey for super rugby as only reason is because SA would not do promotion / relegation for 6th SA franchise so needed to expand to accommodate.

In some ways could equally apply this scenario to Sydney rugby clubs supporting their own interests rather than growing game through new NRC competition....

Article rang so true to me and what needs to change in rugby as politics and overtones from old amateur days - and not truly embracing commercialism and bigger picture take is what will hold rugby back.....

Sadly I believe we will have the usual talk about developing or taking minnows to next level which will then fade to distant memory. I think IRB does decent job to try and grow the game but is power of petty powerful politics of 6 nations members and indeed SANZAR members and tribal club politics at next level down that inhibit the real growth of the game.

Love the game...hate the politics and lack of real commercial application applied to rugby compared to soccer and other high profile professional sports....rugby still very much amateur in commercialism and professionalism....

 

[Highlander35]

It's just a little surprising (at least to me) that there's such an upswell of Support for Georgia and Romania being added to the Six Nations, but no such luck for Fiji, Tonga or Samoa in the Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship, when they've been significantly better for much longer, and the same financial impact to the competition runs true.

 

[kiap]

no such luck for Fiji, Tonga or Samoa in the Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship

TBF, that point is also made in the article.

Can be found by searching on "As big guns guard power, minnows close the gap"

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Yes highlander article rightly slams southern hemisphere as much as northern hemisphere power brokers

And rightly so

I referenced the super rugby discussion but did not mention their discussions of equal disparity shown to pacific Island nations in the article

Which might add league taken advantage of as note they added Samoa to make it 4 nations league tournament last year

I thought the article was poignant and balanced.
Rugby needs to grow up.

 

[Highlander35]

Having now read it, it's not a bashing, so I've got no problems with it.

It's a fair enough point, but ultimately it's a financial competition.

As I've said before, the existence of the Lions series makes it much tougher to negotiate, but if you could have regional cups on the 4 year cycle a la the African Cup of Nations, the Euros, the Asian Cup etc. I think it would go a long way to improving the game regionally, and help develop sides to be more competitive at RWC time. Oceania, Europe and the Americas (assuming they would combine) probably wouldn't have a problem, but with one team being significantly in front of the rest in both Africa and Asia, that might present a significant problem for that concept.