WorkingClassRugger
Michael Lynagh (62)
The selling point pf NRC was to give Shute shield playerss some form of Super Rugby opportunites and for coaches to get opportunities at the next level
Now it will be super rugby and Fringe super rugby playsrs playing coached by super rugby contracted coaches.
Extended super rugby season for just the Aust Super Franchises
The current Super Rugby squads run something like 30 deep. Up to 35 if you count in the EPS guys. Which for the sake of this we will. On average come Wallaby duty you're looking at around 10 (usually a few more) of that number being called up to that squad full time. So the remaining number of players available to featured in either one of these two teams. Now. You'd imagine that they'd also run squads of 30 per team.
So assuming those numbers stay true. Only around 25 of the prospective 60 positions will be filled by Tahs contracted players. There's is still another 35 positions to be filled.
There's still a substantial degree of opportunity for Shute players to look toward higher honours. It just becomes more competitive to get there. Not a bad thing. We have to remember that player opportunity is only part of a the larger scheme behind the NRC. It's also talent id and development. Meaning you want your professionals playing against guys who are the absolute best clubland have to offer.
Yes, we would lose a number of slots in moving toward this but also work toward making competition for those spots more intense. Which isn't a terrible thing. Well, in my mind it isn't.