Super Rugby General Chat

[Derpus]

It's worth pointing out that 'international' competitions in Europe are quite different to what Super Rugby was at its most bloated (which was fucken galaxy spanning). Europe is tiny.

Granted SA are now somewhat integrated but they are, at least, in the same time zone. They are having issues as well.

 

[The Marketing Pigeon]

Easy thing they have been doing in the Champions Cup to drive support is for upcoming fixtures marketing the stars of the World Cup as the draw cards from the game, we need to build personalities in Super Rugby for the game to be relevant again

 

[Adam84]

It's worth pointing out that 'international' competitions in Europe are quite different to what Super Rugby was at its most bloated (which was fucken galaxy spanning). Europe is tiny.

Granted SA are now somewhat integrated but they are, at least, in the same time zone. They are having issues as well.D

Absolutely an international tournament in Europe means something completely different to what Super Rugby was broadest footprint.

In Europe you can travel internationally for the day to watch your team playing in another country without costing an arm and and a legg, you can travel faster between Scotland and Ireland/Wales then you can become Cairns and Brisbane

 

[LeCheese]

Easy thing they have been doing in the Champions Cup to drive support is for upcoming fixtures marketing the stars of the World Cup as the draw cards from the game, we need to build personalities in Super Rugby for the game to be relevant again

This. It's been discussed previously, but with the advent of social media, it's never been easier to access (and leverage) the characters of the game. Other leagues and sports have started to do it very well, but rugby hasn't nailed it.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Rugby hasn't nailed it through a lack of ability to fund what was a niche (luxury) item for the past decade. They seem to be getting more into it now that it's an essential part of your media and marketing and much easier to do.

Hindsight would say they should have copped the cost earlier.

 

[LeCheese]

Rugby hasn't nailed it through a lack of ability to fund what was a niche (luxury) item for the past decade. They seem to be getting more into it now that it's an essential part of your media and marketing and much easier to do.

Hindsight would say they should have copped the cost earlier.

I agree to an extent - a pretty good level of social media engagement can be achieved by giving a savvy social media manager an iPhone and access to players for a few minutes at training, which is quite cost effective.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Rugby probably wanted it to be an unpaid intern or one of the rusted on staff who still had a Nokia 3310.

A lot of the schools have had better content than the pros. These guys are now finding work no doubt. Wallabies went ok with it at the last WC and I believe the same guy is with the Tahs now. May have come from the Tahs to begin with, I'm not sure.

 

[Highlander35]

The current URC format is also one that makes sense once you concede a double round robin isn't viable.

You have 4 equally sized divisions. You play everyone in your division Home & Away, and you play everyone else Home OR Away. Your division consists of your own countries teams*. Top 8 teams qualify for playoffs based on overall league performance, with no "in league" automatic reward for topping division (and automatic qualification for the Champions Cup for the Shield winners is gone this season too IIRC).

Twas a big improvement from the 14 team model (Two Seven team conferences with half the teams from each Union, play everyone internally twice and everyone externally once, except for your local rivals who you would get two extra games against), but even that made "slightly" more sense than the 18 team model. I can't still wrap my head around what those maniacs came up with. Two linked conferences of 4, another two of 5, an "in theory" Japanese based team playing half their games from Singapore against teams 8 time zones away from them. If you were in the 4 team conference you played a sensible-ish schedule of everyone in own division twice, everyone in partner division once and half of the teams in the "other division", but the 5 team conferences didn't even get to play every team in their partner division, nor did they get home and away against everyone in their own group.

What maniacs ever thought that is an appropriate commercial format I'll never know. Seppos have some of the weirdest and most confusing league structures known to man, but at least their scheduling for the NFL has consistent and logical repeated fixtures and a specific directive to aim for (play fixtures against every team at least once every four seasons).

That's not to say Australians won't accept unequal or illogical or supremely commercially driven (rather than competitive integrity) fixture formats: the AFL and NRL prove that, but there needs to be something more than LOL, you figure it out.

 

[KevinO]

Absolutely an international tournament in Europe means something completely different to what Super Rugby was broadest footprint.

In Europe you can travel internationally for the day to watch your team playing in another country without costing an arm and and a legg, you can travel faster between Scotland and Ireland/Wales then you can become Cairns and Brisbane

The other key part, is the ease of flying. You have multiple airlines as well as other travel options. Unlike Super Rugby where maybe only Brisbane has access to a 2nd airport for ease of travel. The die hard fans generally book the flights within minutes of the fixture before the airlines even get to update the prices. Return flights are normally under 100 euro and then one nights accommodation.

Super Rugby even return flights Melbourne to Sydney, prob the shortest trip is going to cost you $200 if your lucky and find a good sale price. We have travelled from Avalon a few times as its cheaper and not actually that bad when you drive to the airport.

 

[LeCheese]

The other key part, is the ease of flying. You have multiple airlines as well as other travel options. Unlike Super Rugby where maybe only Brisbane has access to a 2nd airport for ease of travel. The die hard fans generally book the flights within minutes of the fixture before the airlines even get to update the prices. Return flights are normally under 100 euro and then one nights accommodation.

Super Rugby even return flights Melbourne to Sydney, prob the shortest trip is going to cost you $200 if your lucky and find a good sale price. We have travelled from Avalon a few times as its cheaper and not actually that bad when you drive to the airport.

Agreed, but for argument's sake - Western Sydney Airport is due to open in 2026, providing another option to access both Sydney (and Canberra to a lesser extent). Costs aside, distance and flight time to/from WA, NZ, and the Pacific is the real killer - but the impacts could be lessened with smarter scheduling.

 

[Adam84]

Agreed, but for argument's sake - Western Sydney Airport is due to open in 2026, providing another option to access both Sydney (and Canberra to a lesser extent). Costs aside, distance and flight time to/from WA, NZ, and the Pacific is the real killer - but the impacts could be lessened with smarter scheduling.

NSW Rugby fans wont use Badgerys Creek, too far West for them.

 

[LeCheese]

NSW Rugby fans wont use Badgerys Creek, too far West for them.

Aren't we operating under the assumption the Western Sydney Brumbies will exist by 2026 anyway?

 

[Dan54]

No, my comment was more highlighting how Super Rugby has fallen and the shit product that it has evolved too that a patchwork URC comp could invigorate lagging interest in established markets where Super Rugby failed, it was in no way an endorsement of Super Rugby

Yep understand that Adam, I was pointing out to the domestic is the way to go etc that it's not the international component that is the problem with super, it's the expansion teams or other things) that tended to be problem as well as teams not having finacials to be able to afford it.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yep understand that Adam, I was pointing out to the domestic is the way to go etc that it's not the international component that is the problem with super, it's the expansion teams or other things) that tended to be problem as well as teams not having finacials to be able to afford it.

Well, Dan, at one time or another every Australian team hasn't had the financial basis for competing in Super. Right now, probably only the Reds and maybe the Force might be in a situation where they could compete on their own, financially, and survive.

If our teams are to compete over a length of time, they will need to be supported with substantial funding from RA.

 

[pnut]

NSW Rugby fans wont use Badgerys Creek, too far West for them.

Aren’t u an easts supporter so fair.

 

[Clubhouse coach]

Well, Dan, at one time or another every Australian team hasn't had the financial basis for competing in Super. Right now, probably only the Reds and maybe the Force might be in a situation where they could compete on their own, financially, and survive.

If our teams are to compete over a length of time, they will need to be supported with substantial funding from RA.

Like the 25 million the AFL give the Giants last year.

 

[Dan54]

Well, Dan, at one time or another every Australian team hasn't had the financial basis for competing in Super. Right now, probably only the Reds and maybe the Force might be in a situation where they could compete on their own, financially, and survive.

If our teams are to compete over a length of time, they will need to be supported with substantial funding from RA.

Understand that mate, but I take the Rugby boards of countries as part of who can afford the teams. I not in anyway suggesting Aus etc should cut any teams, but everyone needs to live in budget.
For all the talk ,I think you will find the Welsh/Scots/Irish etc are receiving funding from the Rugby boards. I know that was one reason Welsh clubs have been cut financial ability to run as more teams within the country.
I will add,I believe that's why there no secondary comp in Aus? And if Aus just had a domestic comp, and needed 7-8 teams minimum could RA afford to pay for them, they would cost a fair bit.

 

[The Marketing Pigeon]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/01/09/six-nations-2024-player-names-on-shirts/

Have said for a while this is such an easy way in Super Rugby to put the spotlight on the players.

Also hope they are discussing a retro round where every team wears an old school jersey - would create a revenue stream of people rushing to buy jerseys to reminisce

 

[Adam84]

It's hard to see a heritage round jersey because they'll still want it produced in the modern tight athletic cut and material as it has performance benefits, and it's also plastered with 40% sponsor coverage.

But, all teams should produce a heritage supporters jersey in the cotton relaxed cut like the Reds did last year.

 

[Wilson]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2024/01/09/six-nations-2024-player-names-on-shirts/

Have said for a while this is such an easy way in Super Rugby to put the spotlight on the players.

Also hope they are discussing a retro round where every team wears an old school jersey - would create a revenue stream of people rushing to buy jerseys to reminisce

The retro/heritage round is more or less a thing now, though it's not exactly a round because every team wants to do a home game for it. I know some of the kiwi teams have announced retro jerseys for this season already and most of the Australian sides have been doing it for a couple of years now. Hopefully the new super rugby commission will see Heritage round, Pasifika round, etc. better organised and consistent across the comp going forward.