The 20/20 Rugby Saga

[matty_k]

The guy is definitely going ahead with it but I very much doubt it will be successful.

Good on him if it does.

 

[PaarlBok]

The guy is definitely going ahead with it but I very much doubt it will be successful.

Good on him if it does.

Rassie isnt the media run to type and I am actually surprise Rapport has snuffled this one out so early. We'll see where this one goes.

 

[PaarlBok]

Like I stated in the first qoute, Saru knowns about this
Sport24

Rugby

'IPL' rugby presented to SARU
2010-06-27 15:34Email | Print

Rassie Erasmus (Gallo Images)
East London - A delegation from the South African Rugby Union met the developers of a proposed new rugby competition in East London on Sunday.

The five-man SARU delegation received a formal presentation from Rassie Erasmus and Frikkie Erasmus on a proposal to hold a pre-season rugby tournament in South Africa in January 2012.

Mr Oregan Hoskins, the president of SARU, made it clear at the meeting that any such tournament would require the sanction of SARU before it could be held.

The SARU delegation will report back to the 14 provincial unions on the meeting as well as to key stakeholders, such as the International Rugby Board and SANZAR.

 

[RugbyReg]

comments from SANZAR

SANZAR MEDIA RELEASE

SANZAR statement on alternative rugby competition proposal

SANZAR will not support or endorse the alternative rugby competition proposed by individuals in South Africa as reported in various media in recent weeks.

Current SANZAR CEO Steve Tew said: “SANZAR’s representatives met with the promoters of the competition so as to better understand what was envisaged and because we are always open to any ideas that might help promote rugby in our three countries. We were told we would then receive a formal proposal and this has not happened”

“However, having considered the concept and the way in which it has been developed; SANZAR has decided it has no interest in any further discussion of the proposed competition.”

Mr Tew said that the SANZAR Unions had discussed the concept with its Super Rugby teams and the feedback was overwhelmingly negative due to the potential impact on the preparation of teams for Super Rugby in 2012.

SANZAR is also concerned about the impact on player welfare given the period identified for the alternative competition is the main rest and conditioning period for the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies players.

“We do not see any benefits for SANZAR and we have also expressed our strong disappointment to those involved that approaches were made to players in the SANZAR countries without the courtesy of informing the SANZAR member unions in advance,” Mr Tew said.

The International Rugby Board Executive Committee and Management have also declined to support the proposal.

All rugby competitions require the prior approval of the game’s world governing body.

 

[daz]

And that, as they say, will be that!

End of story....

 

[cyclopath]

Quelle surprise!! Rassie's pie falls from the sky. Who'd have thought it.

 

[Moses]

Rival Super Comp

Just got this:

SANZAR MEDIA RELEASE
SANZAR statement on alternative rugby competition proposal

SANZAR will not support or endorse the alternative rugby competition proposed by individuals in South Africa as reported in various media in recent weeks.

Current SANZAR CEO Steve Tew said: “SANZAR’s representatives met with the promoters of the competition so as to better understand what was envisaged and because we are always open to any ideas that might help promote rugby in our three countries. We were told we would then receive a formal proposal and this has not happened”

“However, having considered the concept and the way in which it has been developed; SANZAR has decided it has no interest in any further discussion of the proposed competition.”

Mr Tew said that the SANZAR Unions had discussed the concept with its Super Rugby teams and the feedback was overwhelmingly negative due to the potential impact on the preparation of teams for Super Rugby in 2012.

SANZAR is also concerned about the impact on player welfare given the period identified for the alternative competition is the main rest and conditioning period for the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies players.

“We do not see any benefits for SANZAR and we have also expressed our strong disappointment to those involved that approaches were made to players in the SANZAR countries without the courtesy of informing the SANZAR member unions in advance,” Mr Tew said.

The International Rugby Board Executive Committee and Management have also declined to support the proposal.

All rugby competitions require the prior approval of the game’s world governing body.

- Ends -

Issued by SANZAR

By the sounds of it a rival comp is being spruiked, perhaps in the mold of Super League. Perhaps it will be called Super Super Rugby. Or Super Dooper Rugby.

 

[Scarfman]

I could imagine the IPL model working pretty well in RSA. And they're no stranger to organising tours outside of sanctioned bodies.

 

[RugbyReg]

mate, gonna ditch this. Just posted in the Rassie Comp thread

 

[rugby_man]

I don't think this is a great idea. IMO I think it will relegate the S15 competition below this new proposed comp. Not a fan but I'd like to hear more about it.

 

[Gnostic]

Rugby 20/20 - will it happen?

Given that all the top players in the SH are contracted to their respective Unions they are not available to sign a separate contract. If they did do a Sonny Bill Williams and walk away from their Unions to play they would be guarenteed never to play traditional Rugby again as I am sure those Unions would seek a ban from the IRB.

Given the reports that SANZAR and the IRB have both refused to sanction the comp will it happen?

 

[DPK]

I hope not.

 

[Gnostic]

Alan Jones was pushing it on his morning Radio show today. I'm always suspicious of Jones' motives and I am concerned at the potential this has to damaged and divide us in Oz when we already have a backs to the wall so to speak.

 

[Slim 293]

The only article I read about this today came from Rebecca Wilson at the Terrorgraph...

Therefore, I'm not taking it very seriously...

 

[Ruggo]

Alan Jones was pushing it on his morning Radio show today. I'm always suspicious of Jones' motives and I am concerned at the potential this has to damaged and divide us in Oz when we already have a backs to the wall so to speak.

I am suprised he found time to fit it in amongst all his Tony Abbott campaining.

 

[Lindommer]

Alan Jones was pushing it...backs to the wall...

Careful, Gnostic, be very careful. Any further references to the Parrot could place your position here in jeopardy.

 

[Gnostic]

Careful, Gnostic, be very careful. Any further references to the Parrot could place your position here in jeopardy.

That little bit of editing was just a little mischievous.

Like him or not, Jone has the highest rating breakfast Radio show in Oz. This is not the sort of publicity I like to see Rugby get. Jones strongly endorsed the concept likening it to the 20/20 Cricket comp stating that it could be a massive new source of income for the ARU which could be funneled into the grass roots.

No comment was made regarding the issue of player burnout, injuries etc. Also a big point of contention would be RUPA's negotiations to limit player games, which were always stated to be on welfare grounds. Makes those negotiations pretty shallow if the players throw that out the window because they are offered a big pay day.

I really hope this gets knocked on the head and the IRB needs to take serious note of this threat.

 

[RugbyFuture]

,.....highest rating commercial breakfast show in oz.....

 

[alexfaure]

this is one of the most stupidest idea I have heard in a while.

Firstly if this is suppost to stop the players running to the european league they need to put more money into super rugby, and try and build more of a supporter base, not start up a new style of rugby. This is because none of the players will want to play a game which shorter, because its shit, it takes a while for something to happen, for the teams to get pumped and switch on, and play good quality rugby (which is what we as supporters truely want).

 

[RugbyFuture]

this guy is putting rugby in jeopardy and obviously knows nothing of rugby v league history

Erasmus shrugs off SANZAR rejection

Scrum.com
July 25, 2010

Organisers of a proposed Twenty20-style rugby competition have vowed to continue with their plans to stage the tournament despite failing to attract the support of SANZAR.

International Super Rugby, the brainchild of former Springbok Rassie Erasmus and South African lawyer Frikkie Erasmus, has been styled on cricket's Indian Premier League with eight privately owned franchises competing for a lucrative cash prize. The format, set to debut in January 2012, would see matches with two 20-minute halves and amended rules to discourage kicking while it is hoped the scheduling, at a time normally reserved for conditioning ahead of the Super Rugby season, would ensure the participation of the game's biggest names.

The promoters recently met with officials of SANZAR, the umbrella body representing the national unions of South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, to outline their plans but failed to secure their backing with a statement citing an 'overwhelmingly negative' response from Super Rugby stakeholders.

However, speaking exclusively to ESPN Scrum, Frikkie Erasmus has dismissed the SANZAR rejection insisting that the presentation was a mere courtesy and their approval for the tournament was not required as it would feature, "a different code of rugby which does not fall under the jurisdiction."

"It was clear to me that they felt threatened by our format and were not supportive of the idea," Erasmus said of his meetings with Australian Rugby Union chief John O'Neill and his New Zealand counterpart Steve Tew that followed an earlier meeting with South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins. "It therefore came as no surprise when they decided not to support it. As explained to them when I met with them, it was out of courtesy and not because their consents are required. It is a different code of rugby which does not fall under the jurisdiction of SANZAR or the IRB."

Erasmus' attempts to sell the perceived positives for Super Rugby fell on deaf ears but he insists the financial rewards available in the competition would help retain top players and prevent a talent drain to the northern hemisphere as well as keep players sharp in the off-season.

"We will continue with our plans to host the tournament. We believe that rugby needs an exciting format of this nature," added Erasmus. "Cricket's governing body had a problem initially with the IPL but in the end it succeeded and it is now a roaring success. There are just so many positives, that it is a great pity that a few individuals want to deprive the players of this opportunity."

Erasmus is confident player power and the support of sponsors will see the tournament come to fruition with the first competition set to benefit from the talent overhaul in the wake of Rugby World Cup 2011.

"In terms of player participation, there basically are two categories," explains the former Stormers' commercial manager. "The first category comprises those players who will retire from rugby after next year's World Cup and who will therefore not fall under the jurisdiction of any governing body and there are quite a large number of these top name players.

"The second category is those players that come out of contract with their unions, provinces and clubs at the end of the World Cup. When they negotiate renewal of their contracts, they will do so on the basis that they exclude the three week ISR (International Super Rugby) tournament period during January 2012, and the subsequent years. They will therefore be non-contract players for the three week period and/or have prior approval to take part.

"There will no doubt be severe player and player union pressure for the tournament to happen."

A bullish Erasmus also questioned the comments made by Tew, who is also the chief executive of SANZAR. "He said that the feedback from SANZAR's Super 14 teams was overwhelmingly negative but it would be interesting to know which teams were consulted, and in what manner. On checking with certain unions, it was denied that there was a discussion or even a request for feedback. And was full and unbiased information provided to those that were consulted?"

He also took Tew to task on the issue of player welfare - insisting that the tournament would not have a detrimental effect on the fitness of those taking part. "This aspect has been thoroughly researched and also discussed with the players themselves and with fitness and conditioning experts," added Erasmus.

"January is the month dedicated to fitness and conditioning preparation and for playing warm-up games. The physical activity during the tournament is less than that of the Super 14 preparation and warm-up games, because of the shortened format, extra subs and rule adjustments. It is in fact an ideal way of conditioning, according to the players and other fitness/conditioning specialists who are probably better equipped to decide, rather than the three SANZAR executives who decided on the players' behalf."