Bardon
Peter Fenwicke (45)
It would be hard to implement a HEC style system for S15. Even if the number of franchises were increased to 16 teams to give 4 pools of 4 teams. That would give the possibility of the top 2 from each pool going on to a quarter finals. But even if teams play each other home and away that's only 6 games in the regular season for half the clubs. A knock-out comp for the bottom 2 from each pool would give those teams more games, although some would still only have 7 games.
Having each team play each other 4 times, 2 home and 2 away would give each team a minimum of 12 games and would cut down travelling costs if the home games against teams were back to back. But fans would probably get bored of seeing their team play the same opposition so often.
It's difficult to see how, with so few teams, a HEC style format would work for Super Rugby and provide a full seasons worth of rugby for every team. The reason it works so well in the NH is that every team also has a league competition (Premiership, Top 14, Pro12) that sits along side the HEC and Challenge Cup.
Maybe in time a comp may develop that includes teams from Argentina, Japan and other nations in the region and then the HEC format may work better for that but it would probably sit alongside Super Rugby rather than replace it.
Having each team play each other 4 times, 2 home and 2 away would give each team a minimum of 12 games and would cut down travelling costs if the home games against teams were back to back. But fans would probably get bored of seeing their team play the same opposition so often.
It's difficult to see how, with so few teams, a HEC style format would work for Super Rugby and provide a full seasons worth of rugby for every team. The reason it works so well in the NH is that every team also has a league competition (Premiership, Top 14, Pro12) that sits along side the HEC and Challenge Cup.
Maybe in time a comp may develop that includes teams from Argentina, Japan and other nations in the region and then the HEC format may work better for that but it would probably sit alongside Super Rugby rather than replace it.