James Pettifer
Jim Clark (26)
How hard can it be...
We play in a international type league via super rugby against NZ sides and of course we can't be competitive as akin to Heineken cup where stronger rugby nations have more places but don't rely just on that for national pathway.
So we reduce number of teams in Super Rugby (I would reduce to 2 or 3) but also establish a national semi pro long form domestic competition (NRC extension) with say a Fiji added. Semi pro as clear as mud we can't at this point sustain a pro national domestic comp.
I totally agree we can't sustain 5 professional super rugby sides as flawed product and we could not sustain this either in Trans Tasman or Asian comp..
But we have to build something better at next level below that could grow into a better more Asian focussed league..hence the semi pro concept..
Great. Let's go down to 2 teams. 100 currently professional players either go get another job in addition to playing rugby or all bugger off to France and Japan.
You'll basically be left with 2 players in any position. Any decent young player who actually wants to play will do well in the semi pro league and then hope something comes up in the 2 teams or goes overseas. At least the Cheika could easily defend picking the whole of the Waratahs.