Where to for Super Rugby?

[Braveheart81]

Super Rugby draw for 2018 has just been released. The rugby.com.au article doesn't have the link to the full draw yet.

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/09/21/super-rugby-draw-drop

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Link is here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5wrkll3ut8expry/AACVMUJ4IipeQjF3KrNUxSZFa?dl=0

EDIT: why are the SA teams starting a week early?

EDIT: the article BH posted a link to now contains a link to the full draw.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Three away games for the Brumbies to start the season - at the time of year their games should be played in Canberra before the cold weather sets in. Great bit of scheduling.

 

[sunnyboys]

That draw is a crowd killer for the Reds. 4 home games in the first 13 rounds.

How do you build a fan base around that??

 

[dru]

Three away games for the Brumbies to start the season - at the time of year their games should be played in Canberra before the cold weather sets in. Great bit of scheduling.

That draw is a crowd killer for the Reds. 4 home games in the first 13 rounds.

How do you build a fan base around that??

And on the weekend following ANZAC day, only one game between NZ and Aus (Brumbies v Crusaders).


SO the cut to 15 made a better draw did it? Geez that's good, god knows what a bad draw looks like.

 

[Braveheart81]

Week 1 is South Africa only and both byes for Aussie teams happen by week 14.

 

[Killer]

Yeah I agree, it looks just as confusing as at anytime in the last few years, a dogs breakfast.

 

[Leo86]

That draw is a crowd killer for the Reds. 4 home games in the first 13 rounds.

How do you build a fan base around that??

Theres that highly competent ARU looking after Australian rugby at its finest

 

[Braveheart81]

The overall theme of the draw seems to be as follows for the 19 weeks of Super Rugby games:

All South Africa/Jaguares inbound and outbound tours are finished by week 15. The Brumbies are the last team to complete this.

All Aussie byes are finished by week 14.

This has the effect of teams having less home games in the front end of the competition relative to the number of weeks due to byes and getting the travel out of the way.

It also means that the back end of the season tends to have more home games.

 

[MarkJ]

Three away games for the Brumbies to start the season - at the time of year their games should be played in Canberra before the cold weather sets in. Great bit of scheduling.

While it's not great for the fans, it might be better for the team's chances. I don't think many teams enjoy playing in Canberra in the middle of winter.

 

[Killer]

so a comp that goes from mid Feb to early Aug (6 mths) and sees the Tah's (and I guess the same for most teams) have 7 home games, what has the ARU actually achieved?

 

[Braveheart81]

so a comp that goes from mid Feb to early Aug (6 mths) and sees the Tah's (and I guess the same for most teams) have 7 home games, what has the ARU actually achieved?

8 home games for each side.

It's a 16 game regular season competition.

From 2020 there won't be a break for June tests as they move to July.

 

[MarkJ]

Seems the Sunwolves are still playing a couple of games in Singapore (including one against the Rebels). I'd thought those games were originally just a sop to the South Africans (to reduce travel) but I'm guessing they must be getting some decent money from Singapore

 

[wamberal]

Seems the Sunwolves are still playing a couple of games in Singapore (including one against the Rebels). I'd thought those games were originally just a sop to the South Africans (to reduce travel) but I'm guessing they must be getting some decent money from Singapore

Singapore has built a pretty good stadium, air conditioned. They are desperate to get some serious sport into it, and lots of money, I would guess.

 

[Strewthcobber]

10 Friday night games

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

 

[dru]

10 Friday night games

Sent from my D5833 using Tapatalk

OK I don't mind that. A pearl amongst the swine.

 

[Braveheart81]

I guess the alternative to some of the complaints would be several teams heading off on their big tour after the June test series in the last three weeks of the regular season and having byes in the last two rounds (that has been given to South African teams).

I tend to think it is better the way it is.

Obviously it isn't ideal to not have many home games early in the season for any team, but I think having the most games through the heart of the rugby season is probably for the best overall.

 

[dru]

I guess the alternative to some of the complaints would be several teams heading off on their big tour after the June test series in the last three weeks of the regular season and having byes in the last two rounds (that has been given to South African teams).

I tend to think it is better the way it is.

Obviously it isn't ideal to not have many home games early in the season for any team, but I think having the most games through the heart of the rugby season is probably for the best overall.

There will always be compromise required, but I don't agree. Building home support is a massive issue for the Aus franchises at the moment. Fail.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Which of the opposition sides have ever welcomed a visit to Canberra on a -6 degrees night in the middle of winter?

 

[Braveheart81]

There will always be compromise required, but I don't agree. Building home support is a massive issue for the Aus franchises at the moment. Fail.

A substantial portion of all the crowds are members. If you flip it around and have very few home games late in the season, does everyone whose team isn't in contention disengage from the competition altogether?

The whinging would be just as loud if the bulk of the home games were early in the season and then the team disappeared to South Africa, had byes and the June break and were playing 2 home games in 10 weeks.

The June break is an inherent problem but also unavoidable currently. It's good that is changing.

Personally I much prefer to have 6 of the 8 home games for the Tahs from mid-April to July. Each to their own though I guess.