Where to for Super Rugby?

[Brumby Runner]

Mate, I'm no ARU apologist but how did you think this schedule would pan out regarding the derbies when we cut one of our franchises. Unless they play each other three times without the Force they were never going to increase those numbers. As in my other post I figure we'll 13 games a season in more beneficial time zones. Not great but okay. I guess. No worse but certainly no better.

I wholeheartedly agree with your contention WCR that the same outcome could have been achieved if five franchises had been retained. My issue is that reducing to S15 has done practically (maybe absolutely) nothing to benefit the Aus franchises and the suggestions by Pulver that we'll have more Derbies and time-friendly games is nothing more that a red herring.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the majority of fans were expecting a schedule that had proportionately more Derby games and most of the games in time-friendly slots with far less travel. None of these factors have been achieved with this S15 schedule, while it is also obvious we could have maintained the status quo in these matters had we continued with five Aus franchises. It is demonstrably an issue of the wool being pulled across our collective eyes once again. But I accept that there is a core of ARU cheer squad posters on the site who can see no evil when it comes to matters relating to the ARU and associated issues.

This structure with the three conferences, the makeup of the conferences (4 Aus + Japan, 4 SA + Arg, 5 NZ), 16 games per team, 2 byes, home and away against own conference etc. was all announced back in April.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I wholeheartedly agree with your contention WCR that the same outcome could have been achieved if five franchises had been retained. My issue is that reducing to S15 has done practically (maybe absolutely) nothing to benefit the Aus franchises and the suggestions by Pulver that we'll have more Derbies and time-friendly games is nothing more that a red herring.

Content wise. Yeah, it's complete bullshit. Always was going to be. They are probably hoping that the teams improve enough next season to justify it or otherwise it will be seen for the f@#k up it looks like it will be. In my opinion.

 

[Brumby Runner]

BH, are you sure? I'm not going to go back to check, but my recollection is that there was nothing coming out of the ARU at that time about the makeup of the competition, or the restructure to three conferences. IIRC the only places such matters were being discussed were on sites like this. I stand to be correted but that is my recollection. And the spin that did come out later in the process was all about how the reduction to four Aus franchises would result in more Aus Derbies and less travel time away from home. Neither of those outcomes are likely to be realised.

 

[Braveheart81]

BH, are you sure? I'm not going to go back to check, but my recollection is that there was nothing coming out of the ARU at that time about the makeup of the competition, or the restructure to three conferences. IIRC the only places such matters were being discussed were on sites like this. I stand to be correted but that is my recollection. And the spin that did come out later in the process was all about how the reduction to four Aus franchises would result in more Aus Derbies and less travel time away from home. Neither of those outcomes are likely to be realised.

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/04/09/07/12/sanzaar-super-rugby-announcement

http://www.superxv.com/sanzaar-confirm-super-15-tournament-2018/

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...s/news-story/224c1f211835a7bdeb9957198365dd3f

 

[Inside Shoulder]

so the back up point is: how will this get more aussies watching super rugby? and if it wont how is the aru going to justify the next rights package sale?
and what was all the angst we just put ourselves through designed to achieve in the medium to long term - or are we just hand to mouth now?

 

[Brumby Runner]

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2017/04/09/07/12/sanzaar-super-rugby-announcement

http://www.superxv.com/sanzaar-confirm-super-15-tournament-2018/

https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/...s/news-story/224c1f211835a7bdeb9957198365dd3f

Thanks BH, I stand corrected. Doesn't alter my criticism that the S15 schedule offers very little or no benefit to the Aus franchises.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Come on WCR. It's not the fan's issue when he asks why a claimed advantage hasn't been achieved. The fact that a fail was obvious does not change responsibility from the ARU/SANZAAR to the customers.

It was never going to be achieved. The math never supported it.

 

[Moono75]

Super Rugby 2018.

So 8 teams out of the 15 qualify for the finals. Way to reward mediocrity. How will the Un-Australian Rugby Union feel if the Sunwolves won the Australian conference and the remaining qualifying places were taken up by NZ and SA teams.

 

[Braveheart81]

6 out of 15 is a relatively small percentage of teams to make playoffs based on other comps. 8 of 15 is too high a percentage.

8 teams gives two extra finals games so financially it is better for all involved, particularly the teams finishing first and second.

 

[Moono75]

so the back up point is: how will this get more aussies watching super rugby? and if it wont how is the aru going to justify the next rights package sale?
and what was all the angst we just put ourselves through designed to achieve in the medium to long term - or are we just hand to mouth now?

No one in Western Australian will be watching. I don't think the ARU quite understands the level of anger over here regarding the decision to axe the Force.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Super Rugby 2018.

So 8 teams out of the 15 qualify for the finals. Way to reward mediocrity. How will the Un-Australian Rugby Union feel if the Sunwolves won the Australian conference and the remaining qualifying places were taken up by NZ and SA teams.

Are you now advocating the four Conference model to ensure a Strayan team in the playoffs? Even with a 3 x 6 setup (which I'd have much preferred), logically the Sunwolves are always in the Strayan Conference therefore a chance of winning it & there being no Strayan presence in the playoffs. Under either scenario I suspect (E)ARU would be "disappointed" with the outcome.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

6 out of 15 is a relatively small percentage of teams to make playoffs based on other comps. 8 of 15 is too high a percentage.

8 teams gives two extra finals games so financially it is better for all involved, particularly the teams finishing first and second.

So top-7 & the "Minor Premiers" get a bye in Week 1? On top of home-ground advantage I can't see too many "stakeholders" going for that.

 

[Braveheart81]

So top-7 & the "Minor Premiers" get a bye in Week 1? On top of home-ground advantage I can't see too many "stakeholders" going for that.

No, you certainly wouldn't have a top 7 finals series.

I tend to think most teams would prefer 8 teams finals to 6 teams out of the 15.

Coming 1st or 2nd and getting the chance to have 3 and 2 home finals respectively is a pretty big deal financially.

 

[Jagman]

I think the majority of fans were expecting a schedule that had proportionately more Derby games.

Proportionately there's no change. Previously we had 5 teams and 15 derbies now we have 4 teams and 12 derbies. Both come in a 3 derbies per team portion. The best part is now we play only 16 games against NZ sides where as before we played 25. So we can never lose 26 games in a season to NZ sides again and any win we do get will significantly spike the ratio.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Are you now advocating the four Conference model to ensure a Strayan team in the playoffs? Even with a 3 x 6 setup (which I'd have much preferred), logically the Sunwolves are always in the Strayan Conference therefore a chance of winning it & there being no Strayan presence in the playoffs. Under either scenario I suspect (E)ARU would be "disappointed" with the outcome.

To achieve that we’d need 15 one team conferences...........which means the playoffs would start in February.

 

[Killer]

SA Plans

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/sa-rugby-eyeing-2-more-franchises-20170922

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^^^^ Cheetahs & Kings towards the bottom of their Pro14 sections, not sure these tier-2 Sethfrickan sides would fare too well against the likes of Saracens, Wasps, etc (assuming EPR is their objective, Anglo-Welsh Cup being a KO comp comprising the EPR Clubs & Welsh Regional teams). It's a bit like Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, etc, talking themselves up as potential Super Rugby entities.

EDIT: I s'pose another option from SA's POV would be Pro16 with a four-team SA Conference to equalise the travel burden Either way I seriously doubt they have the on- & especially off-field resources to make it a reality.

 

[dru]

Pumas and Griquas have a better claim to franchise than the Kings I think. RSA has the player number to justify it, cash is a different matter.

I’ve got a soft spot for the Griquas so wish them best.

Give Kings and Cheetahs time. The lead in to Pro was rubbish. Things will improve.

Tew shat on RSA rugby (ditto Australia), it shouldn’t surprise when they look outside Soup.

 

[half]

More reasons for the board to stand down.

A veteran sports consultant who twice warned the Australian Rugby Union that under no circumstances should it agree to an expanded 18-team Super Rugby competition says the governing body has only itself to blame for "signing their death knell" despite talking up next year's new structure.

The comments come as former NSW Waratahs and Rugby Union Players' Association chief executive Greg Harris slammed the ARU for failing to take accountability for plunging rugby into a mess it could have avoided.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...to-super-rugby-expansion-20170922-gyn5t9.html

heaps more in the article