Where to for Super Rugby?

[WorkingClassRugger]

Then it all grinds to a halt. Fox stops paying the bills 12 months earlier than they were supposed to.

The entire sport has no income and all go insolvent.

Perhaps we need to delve a bit into this fantasy stuff for the wellbeing of the game and all the players.

If the AFL and NRL think they can keep much larger competitions going, then I would have thought it would have been fairly simple to keep 5 teams going for a short comp.

As previously pointed out. We have one thing the other codes don't and that's a governing body that just recently held a hugely successful WC event had has a surplus to boot. I would argue that they would be well served in helping a number of Unions including ours stay afloat.

 

[RedsHappy]

Srsly this. Guessing down under this virus is still more out of sight = out of mind but HOLY SHITBALLS GUYS. 2 months from now you might be looking back at the last 5 pages of this thread and saying ffs we were well and truly heads up our arses with this "isolate the players for my continued entertainment" nonsense.

Yeah OK, but when all the lower income players, support staff, game-day casuals, rugby admin people and the huge employment base that sits behind pro sports are all out of work, some made bankrupt, some made potentially destitute with no income, lost homes, kids affected accordingly....

.....let's remember them and that now very likely scenario in all this.

Life in depth for our whole populace is not solely about physical health for the minority that will be affected (and I say that with no lack of compassion for those affected now or later), it is also about economic survival. So many Aust and NZ citizens have had it so good for 20+ years or more, they have never seen the consequences to the social fabric and social good of vast unemployment, families on the bread line and deeply stressed into depression and horrendous personal outcomes through lack of income and lost homes, etc. That is another type of potentially terrible suffering.

We may well see that scenario later in 2020.

There has to be multiple layers of compassion and concern for multiple potential outcomes of great distress and seriousness, is all I am saying.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Thats not the NRC. Its a State/Provincial based competition.


For my 20 cents worth.

I think they should test all the players for the virus. If all clear move each Super Rugby franchise (+the Force) into an isolation camp. Find out what players are willing to stay in isolation for a short interstate competition (obviously those with families will not).

Then play 4 rounds over 5 weeks, 1 team with a bye each week. 2 games each week , 1 Friday and 1 Saturday game - prime time. Have a contingency for a second round.

It would be the closest thing to State of Origin Rugby could do. Should get lots of eyes on the TV, even in front of Zero crowds.

It is the simplest alternative that should attract significant interest.

It's the NRC as the teams would be from within Australia. It doesn't matter which ones they are. You are aware the likes of Sydney and NSW Country are also a form of provincial rugby, right?

 

[COX'S ROUTE]

jesus christ some people are shockingly ignorant of the logistics around professional sport

Key word in that is Professional.

ie. Money

No money, not professional, got nothing

 

[Braveheart81]

Then it all grinds to a halt. Fox stops paying the bills 12 months earlier than they were supposed to.

The entire sport has no income and all go insolvent.

Perhaps we need to delve a bit into this fantasy stuff for the wellbeing of the game and all the players.

If the AFL and NRL think they can keep much larger competitions going, then I would have thought it would have been fairly simple to keep 5 teams going for a short comp.

AFL and NRL are not going to continue for any length of time either. They are also living in fantasy land. The NRL was disinfecting footballs and players were doing fist bumps and elbow taps instead of handshakes yet the players spent 80 minutes tackling each other in "close contact".

All professional sports people are going to take a massive haircut through this. There is no other option.

 

[COX'S ROUTE]

You know you are completely fucked when I am one of the people pleading for common sense.

Are you feeling alright?

You haven't got a fever have you?

 

[wamberal]

There is a news story going around about a trial being conducted at U of Q for a possible vaccine. Very early days, ridiculously early in fact. Maybe one of Reg's unicorns!


Here's hoping. If there's one thing we need at this awful time, it is a deus ex machina de luxe.

 

[Slim 293]

The NRL won’t get past round 2.........

The Warriors players have already indicated they want to return to their families in NZ.

 

[Show-n-go]

Key word in that is Professional.

ie. Money

No money, not professional, got nothing

you do understand that everyone bar casuals still get paid if there's a shutdown of the sport yea............

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Are you feeling alright?

You haven't got a fever have you?

WOAAAAHHHH. DUUUUUDE.

Yeah, Ive got a fever. FEVER YOUR MOUTH FULLA MY COCK

 

[Penguin]

Srsly this. Guessing down under this virus is still more out of sight = out of mind but HOLY SHITBALLS GUYS. 2 months from now you might be looking back at the last 5 pages of this thread and saying ffs we were well and truly heads up our arses with this "isolate the players for my continued entertainment" nonsense.

Yup, it's embarrassing.

 

[Braveheart81]

you do understand that everyone bar casuals still get paid if there's a shutdown of the sport yea....

Well, they're not because there isn't going to be enough money. That's clearly a huge part of the issue.

The reality is that none of the players and executives are going to be able to continue being paid as per their contracts.

 

[Show-n-go]

Well, they're not because there isn't going to be enough money. That's clearly a huge part of the issue.

The reality is that none of the players and executives are going to be able to continue being paid as per their contracts.

well no......they still get paid, which is what i said. Possibly not at the high levels they currently are, although theyre making savings left right and center with the comp being canned which will aid somewhat. None of the clubs are currently insolvent as far as we know

but no ones, not getting paid to a level on which they can get by and provide for their families

 

[Show-n-go]

* Except maybe the rebels on insolvency but who the fuck knows what their financial arrangements are

 

[RedsHappy]

* Except maybe the rebels on insolvency but who the fuck knows what their financial arrangements are

100% mate. That has always been a very, very murky place re money flows and quite who pays whom and who owns what.

 

[Crashy]

My $0.02
Are sponsors going to keep tipping money in? unlikely.
Broadcasters certainly aren't.
Crowds - nup
Can't survive on jersey sales.....

The only chance of survival as I see it, is if they get a govt and WorldRugby bailout. World Rugby will need to be in a position to to do this as we are part of what made the surplus.
There are a few rugby foundations floating around that might be able to chip in - such as the NSW Rugby Club with I think has $25 million in investments. plus the Rugby Australia Foundation but its not a big one.
Very grim times...

Still scratching my head as to how we got to this withing a couple of weeks....

 

[RugbyReg]

QANTAS cutting 90% of their flights sure won't have a lot of money to throw around.

All sports will be in the same boat.

As will all theatres, concert hall, playhouse likely.

Let alone restaurants, cafes, pubs.

Wait until you see the impact on the fruit industry. We've had great rain for the first time in ages and we are fast approaching picking season - guess where the vast majority of those pickers usually come from?

 

[Braveheart81]

Wait until you see the impact on the fruit industry. We've had great rain for the first time in ages and we are fast approaching picking season - guess where the vast majority of those pickers usually come from?

Unemployed professional sportspeople?

 

[Up the Guts]

Unemployed professional sportspeople?

Plenty of videos of Thor showing he is pretty handy with a blade and a bit of fruit. Problem is his one for me, one for the basket policy.

 

[Dctarget]

Wait until you see the impact on the fruit industry. We've had great rain for the first time in ages and we are fast approaching picking season - guess where the vast majority of those pickers usually come from?

· Fortunately, there are already a bunch of backpackers here who are keen to stay in Aus, extend their Visa and not return to their country.