Where to for Super Rugby?

[Dan54]

On a side note: im super keen to see what the Reds and Brumbies can do against the Crusaders. I think the Reds probably don't have the discipline to challenge them (very similar to the blues) but the Brumbies could do it, IMO.

I think both of them capable of knocking them off, I will say I think Crusaders may have to have a slight off day, but they would push them ok.

 

[Adam84]

On a side note: im super keen to see what the Reds and Brumbies can do against the Crusaders. I think the Reds probably don't have the discipline to challenge them (very similar to the blues) but the Brumbies could do it, IMO.

Wasn’t long ago they were actually playing each other, and whilst personal have changed a bit, there wasn’t exactly a big gap between the two

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I'm pretty sure RA said they would be picking anyone from the NZ teams if there is a joint competition, JOC (James O'Connor) wanted an early release to go to the Chiefs - slight difference.

I think RA should lead by example and do this - time to take leadership on this issue

 

[Derpus]

Wasn’t long ago they were actually playing each other, and whilst personal have changed a bit, there wasn’t exactly a big gap between the two

The McReight to Wilson offload at the end was a thing of beauty.

 

[half]

Major League Rugby has launched a website and app with all league games streaming for free. Nationally televised games will be delayed on the site but the other games will be streamed live on TRN. They will also have highlights and rugby news. It is a great one stop shop for the league and possibly other rugby in the future.

https://www.majorleague.rugby/news/the-rugby-network-launch/

The 2021 regular season starts this week:
Home team first, times are EDT.

Saturday, March 20
NOLA Gold v. Old Glory DC 4:00 pm FS2
San Diego Legion v. Rugby United NY @ Las Vegas 6:30 pm TRN
LA Giltinis v. New England Free Jacks 6:30 pm TRN
Rugby ATL v. Toronto Arrows 7:00 pm TRN
Houston SaberCats v. Seattle Seawolves 8:00 pm CBSSN
Austin Gilgronis v. Utah Warriors 8:00 pm TRN

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

More progress:

"Australia has lifted its ban on international travel to New Zealand, paving the way for a two-way trans-Tasman bubble."

https://i.stuff.co.nz/travel/news/3...el-to-new-zealand-ahead-of-transtasman-bubble

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Hope both nzru and RA both work hard to make TT a success to grow the Asia Pacific footprint as nrl plans for expansion to 18 teams in in 2023 with second Brisbane team and second nz team under consideration is why they need to work harder to combat the threat of other codes. I don’t buy this BS crap that about what is best for the national team as not sorting out a pro competition with growing the footprint is what keeps giving nrl and afl continued avenues to expand as rugby’s expense.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Hope both nzru and RA both work hard to make TT a success to grow the Asia Pacific footprint as nrl plans for expansion to 18 teams in in 2023 with second Brisbane team and second nz team under consideration is why they need to work harder to combat the threat of other codes. I don’t buy this BS crap that about what is best for the national team as not sorting out a pro competition with growing the footprint is what keeps giving nrl and afl continued avenues to expand as rugby’s expense.

Well, there's not many if any options to expand in NZ and if both Moana and the Drua enter that's the Pacific angle covered. The only place for growth would be in Australia. But the primary focus should be on ensuring a high degree of quality first and foremost in any expansion plan. If there's the money to buy the necessary levels of talent to make it work then great. I'm certainly not opposed to importing players from other countries.

But I actually don't think we should be looking at the NRL's expansion as some kind of shining example. It's not as though adding two new teams will suddenly increase the numbers of people playing. Either in NZ or Australia. All it will be doing is thinning out their talent pool. Which if I'm honest isn't as overflowing with 'superstar' athletes they like to make it out to be.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Well, there's not many if any options to expand in NZ and if both Moana and the Drua enter that's the Pacific angle covered. The only place for growth would be in Australia. But the primary focus should be on ensuring a high degree of quality first and foremost in any expansion plan. If there's the money to buy the necessary levels of talent to make it work then great. I'm certainly not opposed to importing players from other countries.

But I actually don't think we should be looking at the NRL's expansion as some kind of shining example. It's not as though adding two new teams will suddenly increase the numbers of people playing. Either in NZ or Australia. All it will be doing is thinning out their talent pool. Which if I'm honest isn't as overflowing with 'superstar' athletes they like to make it out to be.

My view is we need to cement our footprint which is better collaboration between nzru and Ra to create a better pro competition but due to retarded thinking they don’t see this as a priority (national team focus and whatever) which creates own goal and allows afl and league to have made more inroads at expense of rugby.

We can’t get people to look at creating a real strong pro competition as nrl and afl are not impeded with this goal as not conflicted trying to look at national team interests as focussed on just creating a really strong pro competition and for it to be the best it can be. We just need to sort this shit out as afl and nrl are killing us with our lack of focus / distractions on creating really powerful competition involving nz, oz and other key Asia pacific sides that can compete with eyeballs with other pro football codes.

I don’t know how can be so blind to the problem and really feel best outcome would be independent body running a trans tasman competition focused on creating best pro competition and not conflicts of interests against this view on misguided views on what may be best for their national team at the expense of creating a pro competition in the region in the best it could be.

 

[Derpus]

Hope both nzru and RA both work hard to make TT a success to grow the Asia Pacific footprint as nrl plans for expansion to 18 teams in in 2023 with second Brisbane team and second nz team under consideration is why they need to work harder to combat the threat of other codes. I don’t buy this BS crap that about what is best for the national team as not sorting out a pro competition with growing the footprint is what keeps giving nrl and afl continued avenues to expand as rugby’s expense.

Not sure what their thinking is with another Brisbane team. Broncos are absolutely terrible. Gold Coast are perennially shit. Hell, even the Cowboys are a bit turd at the moment.

 

[hoggy]

My view is we need to cement our footprint which is better collaboration between nzru and Ra to create a better pro competition but due to retarded thinking they don’t see this as a priority (national team focus and whatever) which creates own goal and allows afl and league to have made more inroads at expense of rugby.

We can’t get people to look at creating a real strong pro competition as nrl and afl are not impeded with this goal as not conflicted trying to look at national team interests as focussed on just creating a really strong pro competition and for it to be the best it can be. We just need to sort this shit out as afl and nrl are killing us with our lack of focus / distractions on creating really powerful competition involving nz, oz and other key Asia pacific sides that can compete with eyeballs with other pro football codes.

I don’t know how can be so blind to the problem and really feel best outcome would be independent body running a trans tasman competition focused on creating best pro competition and not conflicts of interests against this view on misguided views on what may be best for their national team.

The problem is, it isn't just a NZ issue regards the nationalistic approach, the RA have pretty much followed that exact agenda as well. Everything is sacrificed for the National team and every problem is solved by a Wallaby win.

The people in charge of the game in the Southern Hemisphere all hang there hat on the Nationalistic approach, its the reason why we don't have a genuine domestic competition to grow the game from, which may suit NZ but is shit for the game in Australia.

Test rugby brings in the cash with sugar hits, but in doing so it prevents the domestic game especially in Australia from ever becoming a viable option and ultimately prevents the game from growing a bigger audience.

All a TT does is cement that structure into the future.

 

[Derpus]

The problem is, it isn't just a NZ issue regards the nationalistic approach, the RA have pretty much followed that exact agenda as well. Everything is sacrificed for the National team and every problem is solved by a Wallaby win.

The people in charge of the game in the Southern Hemisphere all hang there hat on the Nationalistic approach, its the reason why we don't have genuine domestic competitions to grow the game from.

Test rugby brings in the cash with sugar hits, but in doing so it prevents the domestic game especially in Australia from ever becoming a viable option and ultimately prevents the game from growing a bigger audience.

All a TT does is cement that structure into the future.

Hard to leave a model that you know (sort of) works for one that could easily fail and send you bankrupt in a year or two.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

The problem is, it isn't just a NZ issue regards the nationalistic approach, the RA have pretty much followed that exact agenda as well. Everything is sacrificed for the National team and every problem is solved by a Wallaby win.

The people in charge of the game in the Southern Hemisphere all hang there hat on the Nationalistic approach, its the reason why we don't have a genuine domestic competition to grow the game from, which may suit NZ but is shit for the game in Australia.

Test rugby brings in the cash with sugar hits, but in doing so it prevents the domestic game especially in Australia from ever becoming a viable option and ultimately prevents the game from growing a bigger audience.

All a TT does is cement that structure into the future.

I agree and always stated this nationalistic approach is both a RA and nzru problem and hence why to break this pattern I believe we need an independent body set up to run a TT competition which was crux of my argument for this to be the circuit breaker to break this pattern which means the independent body who represents fighting for the best interests of the pro competition (ie TT) and battles with national bodies of RA and Nzru who will represent the national team interest.

I believe this independent body to run a pro competition is only way to solve this dilimena but equally as national bodies of RA and nzru won’t push for this for very reason above that they want to meddle in pro competition for national team interests. Hence only way can see happen is private equity investment where latter demand this as a condition of their investment.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Not sure what their thinking is with another Brisbane team. Broncos are absolutely terrible. Gold Coast are perennially shit. Hell, even the Cowboys are a bit turd at the moment.

I think nrl are doing a crowd out option ie regional approach to get fans from other codes, and prepared to weather impacts of less competitive. NRL and afl understand fan base very regional and local and why tahs struggled as no identity associated with specific region.

 

[Dan54]

I agree and always stated this nationalistic approach is both a RA and nzru problem and hence why to break this pattern I believe we need an independent body set up to run a TT competition which was crux of my argument for this to be the circuit breaker to break this pattern which means the independent body who represents fighting for the best interests of the pro competition (ie TT) and battles with national bodies of RA and Nzru who will represent the national team interest.

I believe this independent body to run a pro competition is only way to solve this dilimena but equally as national bodies of RA and nzru won’t push for this for very reason above that they want to meddle in pro competition for national team interests. Hence only way can see happen is private equity investment where latter demand this as a condition of their investment.

An independant body to run the comp was one of the things that NZR had proposed in the Aritipu report last year. They wanted it to be run by someone else. I fully understand where you coming from RN, I also agree it would be great if the rugby boards could concentrate more on lower levels, but as we all know the Test teams are the only ones that really earn the money which at end of day is required to keep players. As Derpus says it pretty hard to change a model even if not perfect to one that may see game disappear. I do know that up to a point here in NZ, community rugby is really controlled by provincial unions, which while helping, still needs propping up from money the ABs earn.
It's not all bad for Aus if you all stop and think about it. Australia have got one more Super team than they had last year, so some growth.

 

[Dan54]

In other news Moana Pacifika a and Drua took another step toward inclusion with WR (World Rugby) coming up with some money. There is hope yet that things could improve.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...irms-funding-package-for-pacific-island-teams
Will be interested to see details next month or so if they get released. I guessing most franchises maybe wanting to make sure they got their boys signed up for future or may lose a few players?

 

[Rugbynutter39]

An independant body to run the comp was one of the things that NZR had proposed in the Aritipu report last year. They wanted it to be run by someone else. I fully understand where you coming from RN, I also agree it would be great if the rugby boards could concentrate more on lower levels, but as we all know the Test teams are the only ones that really earn the money which at end of day is required to keep players. As Derpus says it pretty hard to change a model even if not perfect to one that may see game disappear. I do know that up to a point here in NZ, community rugby is really controlled by provincial unions, which while helping, still needs propping up from money the ABs earn.
It's not all bad for Aus if you all stop and think about it. Australia have got one more Super team than they had last year, so some growth.

I read more derpus saying why change from a model of domestic competition that currently have and sorta works to going to all in TT competition that could send us broke - that is why gave thumbs up - maybe get Derpus to clarify but you seem to have interpreted Derpus as saying something else (which otherwise would not have given thumbs up for). I will wait for Derpus confirmation.

I was not aware NZRU in the report last year had proposed independant body to run the competition as not seen any movement on that or is that something NZRU just conveniently ignoring as recommendation as for reasons above stated does not suit them.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I read more derpus saying why change from a model of domestic competition that currently have and sorta works to going to all in TT competition that could send us broke - that is why gave thumbs up - maybe get Derpus to clarify but you seem to have interpreted Derpus as saying something else (which otherwise would not have given thumbs up for). I will wait for Derpus confirmation.

I was not aware NZRU in the report last year had proposed independant body to run the competition as not seen any movement on that or is that something NZRU just conveniently ignoring as recommendation as for reasons above stated does not suit them.

Should add if per the report they went ahead and appointed independant body to run the TT I would definitely be more on-board with the concept

 

[Rugbynutter39]

In other news Moana Pacifika a and Drua took another step toward inclusion with WR (World Rugby) coming up with some money. There is hope yet that things could improve.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...irms-funding-package-for-pacific-island-teams
Will be interested to see details next month or so if they get released. I guessing most franchises maybe wanting to make sure they got their boys signed up for future or may lose a few players?

I really do worry for oz involvment in this super rugby competition as states NZRU and Robinson the ones engaging the two pacific island teams. I don't want NZRU purely at the helm designing this super rugby competition as this won't end well for australian rugby interests imo. We desparately need an independent body set up to oversee the design and running of this competition.

 

[hoggy]

An independant body to run the comp was one of the things that NZR had proposed in the Aritipu report last year. They wanted it to be run by someone else. I fully understand where you coming from RN, I also agree it would be great if the rugby boards could concentrate more on lower levels, but as we all know the Test teams are the only ones that really earn the money which at end of day is required to keep players. As Derpus says it pretty hard to change a model even if not perfect to one that may see game disappear. I do know that up to a point here in NZ, community rugby is really controlled by provincial unions, which while helping, still needs propping up from money the ABs earn.
It's not all bad for Aus if you all stop and think about it. Australia have got one more Super team than they had last year, so some growth.

The only reason there is growth though was because a third entity controlled the Western Force, that growth is in spite of the RA, that growth is in spite of the structure.
A TT will just ensure there is no more growth.