A global competition for a global season? Any feedback?

[RichardRheeder]

So earlier this week I posted my two cents about the state of Superrugby, and the need for change etc. Since I've only been able to read my own thread now properly, it got me thinking, a lot of the responses was around Superrugby being boring, and the need for a global season. I especially took notice of the proposal made by the owner of Bath and his proposed outline for a global season. This gave me an idea, how about a global club competition to supplement a global season, in other words, combining Superrugby and Heineken Cup into one global sporting piece to determine the best provincial/club side in the world?

Now this may sound a bit far fetched, but bear with me for a second to explain how I think something like this can be pulled off.

1. Bring back a focus to the domestic leagues, and use them as a qualifying tool for teams (New Zealand and South African fans would enjoy this, as a response from both sides have been they enjoy Itm Cup and Currie Cup more than Superrugby, the Aussies can start focusing on getting their own league up and running in that time slot) the north already have their 3 major leagues in place

2. Top 4 teams of each domestic league qualifies for the first round of this new tournament. The leagues in question being Top 14, Pro 12, Aviva Premiership, Itm Cup, Currie Cup, Aussie League

3. The 24 qualifiers being split into 4 pools of 6. 2 Southern Hemisphere pools, and 2 Northern Hemisphere pools.

4. The pool matches can be played over a single round, guaranteeing each team at least 2 home matches (home and away advantage can be determine by league placing to determine who gets an extra 3rd home game).

5. Thereafter the pool winners and runners up qualify for the playoffs. Being a straightforward quarter final semi final and final.

6. The playoffs can be marketed as the finals series, with the games being held in a predetermined host nation over 2/3 weeks.

I know this is only a fantasy, but just imagine what kind of television spectacle a tournament like this could make? I mean just picture it for a moment: Toulon vs Crusaders, Twickenham Stadium, 80 000 sold out capacity, battling it out to be named the best club side in the WORLD.

One could argue a one off match between the Superrugby and Heineken Cup winners could work as well, but my opinion is that something like this being fixed on the calendar, and the buildup of cross-hemisphere playoffs could just add to the excitement that bit more.

And the best part is, it would take 8/9 weeks to complete, that's the same amount of time ad the current Heineken Cup, and I'm thinking it might be shorter than the current Superrugby season

 

[MauriSca7]

It would be nice but I don't know how unions would work about it,it was a big mess to create the new european cups and also to create the new super rugby structure wasn't a joke

 

[Tony Manx]

It would be a disaster for the supporters but who cares about them!

 

[jonny24]

Sounds awesome to me, only thing is when would the seasons be? I would think you'd want them concurrent, with the champions league directly after. And then fit in international.

Also, I thought part of the point of super rugby was to keep all their international players playing at a higher level. The players on teams that didn't qualify would then not be playing?

 

[gaston le gaff]

Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but we are trying to reduce games not increase them this then becomes a 12 month season?????????????,

 

[RichardRheeder]

Fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but we are trying to reduce games not increase them this then becomes a 12 month season?????????????,

The season length would stay the same, as you would in effect be replacing the Heineken Cup and Superrugby with one competition.
The calendar could be broken down into blocks, a domestic season block, Internationals block, and a third block for this tournament.

 

[RichardRheeder]

Sounds awesome to me, only thing is when would the seasons be? I would think you'd want them concurrent, with the champions league directly after. And then fit in international.

Also, I thought part of the point of super rugby was to keep all their international players playing at a higher level. The players on teams that didn't qualify would then not be playing?

The major problem with Superrugby now compared to the Super 12 days, is that the increasing number of teams has spread the talent pool too thin, in the Southern Hemisphere, the cream of the crop are mostly playing for the top sides anyway, so your top players would mostly feature in the 12 Southern Hemisphere sides qualifying for such a tournament

 

[goodNumber10]

I honestly wouldn't want to see a regular global competition.

It would demean international rugby, and make club rugby too big a focus - the power would leave the international game, and what's the point in seeing the same people play at club level and international level?

A world club championship every few years ala football would be cool.

 

[Basco]

IMO the SH nations should each have their own local championship with the SR being a competition like the HEC, played over 8-9 weeks.

 

[TRF_heineken]

IMO the SH nations should each have their own local championship with the SR being a competition like the HEC, played over 8-9 weeks.

But it is... Have you never heard of the Currie Cup and the ITM Cup??

 

[Basco]

But it is... Have you never heard of the Currie Cup and the ITM Cup??

I'm talking about increasing the importance of their local competitions and turning the SR into a much shorter HEC like competition where only a few of the clubs from the local competitions would participate. Actually this way they could have two competitions, like the HEC and Challenge Cup, where some clubs from Japan, the PIs, etc. could be included.