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DUBLIN: Super rugby finals might soon be played at neutral venues, going to the southern hemisphere city that is the highest bidder. And a north versus south provincial championship is again on the agenda.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill yesterday said that from 2011, SANZAR wanted to transform the expanded six-team finals series, to be played over a three-week period, into an extravaganza.
The finals series would comprise the best two teams from the Australian, New Zealand and South African conferences.
''We want to turn that into more of a crescendo, like what occurs with the Heineken Cup in the northern hemisphere. We want to make that into an event itself,'' O'Neill said.
That would involve major cities bidding for the final. ''I'd like to think that might not be too far away. It is an exciting concept,'' he said.
O'Neill said the expanded Super competition would revitalise rugby in the southern hemisphere, especially in Australia. ''It might be strange that I am saying this while in Dublin, but Super rugby is the best rugby in the world,'' he said.
''It has the best players in the world. The three countries that supply the players have won all but one World Cup. It's time to understand the genie is out of the bottle and that Super rugby is our shopfront.
''If you want to go head-to-head with AFL, NRL and the A-League, you need a shopfront, and the shopfront will be 22 weeks of Super rugby, followed by the Tri Nations, where the best in the world are playing each other.
''It's the shot in the arm we need. Rugby in Australia and a number of places has probably needed a wake-up call. This competition structure will help, and hopefully we will get a style of rugby conducive to getting our crowds and viewers back.''
O'Neill said he was also interested in the leading Super rugby franchises playing against the best Heineken Cup clubs.
''I don't know whether we can harmonise the seasons. But I think we should look for a window where two or three of the best clubs in the Heineken Cup play off against the two or three best franchises in Super rugby,'' O'Neill said. Wallabies captain and former Leinster player Rocky Elsom said the concept had merit. ''Everyone would be excited about that. It would certainly settle a few arguments,'' he said.
Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill yesterday said that from 2011, SANZAR wanted to transform the expanded six-team finals series, to be played over a three-week period, into an extravaganza.
The finals series would comprise the best two teams from the Australian, New Zealand and South African conferences.
''We want to turn that into more of a crescendo, like what occurs with the Heineken Cup in the northern hemisphere. We want to make that into an event itself,'' O'Neill said.
That would involve major cities bidding for the final. ''I'd like to think that might not be too far away. It is an exciting concept,'' he said.
O'Neill said the expanded Super competition would revitalise rugby in the southern hemisphere, especially in Australia. ''It might be strange that I am saying this while in Dublin, but Super rugby is the best rugby in the world,'' he said.
''It has the best players in the world. The three countries that supply the players have won all but one World Cup. It's time to understand the genie is out of the bottle and that Super rugby is our shopfront.
''If you want to go head-to-head with AFL, NRL and the A-League, you need a shopfront, and the shopfront will be 22 weeks of Super rugby, followed by the Tri Nations, where the best in the world are playing each other.
''It's the shot in the arm we need. Rugby in Australia and a number of places has probably needed a wake-up call. This competition structure will help, and hopefully we will get a style of rugby conducive to getting our crowds and viewers back.''
O'Neill said he was also interested in the leading Super rugby franchises playing against the best Heineken Cup clubs.
''I don't know whether we can harmonise the seasons. But I think we should look for a window where two or three of the best clubs in the Heineken Cup play off against the two or three best franchises in Super rugby,'' O'Neill said. Wallabies captain and former Leinster player Rocky Elsom said the concept had merit. ''Everyone would be excited about that. It would certainly settle a few arguments,'' he said.
i've just never heard of such matches happening)
