SURVEY: Japan or Singapore to be the 18th Super Rugby Team?

[Guilty]

Well... I would rather they had 2 Argy teams...

But since SANZAR Are a bunch of fools and are pushing ahead with this... Im going with Japan.

They already have a fully pro domestic comp and should get the nod ahead of Singapore. Singapore would be a joke btw,

I too think it makes more sense to have two Argentinian teams since both sides are going to be in the SA conferences but it looks like that may not be feasible looking at some of the above posts. I would much rather have Japan in Super Rugby as they have an established rugby following already and the Japanese are far more likely to get behind their team than the expats in Singapore but again, since they are going to be playing SA teams and not AUS or NZ - if having a Singapore based team makes more sense them that is the option they should go for.

My question is what is the endgame strategy for Super Rugby? Is there a plan for there to be 20 teams at some point because it looks like that is where SANZAR are roughly heading. It would appear we will end up with 5 Australian, 5 Kiwi, 6 (or 7) South African, 2 (or 1) Argentinian, 1 Japanese and 1 Singaporean teams at some point in the future. If there is a grand plan then I am okay with a few years under a weird structure but I have a feeling that SANZAR are at some level making it up as they go...

 

[nickdnz]

I too think it makes more sense to have two Argentinian teams since both sides are going to be in the SA conferences but it looks like that may not be feasible looking at some of the above posts. I would much rather have Japan in Super Rugby as they have an established rugby following already and the Japanese are far more likely to get behind their team than the expats in Singapore but again, since they are going to be playing SA teams and not AUS or NZ - if having a Singapore based team makes more sense them that is the option they should go for.

My question is what is the endgame strategy for Super Rugby? Is there a plan for there to be 20 teams at some point because it looks like that is where SANZAR are roughly heading. It would appear we will end up with 5 Australian, 5 Kiwi, 6 (or 7) South African, 2 (or 1) Argentinian, 1 Japanese and 1 Singaporean teams at some point in the future. If there is a grand plan then I am okay with a few years under a weird structure but I have a feeling that SANZAR are at some level making it up as they go...

Yeah, you're not the only one. It seems like they're considering every possibility...and then trying to implement every possibility.

It doesn't help that the individual unions all seem to have very different needs and aims, which results in the competition looking like a collage made by a schizophrenic.

 

[Guilty]

Yeah, you're not the only one. It seems like they're considering every possibility...and then trying to implement every possibility.

It doesn't help that the individual unions all seem to have very different needs and aims, which results in the competition looking like a collage made by a schizophrenic.

Agreed - competing agendas of the SANZAR nations is a huge problem.

I'm a fan of the current Super XV structure but the proposed 4 conference Super XVIII formatt looks substandard at best. I am fully on board with appeasing the SARU's desire to have 6 teams in Super Rugby (completely fair enough) but surely we could have come up with a better plan.

Why not keep the three conferences and make the SA/ARG conference a 7 team group? As the years go on, add the Japanese and Singapore teams to the AUS and NZ conferences giving them 6 each. This would make sense financially and from a logistics point of view. Yes, SA would have a 7 team conference but they would also have one extra team. A fair trade no? Finals would be top 8 teams (of 20). Conference winners and next highest 5 seeds make it in.

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...on-singapore-bid/story-fni2fxyf-1227055841067

 

[RoosTah]

In a senseless choice, at least they've finally recognised that Singapore was by far the more ridiculous... a 50k stadium isn't all that useful if it's empty.

 

[MauriSca7]

Japan is among the top 10 in world ranking,Singapore is 55th more or less,in Singapore people barely know what rugby is,but in the end as I already said I think Singapore will have the place in Super Rugby because their commercial ties with NZRU and All Blacks

 

[RoosTah]

Japan is among the top 10 in world ranking,Singapore is 55th more or less,in Singapore people barely know what rugby is,but in the end as I already said I think Singapore will have the place in Super Rugby because their commercial ties with NZRU and All Blacks

So you didn't read the article above stating Japan was all but confirmed due to the lack of financial viability in the Singapore proposal?

 

[MauriSca7]

So you didn't read the article above stating Japan was all but confirmed due to the lack of financial viability in the Singapore proposal?

Media can say what they want,but I worked in rugby,I had to do both with SANZAR and 6 Nations unions,I know how things work
If you have hands tied with someone into the unions you can do what you want also if you don't have money,if you're not "friend of friends" you're out also if you're full of money

 

[RoosTah]

It comes down to basic business in the end though mate - Singapore will fold in a week and SANZAR know it. No one will go to their games, and their players will all be foreigners with no connection to the locals. The team has absolutely ZERO chance of doing anything but being an almost immediate financial burden that has no support outside of a couple overzealous expats with a bit of cash (but not enough to keep the team afloat).

 

[MauriSca7]

Rugby is plenty of similar thing,but those teams continue to take part to competitions without problems

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

In my mind if we have to go Asian (doesn't make sense to me but if NZ/Aus allow SA a 6th I suppose we have to allow them an asian side) it has to Japan. Good call even though the motivation of including either in the first place is tentative.

 

[RoosTah]

Rugby is plenty of similar thing,but those teams continue to take part to competitions without problems

I don't really understand your point here...

 

[ratsapprentice]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...080076557?nk=04eb87b86609d6659b3c0a1cea3280fe

 

[RoosTah]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...080076557?nk=04eb87b86609d6659b3c0a1cea3280fe

In other news evidence has just come in that rugby is continuing to die in Australia:
http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-union/uni...-to-screen-rugby-matches-20141006-10qoxe.html

 

[riffian]

Japan for me. Those guys are tough and skillfull

 

[ratsapprentice]

In other news evidence has just come in that rugby is continuing to die in Australia:
http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-union/uni...-to-screen-rugby-matches-20141006-10qoxe.html

What sort of market share does fox/ten have?
I've always assumed that it's higher than pay-tv over here?

 

[riffian]

Japan for me. Those guys are tough and skillfull

 

[RoosTah]

What sort of market share does fox/ten have?
I've always assumed that it's higher than pay-tv over here?

Fox i.e our out and out main cable provider have about 30%, so it's pretty limited... Channel 10 is an FTA channel and only show wallaby tests - so no super rugby.

Al in all it's a massive disappointment and when you take inflation into account it's actually a genuine backward step.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Japan it Is!!!!

 

[MauriSca7]

An Italian rugby blog wrote an article saying that Singapore Rugby Union retired its entrace proposal to leave space to Japan,anybody can confirm it ?