What if Aus leave Super rugby?

[Kiwiwomble]

Well over here, it's high school rugby, then Varsity Cup (which is on Monday nights) then Currie Cup teams, then Super Rugby then the Springboks.

I know a lot of people that only watch the Springboks, who aren't really rugby fans. But because Rugby League is nearly non-existent here, the people watch Soccer (mostly followed by the black people), cricket and rugby union.

Rugby has had a stigma attached to it in that it's the Sport of Apartheid, and has been trying to get more and more black people to become fans.

Hopefully this trend will grow even more after Siya Kolisi lifted the trophy...

Bottom line is, every country has their own set of issues and problems.

So it's similar over there, I'm one of the bigger rugby fans amongst the people I know and I find find it a bit exhausting some times, someone asks you who you support and you have to ask "in what comp?"...and then explain why there are so many comps, that my experience trying to talk to people in Aus anyway

 

[User1245]

I grew up in a small town and traveling to go watch the Sharks was a BIG deal for me. In the beginning I was stunned how many people would arrive late to the game and then spend most of the time talking, getting beers and generally not watching. Only then did it hit home the amount of people that go for the occasion and not the sport.

How can you call yourself a fan if you don't know the weight and height for most of the players?!

 

[User1245]

Yeah, it's about the fundamentals, not the product.

The decline in viewership in South Africa is not because of the same reason as in Australia. In SA it's more because of the socio-economic issues we have, and how people are struggling to pay the ticket prices for the stadiums. Yet if you go to a high school game, the place is packed to the rafters.

In one way, I think this pandemic is doing sport a favour. By the time the lockdowns are over, and everyone can go back to normal, they will be hungry for sport and to go out and have a day out (those that can afford it). Me and my friends have been having quite a few zoom meetings during this lockdown in arranging a group trip for next year's B & I Lions tour and are going to try and watch the 2 games in Joburg.

As for Super Rugby, depending on when the SA teams take to the field again, I plan to go to Loftus Versfeld and watch the Bulls in action.

This bit worries me the most about the future of rugby in SA... It's completely out of the Unions hands, and instead is in the hands of a grossly incompetent and corrupt government.

How/when/if that part gets better is the big question.

 

[mdaclarke]

This bit worries me the most about the future of rugby in SA... It's completely out of the Unions hands, and instead is in the hands of a grossly incompetent and corrupt government.

How/when/if that part gets better is the big question.

The ANC have been in power since 1994 and you have won 3 world cups in that time. SA rugby always seems to find a way to get through the difficult times ( for example 2000 to 2005 and (2015-17)

 

[TRF_heineken]

This bit worries me the most about the future of rugby in SA... It's completely out of the Unions hands, and instead is in the hands of a grossly incompetent and corrupt government.

How/when/if that part gets better is the big question.

I wouldn't say it's completely out of the Union's hands. I'm actually going to start a thread about the movement of players during this lockdown period for the SA teams as part of an illustration.

The other thing is, the general SA public, and here I don't mean just white/black/coloured people, but most people in general are starting to see the flaws in our government, and there is a real essence of calling them out, and trying to make it better. Yes, we are a bit behind because of the Zuma-era and most of his guys are still present in power, but there are signs of more transparency and cohesiveness. I do think things will improve, maybe not in a year or so.

It's a pity that this pandemic happened now. All that goodwill we got from the World Cup win, is all but lost now and a distant memory.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Sounds like RSA has issues that make ours look pretty trivial, I do wish you all luck

Your last comment is very interesting, ive seen quite a bit of comment in NZ about how a silver lining to the COVID situation is forcing rugby in NZ to take a good luck at themselves and the model theyre running.

Its being widely reported four of the ITM cups teams are saying they more than likely cant field a team in this years comp with two more on the fence, that would be half our unions in financial strife, from a comp the 15 years ago was considered one of the best in the word. shows how flimsy the current model is

Lots of talk of having to go back to semi pro, day jobs and trying in the evenings, could be a real sea change

 

[Kiwiwomble]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...YvlaBnMKwMvjqnmjyLjr3ilD8YiSxwND183AMdJM8Sh7E

maybe we should change the ***le to "will super rugby change, how?"

 

[unrated]

It would not only make more financial sense for South Africa to move to European leagues (if they want us) but it would also make sense from a financial point of view as well as a sporting point of view as our teams can be playing against other teams from England, France, Ireland or Wales that might have South Africans in their teams, this to a large degree would negate much of the negative effects of our players lured away to the pound and Euro as now South African coaches would just have a much larger pool to choose from as our teams would always field home gown players for the luxury of Springbok coaches and then they can nitpick the best players from the other teams.

But.... while not financially, Super rugby has been a fun product and it has ensured between NZ, SA and Aus that we hold every world cup ***le ever played except the one from 2003. I have always said that once South Africa starts doing poorly on an International level and cant compete then we look for change. But all our SH national teams has remained relatively successful so really if we continue with Super rugby then we are continuing with a winning product.


SA playing NZ att all levels is what is keeping the level up. From a provinical perspective the teams are forced to maintain a certain level and when one team has a breakthrough golden era then the rest of the teams need to step up quickly. This translates into World Cup success. The stats backs this up.

 

[unrated]

Maybe one thing we should do is a two tier Super Rugby
Tier one 12 teams
Tier two 12 teams

With promotion/ relegation

This will spice things up nicely

 

[mdaclarke]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...YvlaBnMKwMvjqnmjyLjr3ilD8YiSxwND183AMdJM8Sh7E

maybe we should change the ***le to "will super rugby change, how?"

Mehrtens has been saying this for years and years

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Mehrtens has been saying this for years and years

True, I guess it was more those on the panel like cheika agreed

 

[Shimano]

to be brutally honest, Aus hasnt pulled its weight for over a decade. i dont really think this will be as big a loss as people think.

... or, dont let the door hit you in the back on your way out!

 

[Hulk Hogan]

If I were fronting the ARU I would propose this

Australia run a competition
Reds
Tahs
Force
Brumbies
Rebels
Sunwolves

NZ Run a competition
Canes
Crusders
Highlanders
Blues
Chiefs
Pacific Island team based in Fiji


Play competitions separately and when the season ends the top 3 from each competition enter a finals style tournament.

 

[mania]

If I were fronting the ARU I would propose this

Australia run a competition
Reds
Tahs
Force
Brumbies
Rebels
Sunwolves

NZ Run a competition
Canes
Crusders
Highlanders
Blues
Chiefs
Pacific Island team based in Fiji


Play competitions separately and when the season ends the top 3 from each competition enter a finals style tournament.

i dont think you would convince the sunwolves to be in the aus conference. better to offer it to the PI's as they get to improve their situation. sunwolves would be going backwards joining the aus conf

 

[Hulk Hogan]

i dont think you would convince the sunwolves to be in the aus conference. better to offer it to the PI's as they get to improve their situation. sunwolves would be going backwards joining the aus conf

How would they be going backwards? They'd still get to play Super Rugby and have the opportunity to get smashed by the Reds again.

 

[mania]

How would they be going backwards? They'd still get to play Super Rugby and have the opportunity to get smashed by the Reds again.

even the aussie teams dont want to be in that conference.

 

[Hulk Hogan]

even the aussie teams dont want to be in that conference.

No I'm sure the Sunwolves would much rather be in the NZ conference getting pumped every week of every year. Though that looks like it's coming to an end as well with 3 dead weight teams in NZ right now.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

If I were fronting the ARU I would propose this

Australia run a competition
Reds
Tahs
Force
Brumbies
Rebels
Sunwolves

NZ Run a competition
Canes
Crusders
Highlanders
Blues
Chiefs
Pacific Island team based in Fiji


Play competitions separately and when the season ends the top 3 from each competition enter a finals style tournament.

i like it, simple for new fans to understand too

sunwolves makes sense in aus, not only are they still improving so the level in aus is about right i think a PI team should definitely be in the NZ conference, doesn't auckland still have the largest PI population in the world? you'd get some great crowds for a Blues v PI came

 

[mania]

No I'm sure the Sunwolves would much rather be in the NZ conference getting pumped every week of every year. Though that looks like it's coming to an end as well with 3 dead weight teams in NZ right now.

beats the 5 dead beats in the aus conf

 

[Hulk Hogan]

beats the 5 dead beats in the aus conf

Reds and Brumbies could easily go toe to toe with the Crusaders and Blues mate.