callsign.springbok
Academy Player
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2011
- Messages
- 309
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
Everything you said sounds great....But thing is the IRB and the the people running the TRINATIONS don't give a dang about Samoa or Fiji?
Lets face it NZ only care about NZ Aust only looks out for there interest etc....
So the Pacific islanders have to relaize if you not gonna do anything for youselfs what you think the IRB gonna do??? nothing and for the next 4 years the PI nations will always be beggars begging for money!
I think what the majority of people saying about including the Japanese in as a four nations may have merits...transfoming the the Japanese yen to samoan dollars you called see that money tens times better than the NZ dollar!
News Corp actually pay for rights in US$ so it's a pretty safe and good exchange rate for most nations. Yes Japan have a growing rugby culture and a strong currency, but is it realistic?
Which game would get more viewers/spectators? Samoa-Japan or Samoa-NZ? To some extent it is in NZ's interest to have more fixtures with the islanders, particularly in the Auckland area.
At the very least an islands-based SuperRugby franchise could be started. In the future an Argentine one might come about too. The Pacific Islands one could be in the NZ pool so they play plenty of games for expats in NZ and teams like Crusaders, Blues, Hurricanes etc visit Fiji, Samoa, Tonga for the away games (if the 3 share their home games). An Argentine team would most likely go in the SA pool (as the Pampas team is already in SA domestic scene). Australian group could add a Japanese franchise, as the Aussies are particularly keen on expanding into Asia.
Logistically, financially, and for the supporters (think of the islander communities living in NZ closer than Japan...) entry into SANZAR formats would be much more beneficial.
Much further down the line the 4N might be readjusted. Personally I'm sick of the round-robin format and sending B-teams back and forth to Aus/NZ every July and August. Going to NZ every 4/5 years for a shot at a 3-test series would be much more exciting, with the added bonus of tests against Samoa/Fiji/Tonga on their home islands. While the Springboks play Fiji in Suva, Tonga could play the All Blacks at Albany for instance. Midweek SA-NZ Maori, Tonga-Samoa etc. They would get a lot more market exposure and income integrated in SANZAR schedules.