Super Rugby format a failure
7 Aug 2012
Sports scientist Ross Tucker says there’s little to be positive about when looking back at the 2012 Super Rugby campaign.
The Super Rugby play-off rounds painted an entertaining picture. The Chiefs and Sharks surprised many with their runs into the title decider, following semi-final victories over seven-time champions the Crusaders and table-topping Stormers respectively. The New Zealand franchise then powered to their first Super Rugby crown with a 37-6 triumph in front of their cowbell-ringing fans.
However, as a spectator, one was left disappointed after the Hamilton final. We had to witness one team, who enjoyed a week’s break before the final four stage, capitalise on a side that travelled across the Indian Ocean three times in as many weeks.
One may argue that the Chiefs earned this advantage by securing a higher position on the overall standings. But shouldn’t a final be a fair contest? A match which sees the two in-form teams of the tournament battle it out on more equal grounds?
We saw the Crusaders struggle in the same scenario last season, as they traveled from Nelson to Cape Town before losing in Brisbane to the Reds, who had the advantage the Chiefs had this season.
What’s worse is that there’s nothing that can be done to change the current style of the 15-team tournament. Well … not for the next three seasons at least as Sanzar is committed to a broadcasting contract that only expires in 2015.
Tucker believes the current Super Rugby format isn’t successful.
‘Super Rugby has become a money-driven competition, with a strong bias towards to the Australian teams,’ Tucker told keo.co.za. ‘It’s a shame because Super Rugby was such a strong competition, especially when it was still the Super 12. It was strength versus strength every weekend.
‘In the current format, Australia, who have the weakest conference in Super Rugby, are promised at least one team in the play-offs. And their conference winner will be guaranteed home-ground advantage in their play-off game, despite having less log points than some of the other teams placed below them [the Crusaders, Bulls and Sharks had more log points than the Reds this year].
‘This disadvantages the strongest nation in Super Rugby, which was South Africa this season as they had three teams in the top six. We had to see the Bulls and Sharks travel for their play-off matches, which had a negative impact on their momentum. The Sharks did well, but the travel factor caught up to them.’
Tucker also questioned whether the extended tournament schedule was favoured by supporters.
‘Time to time, Sanzar have been raving about increases in ratings for certain matches and at certain stadiums, but I’m sure that the amount of rugby played has had a negative overall impact. Especially when it comes to rugby in South Africa. With the Currie Cup, we could see the Sharks play the Bulls up to five times a year, which is too much.
‘This structure also robs the spectators of major matches. The top teams don’t always face each other, so some fans would have to wait three to four years before a side like the Crusaders or the Chiefs tour to their stadium.’
Injuries were also a major concern during the season. While several players suffered long-term spells on the sidelines midway through the campaign, it was a common sight to see players limping off early during the play-offs. There were nine injury-forced changes before half-time during the knockout rounds, while there were several substitutions made shortly after the second half restart.
While the annual player exodus is already an issue in all three Sanzar nations, the hectic Super Rugby schedule is likely to encourage more players jet off to Japan and Europe. Japan will become an ideal move as players play half the amount of rugby (because of their foreign player restrictions that only allows three international players in the starting line-up) and get paid more.
Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Ryan Kankowski, Wynand Olivier, Jerome Kaino and Sonny Bill Williams have already formed part of this Asian trend, and many more top players could be lost to Super Rugby by the end of 2015. And who could blame them? Test players have to go through Super Rugby, June inbound tours midway through the competition, the Rugby Championship and the end-of-year tour.
‘The current Super Rugby format does not take the players’ welfare into consideration,’ argued Tucker. ‘I think if we had to do a study by the end of 2015, I’m sure we’d notice players’ careers ending far earlier than compared to past studies. It’s quite unfortunate actually – players would actually have to suffer long-term injuries to prolong their careers. A guy like Schalk Burger would have benefitted from the rest he received this year, even though it was because of injury.
‘There is a point that coaches will need to build bigger squads and use better management plans. They’ll need three quality players in every position to survive the campaign. But there’s still no reason for the season to stretch over so many months. The NFL in America has the shortest season of all the top sports, but it’s the richest code in the world.
‘These changes to Super Rugby have been made for the wrong reasons. The powers in charge will need to take all the negative factors into account.’
By Gareth Duncan
297 Comments
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7 Aug 2012, 12:19 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-49:
What about other teams that cheat?
Do you have a word for them?
7 Aug 2012, 12:20 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-49:
Turn the other cheek bakkies,
turn the other cheek.
Feel the love.
7 Aug 2012, 12:20 pm
@cane-44:
yes, but in our case the amount we pay (supersport to newskorp) for super 15 is more than enough to fund cc and 4nations takes care of itself broadcasting wise (we’ll only pay for our market size, which is the biggest).
7 Aug 2012, 12:20 pm
having finished 6th the sharks shouldn’t have been in the playoffs anyway!
7 Aug 2012, 12:24 pm
@cane-50:
no, but it is worth the amount supersport pays to newskorp for the broadcasting rights to screen it in the republic (which is a lot).
supersport could just pay that money to saru for rights to screen cc instead and would still be making a profit from us the rugby dstv subscribers.
7 Aug 2012, 12:25 pm
should the supercomp expand I imagine we could then go to 4 groups of 4.
which could then possibly lead to quarter final and semis with home and away formats with at least a 2 week break inbetween but with games overlapping. eg…2 games the one weekend with the other two the following.
adding an exciting new tangent…..points against count double if both teams have won 1 game each. As in champions league but even more exciting than champions leabue because in rugby there is hardly ever a “draw”.
Drop the “bonus point” for 4 tries or more and by losing by less than 7 in the knockout stages. Keep them for the group stages only maybe?
I am a genuis and that is how it should be.
Except, I have no idea how to select a neutral venue for the final of superrugby.
London maybe? or Paris?
That could also add an exciting new slant which would definately generate a huge crowd and more cash surely?
7 Aug 2012, 12:25 pm
@Bouts-46: It would be a bit unfair if everyone is not playing everyone else = plus some conferences are weaker than others. That was probably the point of the 3rd and 4th place playoffs – to make up for that
7 Aug 2012, 12:25 pm
@Transformation-54:
Yeah i really dont get it.
A team comes second on table and the team that came 6th saying its not fair they had to travel.
I understand that all finals should be even but it sort off takes away the meaning
of finishing top or second on the table.
7 Aug 2012, 12:26 pm
@cane-50:
Well it’s certainly worth more than that glorified quidditch tournament that passes for your domestic competition.
In fact one of your kiwi scribes was moaning about the discrepancy in revenues between SA and Pongoland when it comes to inbound tours and domestic comp.
I think it was when you were threatening to boycott the next world cup.
7 Aug 2012, 12:27 pm
@Transformation-54: Neither should the Reds
7 Aug 2012, 12:27 pm
@Hurricane-41: Far too much rugby. The reason SA and NZ are losing many players abroad.
7 Aug 2012, 12:27 pm
@cane-52: I was watching Valerie last night – it was so unfair on her losing her gold to that man from Belarus.
7 Aug 2012, 12:28 pm
This rugby stuff is boring.
Most exciting sport sport coming up is the men triathlon at the Olymoics.
Can the incredible Brownlee brothers from England be beaten? – Unlikely
Can the kiwi Beven Docherty cause an upset and take gold?- possibly
Can the South African Richard Murray get a medal-? Unlikely but if he is not too far behind after the swim and stay in touch on the bike he might be in with a shot as he is a blistering fast runner.
The race is going to be all out action, starting very soon and will be broadcasted live on SSHD4 in SA.
7 Aug 2012, 12:30 pm
@Puma-61:
I think it has to do with money mostly Puma.
We know even SA cant compete when comparing money earnt against the NH teams.
7 Aug 2012, 12:30 pm
Lots of discussion about player burnout etc, but isn’t it the ever increasing remuneration demands of the players that mostly drives the need for increased revenues? Increased revenues mostly come from playing more games, so how do you even contemplate expanding the competition and adding even more wage bills to the already huge pile whilst at the same time talk about reducing the number of games. Unless you have a magic wand it doesn’t work. Bottom line is that if the players want more money, they need to work harder or increase the value of what they produce. In todays world it is the ‘work harder’ that is required because there isn’t much more blood in the ‘value stone’.
7 Aug 2012, 12:31 pm
See Bulls have made a huge offer to Stormers Defence Coach Nienaber.
They seem to be on a huge buying spree of young talent too.
If Stormers lose their Defence Coach they could be in a bit of trouble next year.
7 Aug 2012, 12:33 pm
@Hurricane-51:
any and all low, cynical, dirty filthy play is condemned equally, hurri.
trouble is, its mostly you know who.
@cane-52:
thanks
but no thanks
caner
the love is not there
the honest kiwi rugby playing cupboard is bare
7 Aug 2012, 12:34 pm
@Robzim-63:
I find these type of events mesmerising.
Things don’t happen…………………….
They evolve.
The Women’s Marathon was like Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”.
7 Aug 2012, 12:34 pm
@Puma-66:
nothing to worry about…you guys still have Fleckie.
7 Aug 2012, 12:34 pm
@Puma-66:
He will most likely go. The bloke is also a qualified physiotherapist so they are getting 2 for the price of one (if he goes).
7 Aug 2012, 12:36 pm
@Robzim-70:
yes but you also have proudfoot who can play frontrow any time aswell.
7 Aug 2012, 12:36 pm
@Hurricane-58: if you finish 6th, a team better hope for a miracle and stop whinging that the format is flawed…the “flawed” format allowed the SIXTH best team after round robin to compete in the playoffs. suck it up and play well next year to be @ the top!
7 Aug 2012, 12:36 pm
@cane-68:
It’s my favourite events of the games, specially the triathlons. Lots can go wrong while it “evolves”.
7 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
@Hurricane-64: It has to do with money but some super talented youngsters have left too. It is a combined thing I think. Money for sure first and quite a lot will be wanting less travel and more time with their family. They can only get that in Europe or Japan I suppose. Here in the sh the travel takes the players away from their family for long periods of time. Rugby year here should be made shorter or much larger squads should be allowed.
7 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-67:
So you agree that constant offsides, pulling on the halfbacks arms and jersey while he does not have the ball, its in ruck is also dirty and filthy play?
7 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-71:
Brock is also very versatile. We are well covered.
7 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm
@Puma-66: It might also be the best thing
Without Nienaber (who leaves a wonderful legacy, and a fabulous system) the remaining coaches might be forced to focus on a few other facets of play…….
That said: The Bulls are ‘Illuminati-ing’ all of you. They are becoming Bok central, with Meyer calling the shots about what players, consultants, coaches etc the Bulls must contract. He wants the Bulls union to be BOK CENTRAL. This is his way of putting Bulls systems in place, that benefit the Boks by default. Pretoria – Bok central
Every future Bok resource is being draggd there.
Not paranoia @Gunther – watching it unfold before my eyes, and those who can’t see it, wellllll.
7 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@Transformation-72:
7 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@RL-62:
I never ever…………………………ever……………….. thought I would say this RL.
But Valerie was the best looking woman in that event.
By a country mile.
But the Woman from Belerus, she was The Champ. Also by a country mile.
7 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-71:
frontrow at an all you can eat buffet maybe
7 Aug 2012, 12:40 pm
@Robzim-70: Jeez those Bulls are buying up everything. Stormers will be in a bit of trouble without him.
In the Olympics can we pick up aonther medal? From anywhere? Someone said yesterday we had someone in the javlin but looked and no saffa there. Unless I missed the name. What about Caster you think she could pick up a medal in the 800m?
7 Aug 2012, 12:40 pm
@Puma-81: typo – another
7 Aug 2012, 12:40 pm
@Hurricane-75:
yes
still pales in comparison to you know who
7 Aug 2012, 12:41 pm
@Puma-82: and another….lol. javelin
7 Aug 2012, 12:42 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-77:
would you say the kiwis have benefited from a similar approach wrt the ab’s and crusaders over the years?
7 Aug 2012, 12:43 pm
@Puma-81: Sunette Viljoen should have just started the heats for javelin. She is the current world #1 – so should have a good chance for a medal
7 Aug 2012, 12:43 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-77:
just posing a devils avocado.
7 Aug 2012, 12:43 pm
@Bokhoring-86:
that is awesome to hear
i hope she gets one
7 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-83:
Ok so instead of bringing up all the kiwis as cheats and filthy…..well scum is the word you normally use. Would you say the Sharks cheated and are filthy as well and are they scum?
7 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-77: hehehe. Knew as I typed that you would ‘appear’ all of a sudden…..
It looks like he does want it to be ‘Bok Central’ ….. hahaha.
Good one, that was funny man…. lol.
7 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
@Puma-81:
I think we have chances in the woman’s javelin (Viljoen) , maybe the triathlon but I doubt, and certainly in the mountainbike cross country. Caster has not been on good form lately so i doubt whether she will get a medal but it is a possibility I guess.
7 Aug 2012, 12:45 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-77:
Its the free market baby.
Live and let live.
PS If Meyer wanted Nina then he’d sign him.
7 Aug 2012, 12:47 pm
@Bokhoring-86: Was looking for a womans name from sa. Saw nothing this morning. Katman said yesterday we have someone in the Javelin. Hope we pick up at least another medal.
7 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@Transformation-72:
Hey Transie,
because I know YOU CARE.
Total medals per million population Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
Medals Total Medals
/Million
1 Grenada 1 0 0 1 9.1734
2 Slovenia 1 1 2 4 2.0034
3 New Zealand 3 1 4 8 1.8485
4 Denmark 2 4 2 8 1.4431
5 Jamaica 2 1 1 4 1.3845
6 Australia 2 12 8 22 0.9993 .
.
.
..
52 South Africa 3 1 0 4 0.0819
53 Guatemala 0 1 0 1 0.0709
54 Spain 0 2 1 3 0.0638
55 Islamic Republic of Iran 2 1 1 4 0.0507
56 People’s Republic of China 31 19 14 64 0.0476
Another 3N Title for us humble Kiwi’s………………………………..maybe, maybe not. But probably.
7 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
@Hurricane-75:
i have said this before but will say it again. i hope this answers your questions:
@Te Rangatira-133:
again, thank you rangi.
you are a reasonable person to voice one’s opinions too. i may state them harshly, and do apologise for doing so, but this is the extent to which rugby in the super comp has been allowed to rot.
unfortunately, it is by and large the kiwi teams (mostly the chiefs & crusaders) who overwhelmingy seem to behave in this way. by this i mean they exhibit organised, well thought out and trained behaviour with regard to playing rugby in a negative, cynical, spoiling and illegal fashion for the purpose of gaining an advantage over any opposition.
the most cynical of the ozzies has of course been the reds, so add them to the pile.
illegal play in sa teams seems to mostly involve offsides at the present but is not showing signs of being well drilled into teams as it’s extent varies from game to game.
as for cheap shot late hits, head high tackles, holding on to players around rucks, pulling back, pulling jerseys, taking out player around the rucks who dont have the ball and are not yet part of the ruck too, targeting with scant regard of seriously injuring players, obstructive running, just plain obstructing without even forming part of a ‘running line play/movement’, blocking…. and so on…
i dont see it forming a major part of the sa teams behaviour or practise. they seem to be playing as hard and physically as humanly possible, but doing so within the spirit of the law. meaning hard but legal tackles, physical cleanouts of rucks and so forth.
sa teams are not being trained to cynically cheat and its costing them. of course to do so is contrary to the spirit of the game and needless to say illegal.
i can only hope this young bulls side will steel themselves over the coming seasons in order to negate these factors by way of a very physical approach.
this has worked for them in the past. the best way to disable this kind of play it seems is to just hammer it out of the teams who practise it.
well, either that or adopt a similar cynical attitude.
but like you say, it all come back to the refereeing officials and the standard of refereeing in the comp. if the judical/referees component of sanzar actually worked and was effective then these sort of trends would have been better managed and not allowed to develop to the extent that it has.
for me it sulllies the contest and the game, in the romantisised idealist instance somewhat. in the realist case i would at the least aprove of a level playing field with regard to unsporting behaviour, meaning that if nz rugby can be allowed to get away with it over other then others should be allowed to get away with it over nz too.
at least in this way rugby is the winner because then we can look back and say this or that team truly was the better. at the present its all rather hollow for the victors.
7 Aug 2012, 12:48 pm
Viljoen qualifies with her first throw.
7 Aug 2012, 12:49 pm
When Super rugby started out the main attraction was that the best teams from SA would get to play the best teams from NZ and Australia. It was exciting to watch “your” team slug it out with their Kiwi and Wallabie counterparts. We already had a competition where the local teams had a go at other every year.
Now Super rugby has morphed into a behemoth whereyou will have to watch “your” team play the other local teams every other weekend. What is so exciting about that? We already have the Currie Cup where we can do this to our hearts content.
Please SANZAR, sit down and review this monstrosity you have created. Streamline it, cut down on the number of games please.
This year I have actually missed games that I did not feel like watching, it is just too much rugby.
7 Aug 2012, 12:50 pm
South African Murray 1.15 behind leader after the 1500 meter swim- not too bad, bike will be vital for him to try and catch up.
7 Aug 2012, 12:50 pm
@Robzim-91: Will take note to watch. Just hope we pick up another medal. That would take us to 5 medals if we do. Or more if we get another.
7 Aug 2012, 12:51 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-96:
vat so..!!!
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