SA to push for bigger Super Rugby
24 Jan 2013
MARK KEOHANE writes South Africa will this year support an expanded Super Rugby competition to accommodate the Kings and Lions. But Pacific Island teams will again miss out.
Any expansion can only happen in 2016 but take it as a given Super Rugby will comprise more teams, but they won’t feature teams from the Pacific Islands because there is no financial gain to be made.
Sanzar CEO Greg Peters told the media Sanzar’s three partners Australia, New Zealand and South Africa would make the decision to expand or not later in 2013.
Argentina, Canada, Japan and the United States are seen as the primary targets. Japan because of the cash cow it promises to be, Argentina as a commitment to the expanded Rugby Championship that featured the Pumas for the first time and Canada and the United States because they are seen as potential cash cows, especially the United States. The word is to have one team from each of those countries.
It is one of the reasons Canada and the United States will play in the Pacific Nations Cup, which again shows how poorly the Island representation of Tonga, Fiji and Samoa are treated within Sanzar.
South Africa has always been seen as the big brother to Samoa in terms of value attributed to playing against Samoa and giving the country’s rugby side as much playing opportunity as possible.
New Zealand and Australia do nothing to promote the virtues of any of the Island teams because financially they offer nothing in terms of broadcasting deals.
‘We are considering whether or not we will include new territories in Super Rugby and one of the factors we’ll be weighing up is their [Canada and United States] competitiveness,’ Peters told The Australian.
‘Super Rugby in its present form is a pretty successful model … and we are not going to water it down. But we’d be derelict in our duty if we didn’t consider expanding into areas. The United States is a very big market and so is Japan and Asia generally. Ultimately it all comes down to what is in the best interests of the three Sanzar parties.’
Peters said player welfare would be a consideration but an expanded competition may allow for the tournament to be split into two pools of 10 teams each, although Australia will definitely not want to lose the conference system and the double-header local derbies. It is proving massive in Australia and the current format gives Australia everything it has wanted in a rugby union tournament that competes with the AFL (Aussie rules) and rugby league’s NRL.
Television audience figures and match attendance were highest in Australian Super Rugby for derby matches and because Australia has no provincial domestic competition Super Rugby doubles as their domestic competition. Just how South Africa and New Zealand agreed to give up so much for Australia to have so much gain is a question that can never be answered by those who did the surrender. If it could they would not have done so.
Ideally South Africa should be playing in a Super Rugby tournament with the best from England and France. Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and Japan should have their own Super Rugby tournament. Geographically that makes more sense, but the Celtic nations (Scotland, Ireland and Wales) remain the stumbling block to any South African participation in Europe.
New Zealand knows it can’t do justice to more than five teams, Australia is at its maximum and South Africa’s only need is to ease the political tensions and have all six regions represented. Then it is a matter of which new territories can make the existing Sanzar partners the biggest financial net gain.
Sanzar’s counter argument to the Pacific Islands is that it is the responsibility of the IRB to develop those countries. I don’t buy it, but then Sanzar has never been big on a purchase of morality.
540 Comments
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24 Jan 2013, 09:32 am
@Te Rangatira-80:
which would make him, and sa, the big brothers of nz and aus…
that’s what makes many saffas so irate i guess… big brother getting beaten up by little brother too often… it’s not the natural order of things… but big brother will get his head together and not worry about putting a beating on little brother and restore the natural order of rugby again…
it is coming…
comprende…?
24 Jan 2013, 09:32 am
@NZINCHINA-97:
Highlanders beat the Stormers in a semi-final in Cape Town in 1998 (?) I believe.
24 Jan 2013, 09:33 am
@Te Rangatira-80:
no, my point is your kak teams best performances are still mid to bottom of the table, ever.
24 Jan 2013, 09:33 am
yep. landers lost to the saders if memories correct in the final. Tony Brown was their 1st five
24 Jan 2013, 09:34 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-98:
OH no i have seen how you guys treat the lions….no respect .
In fact there is no debate which i can see.
If you had a point to anything then maybe but you have blabbed a lot of nothings really…..no debate
24 Jan 2013, 09:35 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-103:
and yet you have most of the time 4 teams in the same area… in fact you guys have taken the most last places than anyone….. super rugby and tri nations.
24 Jan 2013, 09:36 am
@PissAnt-102:
Cheers my memory is fading but a good effort then to have all 5 teams in the final.
24 Jan 2013, 09:37 am
@Hurricane-106:
More than Australia?
24 Jan 2013, 09:37 am
@NZINCHINA-107:
strange….bakkies stats beg to differ
24 Jan 2013, 09:37 am
@the curse-94:
that is true…
(your second para)
24 Jan 2013, 09:38 am
@NZINCHINA-108:
in what? 3nations?
24 Jan 2013, 09:39 am
@Hurricane-109:
Would seem so, who can provide us a post of the wooden spooners since 96′ for super and tri nations, it would be interesting to see.
24 Jan 2013, 09:40 am
@Hurricane-111:
Both was a little surprised I thought the Aussies would have the most
24 Jan 2013, 09:43 am
@the curse-73: SA can’t compete against the big boys?
The facts disagree with your scewed fanboy oppinion.
Six years and three SAFFA Super rugby winners. All of them before the current conference system.
24 Jan 2013, 09:43 am
@John Galt-55: it is not just Bafana Bafana.
Soccer is a prima donna sport. Period.
It is part sport, part skill, part ingrained cheating, part showboating, part dramatic acting …
Yet it remains entertaining
Go Bafana Bafana
24 Jan 2013, 09:45 am
@goodstuff-114:
That was a very good effort for sure, but you’d have to admit she was pretty lean for the other 14 years.
24 Jan 2013, 09:46 am
keo just trying to ramp up hits
Samoa was a state of NZ after the war, until they gained independence
the relationship between the two countries is built on more than just poaching
200000 Samoans approx have emigrated to NZ from Samoa
approx 30 of that number have represented the ABs
many more kiwi born of Samoan heritage have represented their country of birth
so funny
lets not mention SA raping Zimbabwe for all their rugby talent though, it’s somehow different if thy are seeking a better life for their families, unlike the Samoans who move to NZ for similar reasons
the fact so many around te world club to the whole poaching debacle is hilarious, an shows how closes minds they really are
jut another excuse I explain 12 wins in 20 years against the pacific islands of NZ
lmfao
travel disadvantage has gone as shown by the ABs going to Argentina and then SA and whipping both sides
guess the “truthers” are really clutching now
24 Jan 2013, 09:46 am
@Heavens Game-83:
abso(FARKING)lutely HG
couldn’t agree more
we are closer to the europeans than we are the anzacs.
we could continue playing them in tests but for the rest, i say scrap it.
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-91:
ok, so 5 or 6 wins out of 13/16 every year counts for competitive?
you use a lot of words to say a little, Pedigree.
24 Jan 2013, 09:50 am
@NZINCHINA-113:
Ozzie = 3 times last in super rugby table
SA = 12 times last in super rugby table
NZ= 2 times.
24 Jan 2013, 09:50 am
@the curse-117:
The KEO punters were picking the black machine to fade in the second half at Soccer City due to travel and altitude, they actually went up a gear. The old travel excuse just died in the arse.
24 Jan 2013, 09:51 am
@ufo-101:
hehe…I comprende Ufo…I wish only the best for you…
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-103:
The reason for this is the abnormal strength of the Nz Conference….getting it..
24 Jan 2013, 09:51 am
@Hurricane-119:
Thanks Hurri, Bakkies dear oh dear .
24 Jan 2013, 09:55 am
@ufo-101:
hehe
normally the little/young brother is spoilt by the parents……. IRB loves us
24 Jan 2013, 09:57 am
@the curse-100:
Kia ora Bro…fark….I was wondering when Keo will post an article where we could have some fun on…Anyways, you been living it up in Oz…
24 Jan 2013, 10:03 am
@Te Rangatira-121:
hehehe…
@Hurricane-123:
never a truer word spoken in jest…!!
24 Jan 2013, 10:05 am
@NZINCHINA-120:
Yes China…don’t want to hear of the sad travel excuse…the Abs buried that one at that Glorious stadium….didn’t Retallick outplay the hyped Estebeth, hes an Ab first timer and he made a mockery of the travel excuse…
24 Jan 2013, 10:07 am
@NZINCHINA-122:
And just as funny….
Out of 17 years of super rugby….Hurricanes have finished higher than the bulls in 9 of those years….lol Bakkies is full of it.
24 Jan 2013, 10:08 am
TR
yeah bro. weather has been awesome, looking forward to the rugby kicking of
we must excuse our saffa brothers and their ignorance
the emasculation over the last twenty years is mind farking them, they realise they are just also rans in rugby terms
there whole best in the world theory was built on their cheating ways over the first 70 years until isolation
playing in their country most of the time, not allowing a team to bring their best players, Afrikaans speaking refs etc
the cold hard reality of truth as evidenced since the early 90s is only sinking in now
and like a wounded animal backed into a corner, they lash out blaming anything except the real reason
they are just not good enough
24 Jan 2013, 10:08 am
@Te Rangatira-126:
It was certainly a fine example of a very professional, well conditioned, well managed team knowing what exactly what they needed to do months in advance and being superbly prepared for it.
24 Jan 2013, 10:13 am
@PissAnt-89: the voice of reason. I do not want to watch my Lions playing in Houston or Nagasaki or Chongqing. Give me one time zone from 3pm until 10pm for me to watch all matches.
This Jurie Roux oke better be awake.
24 Jan 2013, 10:15 am
@Hurricane-127:
To his credit he keeps coming back for more, it’s going to be real sweet when my Blues demolish the Bully boys at the garden of Eden in a few weeks time, old Bakkies has already written the excuse list for that one.
24 Jan 2013, 10:16 am
@the curse-128:
You seem to have it worked out there…Pops. The funny thing is there are some here on Keo that could turn the Bok into world beaters….only thing they happen to be Nzers and Sa Blues supporters (as their second choice)
24 Jan 2013, 10:17 am
@RL-130:
Chongqing mega city 35 million people and virtually unknown outside of China, it would be a superb venue for a Crusaders Sharks international rematch.
24 Jan 2013, 10:20 am
haha
these Kiwis are so full of themselves
either your team is a winner or it ain’t
TWO NZ teams have won 10 of the 11 titles ALL NZ teams have competed for
since forever
its basic guys… basics…
out of FIVE NZ teams at best ONE OR TWO are competitive and likely champs
for the rest, as my man Ricky Bobby would say…
24 Jan 2013, 10:20 am
do the lions still play rugby?
hahahaha
what are the time zones like with Russia and SA?
TR
you can only help people that want to help themselves. As Mitch proved with the lions, they’re not prepared to do the real hard yards and as such their results will stay the same
NZs dominance over SA is built on superior fitness, their big men just can’t maintain the pace over 80 minutes. Soccer city the prime example.
24 Jan 2013, 10:21 am
@PissAnt-89:
from my heart, i sincerely believe this is better for SA rugby.
on so, so many levels.
24 Jan 2013, 10:24 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-136:
It couldn’t be any worse on the trophy front for you
24 Jan 2013, 10:24 am
@RL-130:
am all for it, RL
would prefer competition for whom you do not have to continually rewrite the rules of the game (2010 to 2012 a prime example).
24 Jan 2013, 10:25 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-134:
so how many SA teams have one the super rugby title again?
You are as thick as a brick.
3 NZ teams have won it.
1 SA team has won it…….
Your Bulls team is a 5 year wonder….the other 12 years was average to pathetic.
NOw off you go.
24 Jan 2013, 10:25 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-136:
It’s difficult. There is massive value for SA players to continually play against the best of Oz and NZ. But this will ultimately be the best route to follow considering self-preservation in the game for SA.
24 Jan 2013, 10:25 am
@the curse-135:
Yep…that is the true essence of Nz success…Superior fitness…it is that simple.
24 Jan 2013, 10:26 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-138:
would prefer competition = would prefer competitors
24 Jan 2013, 10:26 am
@Te Rangatira-141:
And skill levels
24 Jan 2013, 10:27 am
@NZINCHINA-133: china – don’t care if kiwis and cons can play superrugby in china’s mega cities, just don’t want our teams going there and everywhere. Our involvment in superrugby has to come to its natural end.
24 Jan 2013, 10:29 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-138:
lol
Rules changes…travel…. stadiums….cheating…..refs……. the list goes on.
24 Jan 2013, 10:31 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-136:
hehe…the Poms will be very stringent in their testing Houston…thats a good thing.
24 Jan 2013, 10:31 am
ok i am out.
Going to have to leave as it is getting a wee bit embarrassing for Bakkies and i just cannot watch no longer.
24 Jan 2013, 10:31 am
@RL-144:
But flying all the way to Europe will be fine, tell me if you’d had as much success as NZ in the comp would you still want to pull out?
24 Jan 2013, 10:33 am
@NZINCHINA-143:
Just comes naturally China…
24 Jan 2013, 10:34 am
I’m out as well – cheers.
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