Get ready for Super Rugby’s expansion
13 Feb 2013
Super Rugby will expand to include the Lions and Kings in SANZAR’s next broadcasting deal.
Australia won’t oppose any expansion as long as they continue to have their local derbies and the Australia Conference is strengthened by way of a possible addition from Japan.
South Africa has pushed for the Kings and Lions to be accommodated in a tournament that then services all six South African regions.
New Zealand is unlikely to want to add to their five regions but it is not out of the question, with the New Zealand RFU chief executive Steve Tew insistent that New Zealand’s only reservation would be around the playing demands on their players and also the make up of the Conference system.
New Zealand currently plays 20 derby matches and hosts 40 games in a Super Rugby season. It is anticipated that if the expansion happens it will be to Super 18 with the additional South African team, one from Japan and one from Argentina adding to the compliment.
Local derbies would remain a priority but you could find a team like the Kings playing in the Australian/New Zealand Conference and a team from Japan possibly playing in the Australian Conference/New Zealand with one from Argentina added to the South African Conference.
‘The only thing we are adamant about is that we don’t want any more rugby for our guys. We think our guys have got enough on their plates as it is. So we have to manage their workload,’ Tew told the Kiwi media.
‘But we have an open mind … nothing has been ruled out, but nothing is definite. We have to look after our players. One is that the workload doesn’t increase, two is that we don’t do anything to devalue the commercial strength of our competitions and, thirdly, they have to remain sufficiently competitive.
‘We don’t want a structure that compromises what we believe is the most competitive competition of its type in the world.’
The new format would be confirmed well in advance of it actually happening.
By Mark Keohane
110 Comments
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13 Feb 2013, 12:40 pm
@The Rangerman-49:
Start the year with the CC.
Then Group phases of the international comp.
Stop for the international window.
Then play semis and finals. Maybe in one country on a rotational basis.
Then the Rugby Championship.
Then a break.
Then the EOYT.
13 Feb 2013, 12:42 pm
@Stawm-46: nah not you.
@Stawm-47: ja, me too. friday nights and sat the whole day.
now i seriously only watch if there is nothing else to do.
unless its the sharks of course.
thing is that i love rugby, all styles, played in all conditions. but i dont appreciate poor skills and manafactured rivalries.
13 Feb 2013, 12:42 pm
@ Rangerman
Have you seen that movie Sanctum? Scary stuff,based on a true story,made me gain a lotta respect for divers!
13 Feb 2013, 12:43 pm
Didn’t I already tell you that money is the root cause of all evil in sport…
now it gonna bite yourass.. money is gonna bite its own arse and kill itself dead…
in short this short term outlook of mercenary money making marauding mayhem called ‘professionalism’ in sport sucks..
its already a big sham showbiz bullshit story and its getting worse.. there is not one decent sport left in the world untainted by money.. boxers getting bought.. cricketers getting bought.. rugby players getting bought.. soccer player the great prima donnas of showbizness … cyclists and athletes riddled with uppers and blood oxygen masking agents
professional sport SUCKS.. bring back what sport was designed around when sport was supposed to enlighten and uplift the soul of man as a means to a engender a spirit of competitive appreciation for athletic prowess and strength and endurance..
man’s greed will destroy everything ever worthwhile in the aspirations of men.
13 Feb 2013, 12:46 pm
Oh no, why did I have to see this article? Bakkies, do not read it, it may be harmful to your health.
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/boxing/i-was-offered-cash-to-throw-sbw-fight-1.1469221#.URttOB2LCJc
13 Feb 2013, 12:47 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-50: they arent listening and dont care bud.
they have the idea that they have a monopoly on the SH rugby viewing and so they can force feed us a k u k product and we have no choice.
a mistake made by far sharper people than this bunch of greedy clowns.
13 Feb 2013, 12:49 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-55: P.S. Interesting to note the poll results (down near the bottom of the article).
But nobody tell Pops, please!
13 Feb 2013, 12:51 pm
@gunther-51: eish man, thats so convoluted and rowded though?
what about starting with superrugby, a 12 team format. 13 weeks long and its done.
then cc (two tier,8 and 6 teams) til the RC which is biennial (rugby tours every other year) and then the autumn internationals.
13 Feb 2013, 12:51 pm
@The Rangerman-56: Yeah, you’re right about them suits & ponytails (TV broadcasters).
13 Feb 2013, 12:55 pm
a new Guppy supporting scribe for Keo, RichFerg…
Mark Keohane
@ mark_keohane
24h
Welcome to Richard Ferguson who
will be writing daily news stories on
Keo.co.za . Richard also runs
@sharksworld Many talents
13 Feb 2013, 12:55 pm
@Rage-53: i havent, is it about saturation divers like the guys working on rigs?
have a few buddies in that industry.
i freedive though, no bubbleblowing. must be very dissapointing to the bubbleblowers at sodwana when me and my buddies dive 20m onto the reef with them haha (without guns, safety first).
13 Feb 2013, 13:00 pm
@Transformation-60:
I thought sharksworld was the place where you weren’t allowed to mention Keo?
I guess you certainly won’t now.
13 Feb 2013, 13:01 pm
@Transformation-60:
Welcome Rich.
He’s sure to be less one eyed than Cardinelli anyway.
13 Feb 2013, 13:02 pm
I really do think SANZAR is trying to kill their rugby players, with all this rugby!! They have to think about travelling through time zones, the SH is not europe!!
Realistically they should go to a S18 comp, remove the conferences, have 2 groups of 9 teams with the top 2/4 going through to the playoffs. The bottom 4 teams in one group change with the top 4/5 in the opposite group and vice versa each year.
13 Feb 2013, 13:05 pm
@race of tan-64: i think the conferences are sh i t though.
once again, you will end up with mismatches and only play certain teams in certain years.
nah, s12 all play all was best.
13 Feb 2013, 13:07 pm
****. How about Super 100?
Games I have always enjoyed the most are Kiwi teams touring in South Africa, clash of the systems in hostile environment – not derbies. Seems like they will become even more rare while derbies all the time.
13 Feb 2013, 13:09 pm
@skopdiekan-54: you are insane if you think sport has EVER been truly amateur.
from “gifts” to jobs to favours etc etc, sportsmen and woman have always received something for their exploits if they have stood out from the crowd.
additionally how does an amateur take half his year out from work to play rugby?
not realistic old timer sorry.
13 Feb 2013, 13:12 pm
I mentioned it before but my suggestion is that the rugby is managed on a four-year cycle, with elements of all competitions in each year but with a different focus every year:
Y1: Super Rugby (15+ teams and everyone plays everyone else at least once)
Y2: Tours (Lions Tour); Domestic Competition
Y3: 4Nations (include games against the super franchises)
Y4 World Cup
13 Feb 2013, 13:13 pm
@The Rangerman-58: Exactly. No more bonus point donors, no crowding schedule and folks will eagerly await every game.
Nah, it won’t happen though, “more (bigger) is better” is motto these days. I guess even Coke and beer tasted better 20 years ago.
13 Feb 2013, 13:14 pm
@polaris-66:
Agreed.
Watching the cheetahs play the lions for the second time in a season is about as much fun as a DIY vasectomy with a pair of pliers and a monkeywrench.
The fact is this new format is 80% bubblegum and only 20% tits out.
That needs to change.
13 Feb 2013, 13:14 pm
@Transformation-60: How the hell did you manage to vote 59 times on the poll
13 Feb 2013, 13:20 pm
@polaris-69: ja, will never happen sadly
13 Feb 2013, 13:20 pm
The Sharks
1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Craig Burden
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Anton Bresler
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Jacques Botes
7. Jean Deysel
8. Lubabalo Mtembu
9. Cobus Reinach
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Francois Steyn ( C )
13. Paul Jordaan
14. JP Pietersen
15. Louis Ludik
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Allan Dell
18. Wiehahn Herbst
19. Pieter-Steph du Toit
20. Francois Kleinhans
21. Charl McLeod
22. Meyer Bosman
23. Odwa Ndungane
24. Riaan Viljoen
13 Feb 2013, 13:30 pm
@grant10-73:
Much stronger side.
Pretty much in line with what I thought the lineup was going to look like.
Alberts still has a shoulder niggle. Coetzee took a bump last week so not considered.
Kanko apparently needs another week for strength and conditioning. Feel sorry for him, Mark Steele is going to be ruthless.
13 Feb 2013, 13:51 pm
I dont understand the noise coming out of RSA about not wanting derby games yet want their CC. surely when RSA gets their sixth super franchise that is fullfilling the provincial requirements and now RSA can amalgamate the top tier CC and super games. that will be strength vs strength.
who wants to watch Boland vs Blue bulls or Leopards vs province…sounds like the current CC format is being kept for keeps sakes yet maybe it is time to drop those excess games.
13 Feb 2013, 13:54 pm
@John Galt-74: well Kanko chose to line his pockets instead of playing for boks……now the poor bugger gone soft….
He was on fire last month of superrugby….hope he finds his mojo quickly, especially with Keegan out.
13 Feb 2013, 13:56 pm
Ok so who cockedup the formatting by not closing their italics block???
The formatting police are gonna getcha!
13 Feb 2013, 13:56 pm
@RL-9:
that wish has been going on for 12 years now…whats not happened and why?
13 Feb 2013, 14:03 pm
@wallabie.-75:
It would exclude Griquas as a separate entity, but I agree that the 2 competitions should be combined. Four matches between 2 teams per year is too much, plus whoever meets in the CC semis and final plus the Super playoffs.
13 Feb 2013, 14:07 pm
@David-79:
very true and can see why the derby games in RSA is over kill. There is a lot of history in Griqua rugby but is this the team that a hard decision needs to be made?
13 Feb 2013, 14:32 pm
Not going to happen…
13 Feb 2013, 14:35 pm
@bryce_in_oz-81:
If this goes through the S16 will be the new CC and the CC the VC… pretty much the way it should be now…
Currie Cup title with no Boks and against several shite teams outside of the big 5… or Super conference with the best RSA offers both home and away… hmmm… not rocket science…
13 Feb 2013, 14:35 pm
@wallabie.-80:
I think I’d separate the franchises and their players from the CC and combine the CC and Vodacom into one competition. Let the conference be the main domestic competition and promote it as such.
As for Keos suggestion that the 6th SA team play in the Australian conference, it’s a bit silly. If NZ or Oz don’t want a 6th side, let the Argies play in NZ and Japan in Oz.
13 Feb 2013, 14:38 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-33: I’m not sure but it’s probably because the country is so big, the number of player so small, and the players concentrated in Sydney and Brisbane. Perth and Melbourne would struggle to field a team and would spend half their time multiple time zones away.
We’re very proud of our NPC in NZ but it’s half bankrupt so hardly a model for the Aussies to aspire to
13 Feb 2013, 14:59 pm
@gonzo-84:
I’m pretty certain that the Super competition is also responsible for the demise of the NPC.
13 Feb 2013, 15:14 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-33:
They do… it’s called the Super Rugby conference…
13 Feb 2013, 15:15 pm
@ 61 Rangerman
Its about cave diving…cant imagine anything scarier than being stuck underground surrounded by nothing but water.I did a bit of snorkelling when I was in high school so that’s something I’d like to take up again…freediving sounds pretty cool too.Im in the Mossel Bay area so plenty of oppurtunities for me to get back into the waters and enjoy the ocean!
13 Feb 2013, 16:30 pm
this will do nothing good for the game or keep interest of fans in this
competition.
team from Japan?
a joke. I cannot see this happening because of travel involved and there is far too much rugby already
Bring back full tours by international sides. cut back on Super rugby
13 Feb 2013, 16:40 pm
@wallabie.-80: the currie cup has its place and it has a dollar value of about $80 millon over 4 or 5 years. Why would we want to kill our domestic and feeder competition?
13 Feb 2013, 16:55 pm
@RL-89:
i certainly enjoyed last seasons CC, right up until the semis.
13 Feb 2013, 17:11 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-90: I too enjoyed it. Compared to superrugby having to wake up early in the morning and to listen to kiwis talk kak about your team – then smacking yourself over the hands when you tune into a convict match accidently – breaking your osssie rugby boycott.
Give me Saturdat afternoon and evening currie cuprugby any time.
13 Feb 2013, 17:13 pm
- Further diluting the competition
- Increase in empty seats which is already an embarresment
- The increase in traveling cost will result in further introduction of inadequate referees, further deop in the SR quality
And all that what for?
We were OK with the Super 10, the Super 12 seemed artificially expansion but tolerated, still, the Super 14 was a farce and the SR15 is already 60% unwatchable
13 Feb 2013, 17:15 pm
I personally think the long term trend in world rugby is going to be a CLUB based game. The nationalism is going to be ended by pro rugby.
See the advent of Superrugby and Heineken Cup in NH.
13 Feb 2013, 17:16 pm
But if there is no Province, who am I going to hate then? lol
13 Feb 2013, 17:36 pm
@Hondo-92:
“- Increase in empty seats which is already an embarresment”
Do you see the irony.
13 Feb 2013, 17:47 pm
@RL-91:
couldn’t have said it better.
in addition to them talking kak about our teams the way they crow about their own and how some players are ‘really just playing on the very edge of the laws’ which is why its ‘all good folks’ is larfable.
who believes s.hit like that.
13 Feb 2013, 17:56 pm
@RL-95:
Sure, it’s done on purpose to press the point in
Saying ‘further decrease in match attendance’ won’t cut it in
13 Feb 2013, 20:10 pm
For the first time ever I agree with Hondo…post 92
13 Feb 2013, 20:58 pm
RL
you only want CC because your leeu-sers couldn’t compete at super level
Bakkies
I agree, it’s about time we got rid of the useless saffa teams, they have brought the standard way down.
13 Feb 2013, 21:02 pm
SA rugby should go back to isolation
lts at the same standard and will save us from having to listen to the tears of people like Bakkies.
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