0
Top-four finals a step backwards: Brumbies boss
John-Paul Moloney, Canberra Times
October 30, 2008 - 11:58AM
The ACT Brumbies have called for a new independent body to administer the Super 14 and Tri Nations competitions after SANZAR's shock decision to abandon a top-six finals format for next year's Super 14.
South Africa, New Zealand and Australian rugby unions had agreed at a meeting in Perth mid-year to expand the finals series from four teams to six as a precursor to a competition expansion in 2010. But when it came to determining the finals format, negotiations broke down on Tuesday.
South Africa wanted a conference system to be used, which would have guaranteed a team from each nation hosted a final, regardless of their table ranking.
Australia and New Zealand stood against the plan, insisting on a traditional format of best ranked teams making up the finals. Since the SANZAR partnership model requires unanimous agreement, any decisions that don't revert to the status quo.
Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said the "retrograde" decision highlighted the shortcomings of the governance model.
"This shows how ineffective it is. While all of us wanted a six-team series, the failure to agree on it means we've effectively taken a step backwards," Fagan said.
"The sooner we move to an administration that is free of local interference the better. "
We need an administration like the NRL and the AFL, where clubs' interests are taken on board and then an administration has the authority to make decisions."
The expansion to a six-team finals series was seen as a way of reinvigorating the competition, which has suffered from declining crowd and TV audience figures.
The most obvious problem with the four-team format was that it left the large majority of teams out of contention, including in some cases the form teams in the competition. In 2005, 2006 and 2007 the Brumbies finished fifth, sixth and fifth respectively.
Fagan said SANZAR's decision kept the development of the competition at a standstill until 2010, when the new format should be adopted.
"When the decision was made in July, it was received positively by rugby followers because the benefits are quite clear. It keeps supporters interested for longer, gives another team a chance to host a final and that has financial benefits too."
While the Super 14 finals decision will infuriate Australia and New Zealand, they reaped the benefit of another failure to reach agreement.
Australia and New Zealand had wanted to continue with the same Experimental Law Variations next season, in which referees award free kicks for most infringements, whereas South Africa wanted to adopt the long-arm penalty set being trialled in the northern hemisphere.
In a statement about the decision, acting managing director of SA Rugby and SANZAR Andy Marinos said, "The ELVs as applied in the Tri Nations will continue into the 2009 SANZAR competitions. We're smart enough and professional enough as rugby nations to adapt where we have to."
Reply With Quote
