Had the guts to say what others are afraid to: Cheika nailed it in his steps required

[shasta]

I've noticed a growing number of press articles bemoaning how shit we are ATM, including the entirely predictable Kiwi claims that the AB's are starting to head the same way because of us, or that the Lions should abandon Oz next year in favour of ZA again.

There's no denying the truth of our current standard & it's all starting to grind. I'm thinking that a National Rugby Championship could be preferable. If broadcast dollars are feasible. I actually reckon there might just be more punters interested in that than the current SR format, despite the modest improvement in results last season. I get the feeling we'd not suffer too much financially when you consider the entirely bleak outlook for SR finances looking ahead.

[AndyS]

I've noticed a growing number of press articles bemoaning how shit we are ATM...
I'm thinking that a National Rugby Championship could be preferable....we'd not suffer too much financially

Don't fall into the trap of conflating two issues. Whether or not reducing Australian rugby to an NRC standard is financially feasible (and I'd be dubious given the massive increase in overheads), there is no way it will improve the Wallabies or make touring here attractive for anyone.

[shasta]

Don't fall into the trap of conflating two issues. Whether or not reducing Australian rugby to an NRC standard is financially feasible (and I'd be dubious given the massive increase in overheads), there is no way it will improve the Wallabies or make touring here attractive for anyone.

I get your point Andy. I'm not talking about a glorified Shite Shield. More along the lines of what was Super AU. At some point we have to accept that SR is not improving things . When ZA & NZ bail on TRC we will need to come up with alternatives in any event.

[Burgs]

SR is not improving things, or SR and then no NPC/Curry Cup is not improving things?
NZ and SA have a full season of competitive matches.
I don't believe there is a problem with SR per se, it is what is missing around that pathway that is the problem.

I did write it up recently, can't remember the thread now but I don't think anyone bit, about a hybrid between some Provincial and some Sydney and Brisbane clubs.

We are stuck in a perpetual scenario of-
1. Sydney thinking the world stops at the foothills and Shute being the premo Australian product
2. Brisbane being less parochial, so long as they are treated equally to Sydney
3. Canberra being in no position to negotiate, but happy to have relevance
4. Melbourne being filthy as f*ck and desperate to have relevance
5. And us stuck a few hours flight away.

I think last year I said GRR should be revived and run with a Penrith, Canberra and Melbourne inclusion and leave the "big two" to it.
You could make that an Under 25 (for example, pick an age) and run either following SR or throughout.
In this "throughout" scenario Perth (and Canberra) would have an extended Squad covering SR/Test and "GRR"/Academy, while Melbourne would build at GRR level for whatever comes next.

Regardless, every Aus v Aus SR fixture should have an Academy/U19 undercard to be building depth for U20 Aus selection. To be putting the money into these young men without getting any match time into them (unless thrown to the wolves in SR) is absolutely ridiculous!

[shasta]

Among all the things you list there Burgs, the most important is game time. A Super AU with full home & away is ideal if the dollars can be found. NPC and Currie Cup is what we just have never had. The benefits of those are absolutely proven. If we have to take a sideways step for a while so be it.
However if the Moore Park clown show think a national club comp is the answer, and get teir way, then I think the game is heading back to the ameteur days. Worse things have happened I suppose.

[bootsetal06]

IMHO ….. SR is too short to prepare for Test Rugby . A second tier comp ( GRR as mentioned is an option) is essential.
Someone mentioned that 160 Australian players are overseas… that’s almost 7 match day squads….if we want to compete we have to somehow use those resources…. Rassie turned the Springboks from whipping boys into double World Cup winners when he was given Carte Blanche by SARU
Will RA in their champagne glass house take the initiative….. probably not

[GIGS20]

Among all the things you list there Burgs, the most important is game time. A Super AU with full home & away is ideal if the dollars can be found. NPC and Currie Cup is what we just have never had. The benefits of those are absolutely proven. If we have to take a sideways step for a while so be it.
However if the Moore Park clown show think a national club comp is the answer, and get teir way, then I think the game is heading back to the ameteur days. Worse things have happened I suppose.

I think that last sentence is my biggest concern with any suggestion that we dump Super Rugby. The loudest voices in that camp are Sydney club muppets who will swing it all about simply so they can say Randwick (or Eastwood, or Uni, or Gordon) are the pinnacle of rugby in Australia. They don't give a tinker's cuss that the pinnacle is 10% of what the pinnacle used to be.

[chibi]

The plot thickens...

South Africa and Italy clubs snubbed in new URC-Premiership merger talks as British & Irish League favoured

South Africa and Italy are reportedly being excluded from the plans to merge the United Rugby Championship and Premiership in a new British and Irish League.

According to a report by Telegraph Sport, a proposal for a merger between the Premiership and the United Rugby Championship is being explored by the respective tournament organisers.

British and Irish League
The move from Home Nations – England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – to create a new league is understood be centred around increasing the value of future broadcasting deals.

According to the publication, a proposal for an Anglo-Welsh League was also tabled as the Premiership looks to fill the fixture voids created by the collapse of London Irish, Worcester Warriors and Wasps.

The idea of an Anglo-Welsh League has been touted for several years now with many Wales fans unhappy with their teams featuring in the PRO12, PRO14 and URC competitions. However, the report states that the British and Irish League option is said to have attracted the most interest from the Premiership board.

This is due to the fact that it would garner the most commercial value but it would be the most complicated to achieve.

A British and Irish League would potentially feature 17 teams with another likely to be added to make it an even number.

Breakdown of the teams
English clubs: Bath, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Falcons, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks, and Saracens – possibly Ealing Trailfinders.
Irish clubs: Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster
Scottish clubs: Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors
Welsh clubs: Dragons, Ospreys, and Scarlets

South Africa and Italy excluded
Discussions over the possibility of a British and Irish league reportedly took place during the Rugby World Cup last year and have now resumed with exploratory work undertaken to determine whether the concept is viable both from a commercial and sporting perspective.

The findings were outlined to the Premiership clubs before the board meeting this week but the report adds that Premiership Rugby would only consider making any changes “if there was a guarantee of a significant uplift in revenues.”

A Home Nations merger of club competitions would leave Italian and South African clubs without international tournaments to participate in.

The Bulls, Lions, Stormers and Sharks joined the Irish, Italian, Scottish and Welsh teams to form the URC in 2021 following their departure from Super Rugby.

If the merger were to happen it is unclear what the South African clubs would turn to next with a return to Super Rugby unlikely. Perhaps SA Rugby would look to rebuild the Currie Cup and extend the tournament to cover more of the calendar year. This would however leave them without any international opponents unless they invited teams from the likes of Japan or Argentina.

As for Italy, they may also look more locally or even perhaps explore the option of Zebre and Benetton joining the French Rugby pyramid.

While there may be interest in completing the merger, the URC has enjoyed a major boost in viewership and attendance since the addition of the South Africa teams.

The league set new attendance and broadcasting records with an audience figure of 47.7 million in the 2023/24 season shattering the previous high mark of 37.4 million set in 2023.

Meanwhile over one million fans tuned in for the final between the Bulls and Glasgow Warriors.

Jared Wright 11 hours ago