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http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/how...x-super-rugby/
Interesting take on things from NICK WASILIEV over at GNGRugby.
I think that the format is the main issue. Probably logistics/Travel might be an issue but what about every team plays every other team once like it used to be, this way no one can say that some teams have been advantaged by playing easier opposition teams. I am not sure that local derbies attract more supporters, I prefer watching teams from other countries.
I think it's the ridiculously unfair four conference system that virtually guarantees a semi final spot to a South African team and also causes some insane travel scheduling. It has produced a confusing dog's breakfast of a competition.
I would retain the 18 teams, because player depth is, in many ways, a temporary issue and those who are looking to address the imbalance are still looking too short term.
The Force are only now beginning to produce high quality players from the local competition, 11 years after their inception. The Rebels have another five years to go before they can be expected to do the same thing, and the Rebels have had virtually unlimited money thrown at them. It has only given them the power to buy more talent from outside their local pathways.
6 team conferences, one in South Africa, with (surprisingly) neither of the new franchises
one in Australia with the Sunwolves (because of timezone and location)
one in New Zealand with the Jaguares (again Timezone and travel)
everybody plays all the teams in their conference (maybe twice) and a representation of the teams in the other two (up to the required number of matches)
Somebody needs to tell the Currie Cup and the Mitre 10 cup to pull their head in...I think that's only possible from World Rugby, but the timing of those competitions is affecting the bigger comp drastically. Id think that the comp will be best with each team playing 18-20 games, that will allow for plenty of comparison between the conferences so the 6 team final series with the top team from each conference getting into the series, but ranked on competition points.
Given that the kings are a basket case and there's usually at least one other SA team in trouble I don't think there is a way of having geographic conferences without there being an implicit leg up for a South African team, but such a system would balance that with the Aussie conference where the Sunwolves would be the basket case and the Force or the Rebels being the ones who might be in trouble (although the Reds and the Brumbies could easily play that role and even the Tahs, if their head is in it's typical state)
C'mon the![]()
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