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Hybrid S14 option for Pumas and Islanders
SMH | Saturday, 22 December 2007
Hybrid S14 option for Pumas and Islanders - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz
The pathway for Argentina to be included in an expanded Tri Nations could be created with the inclusion of their top players in a hybrid Super 14 team based in Melbourne.
Australian Rugby Union deputy chief executive Matt Carroll said yesterday it was unlikely that the ARU could carry the full financial burden of an extra Super 14 team, despite Melbourne being touted as the next city for a side.
But he suggested that a Melbourne team could be become a joint venture for marquee players from Argentina, who were third in the World Cup, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.
"I don't think Australian rugby could tolerate, at the moment, its own extra team out of its own resources. Four teams seems to be where we are at," said Carroll.
"But that doesn't mean you can't have other teams coming into the competition that might facilitate players (who) might miss out on Super 14 (opportunities).
"If you want Argentina to come into the Tri Nations you have to get Argentina players (here) – whether it is with an additional team which it could be in Super 14 – so they are playing at the same time (or window) as us."
The addition of Argentina as a SANZAR partner is being sought "hard for" by the ARU, says Carroll, since it was made clear to the South Americans that they could not become part of an expanded Six Nations tournament.
Super rugby is in need of a lift and the ARU believes an expanded series that would include 16 teams could help SANZAR for when negotiations with News Ltd start for the next broadcasting deal that expires after 2010.
Carroll said the ARU may also consider allowing foreigners to play in Australian sides, while in turn allow Australian players sign with South African or New Zealand sides without risking their Wallabies selection.
Until now, Australians who play overseas have not been eligible for Wallabies selection because they have been lured by the rich northern hemisphere clubs where the playing schedule clashes with the southern hemisphere.
"Australians could be marquee players in other Super 14 teams. You start to look at it competition-wise as distinct from narrowly in your own back yard," said Carroll. "That (would) allow for (Australian) players to be picked in test teams within the SANZAR year because they would all be playing in the one competition."
Carroll said by making the test selection policy more flexible, Australia had more chance of retaining players rather than risk a mass exodus of emerging super stars who could be lured away by European and Japanese clubs.
"Unless we have strong competitions in the southern hemisphere we won't be able to retain players," he said.
Such reform will be discussed in the ARU's three-month review into the game that will start early next year, and was announced this week when the national union terminated the Australian Rugby Championship after one year.
Posted via space
Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
My vote is still for increasing S14 squad sizes by 3 Argentine players, so you can have 35 "regular" players and 3 Argentines, this would give incentive for S14 teams to chase Argentine signatures whilst giving those players somewhere to play for the next 3 years while the broadcast rights are being played out. It would allow the UAR to top up contracts for marquee players, making the Contepomi's accessible to SH rugby and improve the competition for positions, thus improving the standard of S14 rugby (possibly overnight) there might be a small cultural issue to overcome, but that's not going to be any bigger than having a team in Melbourne. Oh and the big payoff if it works is 4N could start his year!!!!!!! and is all handled in-house to SANZAR. It'll work I tell you!
C'mon the![]()
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Right, and our S14 teams (who pay an average of less than $110k to players) will be able to attract a Contemponi back from Europe? That'll cause some grumbling in the ranks, unless the ARU is saying the sacrosanct Protocols will stay in force and they'll pick up the bulk of the tab...
Well...no,I thought there would be a requirement that the UAR pick up some of the tab, it's a bit rich that we are expected to pick up the tab when the NH nations aren't interested in helping. Possibly top ups from IRB funds and such like (the ARU tops up Wallabies contract, couldn't the IRB and UAR top up Pumas'?)
Just a thought, I guess it doesn't have any more or less holes in it that a hybrid team playing out of Melbourne (which doesn't have any better stadium options that Perth, and is pretty short on groundswell supporters, particularly for a team comprising of islanders and Argentines)
Anybody else got an idea?
C'mon the![]()
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