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http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=11930575
Super Rugby boss Andy Marinos says more teams could be cut from the much-criticised competition should they not measure up.
In an interview with Newstalk ZB's Tony Veitch, chief executive Marinos said he and his organisation were confident the culling of Australian team the Force, and South African teams the Kings and Cheetahs, would give the new 15-team competition more stability and integrity from next year until the end the broadcast deal in 2020.
"The biggest thing is getting integrity back in the comp," he said. "We need all the teams to play against each other as frequently as possible and [for] that to culminate into an incredible finals series.
"It's about re-invigorating and re-engaging our fans and stakeholders but the best way we can do that is the unpredictability of the results and the competitiveness of the teams."
But Marinos also gave himself room for further changes when he added: "In saying that, sport is an unpredictable and volatile environment.
"If some of the teams, for whatever reason, aren't able to participate then we have to have some flexibility if we need it."
There must be scrutiny on the Sunwolves next year, the struggling Japanese team beating a poor Blues outfit in Tokyo after travelling home from Cape Town but won only one other game this season.
The spotlight should also be on the Rebels, the Melbourne team winning only one match despite being in a weak Australian conference.
Most supporters of New Zealand teams will be satisfied with the culling of a trio of teams who rarely raised pulses here, but there is little doubt that the unbridled desire for expansion -- mostly against the wishes of the public and media -- and then the mishandled axing of the Force in particular, has harmed the game in the southern hemisphere.
Marinos empathised with the players and supporters of the excluded teams. The competition has expanded from 12 to 14 to 15 to 18 teams and teams from Japan and Argentina added which has caused lopsided results and a lessening of public interest, but Marinos believed that was the right thing to do at the time.
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
Well as long as NZ is happy!! Sound pretty arrogant marinos
If the Blues had been cut from the comp we would have heard them from here..
What kpis will be used to evaluate the suitability of teams to be removed from he comp. I assume proximity to the Perth cbd will be high on the list.
((((( and then the mishandled axing of the Force in particular, has harmed the game in the southern hemisphere.))))) Not a bad statement from the people that handled it.. That should be brought up at the Senate hearing.. That even SANZAR reckon the ARU handled the issue badly..
And there we have it, straight from the office adjacent Clynes: the reduction of Aus teams back to three, then two. Welcome to our world Rebels and Brumbies.Marinos also gave himself room for further changes when he added:
"If some of the teams, for whatever reason, aren't able to participate then we have to have some flexibility if we need it."
The laughable thing is that the Tahrds should be the ones chopped. Poor results despite a team of internationals, dwindling crowds, bleeding money, no engagement with its own "grassroots" and facing stiff competition from AFL in Sydney and NRL pluss soccer in the state.
BTW, Marinos is full of shit. They STILL have a conference system, they don't play all teams in a season, they travel just as far to Argentina and Tokyo, the finals are rigged, there is no reason why SA and Aus can suddenly compete with the Kiwis. They have not solved a single one of the "problems" that have sunk Super Rugby.
The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
Why did SANZAAR think it was the right thing to do at the time? When everyone was telling them it was the wrong thing to do, what did they think they could see that no one else could? Was it the sight of all those dollar signs coming from Japan??!!
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Haha yes Ali. Oh woe unto us.
Yet it was that fuckers at SNZAAFU that created this shit fest in the first place. And they are STILL worried about the moon dogs, and cannot fix the conference system.
Along with FUBARU introducing the Rebels when all advice...several times...was it was a financia and player basel disaster completely unsustainable
The long sobs of autumn's violins wound my heart with a monotonous languor
So who remembers all the SANZAR chatter about expanding to Vancouver or the West Coast of the US?
The thing to take out of this for me is that Super Rugby is in trouble and SANZAAR knows it. Panicky, knee jerk reactionary decisions are still being made indicating a lack of clear direction or vision for where the tournament is going. Expansion has spectacularly failed, now they are trying to navigate through contraction. Problem being, they still have the parts that broke the tournament trying to be used into fixing it. Rugby fans are voting with their feet. Rugby fans want an integrity based competition that is easy to understand with games played during prime viewing hours that has a local connection. Australian and NZ fans couldn't give a stuff about Sharks vs Jaguares from Argentina played at 4 am. We want to see our local WA players take on the best in Australia played on a Saturday afternoon on free to air.
I think SANZAAR are getting worried with the financials being battered around with the IPRC if china and WA get it going.. Without sponsors the figures are very good then when sponsors chip in it makes the Sanzaar funds look like twiggys petty cash account
Regardless of whether Super Rugby is going past 2020 the whole Sanzaar organisation needs to be wound up and replaced by a body that has the competition and commercial interest as a whole rather than all this knifing each other in the back and draws that favour certain unions.
Shrink your way to success hey? But it's all right, you're in the same timezone as Europe, hey Mr Marinos?
The game shrinks in Australia's heartlands, but it looks like Melbourne may be on the chopping block now also? OK, so that's the other expansion market down the toilet now too then. Or is it the Brumbies? So that's the organisation who's been most efficient at spotting and developing talent that the two bigger States couldn't. Yeah, it's all looking great. Never mind 2 million in WA or 5 million in Victoria, let's look forward to those bumper crowds in those huge bustling world cities like Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin. What was that massive semi-final home crowd for the Crusaders again?
Fan-fucking-tastic Super Rugby, it's the game of the future!
It's the NFL of the Southern Hemisphere! And it's played in country towns!
(OK, I have the flu and I'm grumpy)
Last edited by chibi; 07-10-17 at 16:33.
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?