SANZAAR boss Andy Marinos reveals cutoff date for revamped Super Rugby competition
SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos has revealed that plans for a revamped version of Super Rugby will be on the table until the end of the year.
The competition was suspended last month with the coronavirus pandemic shutting sport down around the world.
Since then, plans for a domestic version featuring New Zealand’s five Super Rugby franchises was pushed by NZ Rugby until the country moved into alert level 4 which stopped any further progress around the competition.
However, Marinos confirmed that NZ Rugby and the rest of the SANZAAR governing bodies will have the rest of the year to sort out their respective Super Rugby competitions.
“If you start getting towards the back end of September/October and we still haven’t had a resumption of rugby, I think logic would say that’s when we would consider that [cancelling the season],” Marinos told Newshub.
“We have a calendar that can now go up until the end of December and our players are now on an extended period of rest, so we have till the end of 2020 to configure something.
“I wouldn’t want to be definitive as to when there is a point of no return. We have to work with the confines that we have and, at the moment, that looks like between May and December 31 … to put a competition structure together and get a competition under our belts.”
Marinos also confirmed that any resumption of Super Rugby will be based on a domestic format across three zones – New Zealand, Australia and South Africa – with the Argentinian Jaguares joining South Africa while the Japanese Sunwolves would join the Australian teams.
Resuming the competition in its traditional form isn’t possible with current travel restrictions, he added.
“We will continue to work closely with all the governments and health authorities in all the jurisdictions we are playing. That’s central to our focus at this point.
“We have put a revised competition format to the front of the table, which is largely domestically focused and that is within the controls we can manage.
“That’s what we are looking at. We still have time and we will certainly look at how we optimise both the international and ‘Super’ programmes, but the clear message is the Super format we are used to for so many years will become a local-market focus, without the necessary crossover.”
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The top international players from those Super Rugby franchises could be missing, however, with a separate Rugby Championship competition also being planned to run in parallel with the proposed domestic competitions.
Yesterday, Marinos told Newshub that having the two competitions running simultaneously could work.
“Could you be playing the Rugby Championship at the same time as a domestic competition?” Marinos said.
“It’s not trying to rubbish one for the other, it’s how do we get a sensible solution in what may be a restricted time frame?”
In this scenario, Super Rugby sides would play without their international players during Rugby Championship test match windows.
“Logic would suggest if there is an ability to create like what we’ve seen with the NRL around a bubble, if it’s all in one location it seems a bit easier.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the four countries that compete in the Rugby Championship – New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina – have prioritised test rugby over resuming Super Rugby.
The report suggests SANZAAR is weighing up a “quick fire, six-week competition in one country, and likely one state or city”, with Australia being a strong candidate due to its more lenient pandemic measures compared to New Zealand and relatively low rates of infection compared to countries like South Africa.
Australia is also the geographical middle ground with Perth reportedly being an ideal location for any proposed competition because of its time zone.
Rugby Australia’s general manager of professional services Ben Whitaker told the Sydney Morning Herald that getting test rugby started was a priority for SANZAAR.
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“There is definitely a collective commitment to prioritising test match footy,” Whitaker, who has been in discussions with other SANZAAR nations, said.
“But we are also committed to community safety, first and foremost. We roll off the back of that. But we are ready with different formats. Hopefully that’s sooner rather than later.”
Whitaker also said there are still hopes for a resumption of Super Rugby.
“The other thing we are committed to is trying to get some Super Rugby played as well,” he said. “As you squeeze towards the back end of the year, you have to have various models to handle that.”
New Zealand Rugby later responded to the report saying no decision has been made on any proposed competition yet.
“New Zealand Rugby is reviewing a range of competition options, both domestically and internationally, for when rugby is able to resume,” chief executive Mark Robinson said in a statement.
“However nothing has been decided and any decisions will be made in alignment with advice from the Government. At this stage any competition options are purely speculative.”
The Rugby Championship was scheduled to begin on August 8, with the All Blacks facing the Wallabies in Melbourne and the Springboks taking on the Pumas in Johannesburg.
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments