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Sunwolves set for Super Rugby return, Japan primed for Rugby Championship inclusion - report
The Sunwolves could be set for a shock induction back into Super Rugby on the back of Japan’s success at the World Cup.
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The nation’s maiden appearance in the knockout stages of the tournament could also be enough to see the Brave Blossoms earn a place in the Rugby Championship alongside New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina.
According to a report from Newshub, the prospect of admitting both teams into the respective competitions will be discussed at a SANZAAR meeting in Tokyo on Friday.
The revelation comes just days after Japan completed their best-ever finish at a World Cup, bowing out in front of their home fans as beaten quarter-finalists after going down 26-3 at the hands of the Springboks at Tokyo Stadium on Sunday.
Through their scintillating, attacking brand of rugby, which yielded pool play wins against European heavyweights Ireland and Scotland, the Brave Blossoms have captured the imagination of the Japanese public.
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An estimated 54.8 million people tuning in to watch their side defeat the Scots to secure their place in the play-offs a week-and-a-half ago – a larger television audience than that of the 2002 FIFA World Cup final, which was held in Yokohama.
Led by highly-regarded Kiwi coaching duo Jamie Joseph and Tony Brown, Japan’s on-field success has significantly raised the profile of rugby in the country, which has forced a re-think from SANZAAR of their involvement with the nation’s future in the sport.
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The governing body of the southern hemisphere’s premier competitions announced earlier this year it would be omitting the underperforming Sunwolves from Super Rugby following the 2020 season as the competition looked to revert from a 15-team conference system back to a 14-team round-robin format, which was last used nine years ago.
The @wallabies have returned to Australia accepting they just weren't good enough after their humbling @rugbyworldcup quarter-final exit. #RWC2019 https://t.co/HPdcdAtZjF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 22, 2019
The decision to reduce the number of teams and change the competition format came after a plethora of negative feedback about Super Rugby’s play-off structure, which currently sees the winners of the New Zealand, Australian and South African conferences claim the top three finals spots, followed by five wildcard sides.
That system, though, has led to teams placing ahead of other franchises despite having accumulated more competition points, as has happened in the five most recent seasons, bringing into question the fairness and equitability of the play-off structure.
Despite the exciting, yet largely fruitless, style of rugby the Sunwolves – who have won just eight of their 62 outings since their debut in 2016 – provided the competition with, the Japanese Rugby Football Union failed to negotiate a contract with SANZAAR to play beyond next year.
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Their inability to sign an agreement around the Sunwolves’ involvement in the league came down to financial reasons, with reports emerging that the franchise were ordered to pay around US$9 million per season in participation fees, something of which no other club in Super Rugby has to do.
However, Japan’s unprecedented success at the World Cup could force a tug-of-war between the Six Nations and Rugby Championship for the Brave Blossoms’ services, as suggested by World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper.
“Certainly if I was in their shoes I’d be very keen to have Japan in my competition sooner rather than later,” Gosper told Newshub.
With a growing audience of rugby fans among Japan’s population of 128 million, combined with the prosperity of the Japanese economy, the world’s sixth-ranked nation has become hot property within the global game.
The riches on offer in Europe with the Six Nations would give Japan plenty of incentive to stay in the northern hemisphere, but the Sunwolves’ participation in Super Rugby could hold the key for SANZAAR as they look to lure Japan south.
Steve Hansen has given his biggest hint yet on who he thinks should take over his top job when he steps down after the Rugby World Cup. #RWC2019 https://t.co/40U53HotM7
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2019
“That’s entirely their call,” Gosper said of where Japan could end up following this World Cup.
“We proposed a nations championship that had Japan very much playing at the top table and maybe they’ll see it that way for their own particular championship.”
Time will tell where the Brave Blossoms and Sunwolves will end up at club and international level, but regardless of where their futures lie, moves have to be made swiftly in order to ensure Japan can continue their rapid ascendency within the rugby world.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
81 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
3 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
3 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
3 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to comments