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The arranged marriage of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina is over

By Hamish Bidwell
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To all intents and purposes, the arranged marriage of South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina is over. South Africa was said to be taking longing looks towards the Six Nations long before COVID-19 and now we have a chance to dissolve things well before the expiration of the current broadcast deal in 2025.

This year’s Super Rugby competition is over and, even without the Sunwolves from 2021, a Four-Nations’ franchise tournament appears pretty optimistic.

In an ideal world, New Zealand might go it alone for a while. Kiwi fans had become fed up with anything other than derby games and circumstances mean that’s all New Zealand Rugby (NZR) will be capable of staging in the short-term.

Australia, which includes New Zealand basketball, football, and rugby league teams in their domestic competitions, seems like a logical, if underwhelming, rugby partner. Both nations have (so far) survived the pandemic without huge incident and are suitably close to each other – and isolated from everyone else – to stage a Super 10-type competition.

That would mean New Zealand’s five franchises joining Australia’s four plus, presumably, the Western Force in a trans-Tasman tournament. It’s a competition that would include plenty of mismatches, but it’s the logical choice franchise-wise.

Sadly, whether there would be sufficient demand, both here and from overseas networks, for an all-singing, all-dancing Mitre 10 Cup might never be determined. We fans might want to see our best and brightest playing each other in the provincial arena, but the great unknown is how it would pay for itself.

What is known is that SANZAAR have Super Rugby and Rugby Championship agreements in place until 2025, no matter how unlikely it is that those obligations can be met.

So assuming the four parties have been making their own plans for 2026 and beyond, what are the chances of them simply flagging it away now?

It’s all incumbent on what else the member unions can cobble together and how attractive that then looks to the television paymasters.

Talk out of Australia is of a dissatisfaction with South Africa as a Super Rugby partner, while NZR have announced a fairly broad review of their involvement in the competition too. Throw in the travel bans that now exist and a trans-Tasman tournament sounds more feasible than some of the things SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos was suggesting a week or so ago.

All four test teams aren’t likely to become based in Sydney and how and where would the concurrent Super competition he talked about be staged as well?

SANZAAR has been a worthwhile outfit. Argentina, after top-four finishes at the 2007 and 2017 Rugby World Cups, thoroughly deserved Super Rugby and Rugby Championship recognition, but you now wonder what the future holds for them.

The early days of Super Rugby featured some very fine Sharks sides, while the Bulls will forever be celebrated for their three title-winning seasons. But in recent times it seemed the likes of New Zealand and Australia were happy to have South Africa’s money, just not the teams that came with it.

There’s no disgrace in that. Tastes and circumstances change and, boy, can’t we say that about the latter.

This isn’t the world we knew when this season’s Super Rugby competition started and it’s okay if the impact of COVID-19 is reflected in our re-drawn schedules. Teams and whole tournaments might have to go by the wayside, but only if the content-starved broadcasters are happy.

You imagine the SANZAAR members would’ve stuck it out until 2025. That the need to meet their ever-increasing running costs would have meant they honoured the current deal, no matter how disenchanted they or their fans might’ve become with it.

But the goalposts have now shifted in a big way. The SANZAAR relationship doesn’t seem viable anymore and the time’s come for NZR and company to try and sell a sexy new alternative to television executives.

They’ll never strike a more receptive audience.

 

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Trevor 1 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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Bull Shark 5 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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