The key piece of leverage Australia has over New Zealand at the Super Rugby negotiating table
It’s laughable to think that there are people out there who genuinely believe Super Rugby AU is better than Super Rugby Aotearoa.
The notion that the five teams in Australia are as good as the five New Zealand franchises is equally dismissible.
Yes, there are probably reasonable grounds to claim that those in the Kiwi game have an aura of arrogance about them with the way in which they’re going about trying to formulate a replacement league for Super Rugby next year.
But that arrogance is validated by the sheer dominance that the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders have asserted on their trans-Tasman counterparts over the past few years.
That dominance has extended to the international arena between the All Blacks and Wallabies, and the Australians ought to be kidding themselves if they believe most of their teams wouldn’t be the whipping boys against the likes of the Blues and Crusaders.
The Brumbies may be able to foot it with the rest of the Kiwi crowd, and the Reds have a good mix of experience and promising talent floating through their ranks, but it would be daft to suggest all five teams would dominate.
The standard and intensity of rugby from Auckland to Dunedin has largely put the Australian game to shame, and while there have been some tightly-fought encounters in New South Wales and Queensland, it’s a long shot to say they’ve been of Super Rugby Aotearoa quality.
If reports of a new eight-to-ten team competition are to be believed, the best Australia can hope for is the involvement of four of its sides.
At worst, as few as two teams could be included next year, which would be a massive blow for a nation championed as the best in the rugby world between the late 1990s and early 2000s.
For the sake of Rugby Australia and the future of whatever Super Rugby turns into, one would hope their administrators have been listening to the noise being made by players out of New Zealand.
If there is any chance of the Brumbies, Reds, Waratahs, Rebels and Western Force all being included in a competition with their Kiwi counterparts next year, it stems from the growing chorus of voices speaking out about the sustainability of New Zealand derbies.
It’s not a new concern, as even when Super Rugby was in its fully-fledged form with the involvement of South African, Argentine and Japanese teams, players from New Zealand often spoke of all-Kiwi clashes being of similar ferocity to that of test matches.
Reading back a couple of paragraphs, you’ll have noticed the reference to the intensity of Super Rugby Aotearoa in comparison to that of Super Rugby AU.
#SuperRugbyAotearoa is fairly evenly matched. #SuperRugbyAU is fairly evenly matched.
Would a combined competition also be evenly matched it? Unlikely, writes @TomVinicombe.https://t.co/04S0KXbaUJ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 5, 2020
From a spectator standpoint, watching New Zealand’s best players go head-to-head in test match-like conditions week-after-week for just over two months is about as good as it gets for consumers of the game.
For the players, though, it’s about as brutal as it gets, and some of the stars of the game in New Zealand haven’t shied away from voicing their concerns in the media about player welfare issues.
Speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Podcast, both Brad Weber and Bryn Hall labelled the Kiwi competition as “unsustainable”, a sentiment which has also been echoed by the likes of Aaron Smith, Richie Mo’unga, Ash Dixon and Gareth Evans.
“A few guys are dropping off – great for viewership in New Zealand but I’m not so sure how sustainable it is,” Evans told Gold AM‘s Country Sport Breakfast last month.
“The boys love playing in the comp (but) in short no, I don’t think it is sustainable.
“Most of the boys are only coming right at the captains run the following week.
“Some of those real top games are like test match footy. From an attrition rate and boys bodies it’s pretty tough on the lads.”
Therein lies the golden ticket for all five of Australia’s teams to break into New Zealand Rugby’s plans as a source of relief from the physically taxing nature of Super Rugby Aotearoa.
As much as it might diminish the undeniable quality on offer in the Kiwi domestic league, the presence of Australian teams would probably be welcomed by the banged-up New Zealanders.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDe9c9NgIAd/
It’s no secret how much they enjoy their bye weeks purely because of the brutality they face for four matches straight.
Facing off against Australian outfits would certainly be no bye, but it would be a far cry from the attritional warfare that they are currently enduring.
The physicality of those matches will only be heightened should a South Auckland-based Pasifika franchise be inducted into the league, as is widely expected.
Offering New Zealand franchises and the Pasifika side a reprise from the savagery of each other should be the primary negotiating tool for Rugby Australia if they intend on getting all five of their clubs included.
Regardless of what shape Super Rugby takes next year – whether there’s any involvement of Australian, Pasifika or even Japanese teams – the product can only be as good as the players who are taking part in the action.
It will be of no use to anyone if New Zealand’s best players watch on from the sidelines after bashing each other the week beforehand, and that’s where Australia can lend a point of difference.
Possible Asia-Pacific Super Rugby Format
- 12 teams: Five from NZ (Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders); Five from Australia (Brumbies, Reds, Waratahs, Rebels, Force); One Pasifika team (Kanaloa); One Japanese team (Sunwolves/Top League composite team)
- Round-robin format; every team plays each other once; one bye week each
- 12-week regular season; play-offs consisting of semi-finals and final
Comments on RugbyPass
Completely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to comments