Why Dave Rennie wants as many Australian teams as possible in trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is all in for a proposed trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition.
Rugby Australia is set to rebuff a proposal by its New Zealand counterpart for an eight-team competition featuring just two Australian teams.
But Rennie is confident a solution will be brokered between the two nations and he’s eager for as much Australian involvement as possible.
“It certainly won’t be two,” Rennie said.
“The trans-Tasman competition is important, and important for both countries.
“There’s talk about potentially four sides from here or maybe five sides from here and the thing I like about having five teams from an Aussie perspective is it’s a great opportunity for our young kids to get involved in professional footy and get that experience.
“The less teams we have, the less opportunities for those guys.
“You could argue when Australia were really successful they only had three sides and you end up with three really strong teams but I think if we’re looking long term … we need to provide opportunities for guys to stay here and play professional rugby.”
New Zealander Rennie has completed his move to the Gold Coast where he will live during his time at the helm of the Wallabies.
It has been a timely shift with the Western Force relocating to southeast Queensland ahead of Super Rugby AU matches against the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds at CBUS Super Stadium.
Rennie will attend both matches before picking his squad for this year’s Bledisloe Cup Tests, which are scheduled for October.
Those matches against the All Blacks will be Rennie’s first since his appointment in November last year with the COVID-19 pandemic playing havoc with the 2020 international rugby schedule.
New Zealander @alexmcleod891 offers a very different theory as to why Aussie teams could be indispensable for a new Super Rugby format ??? #SuperRugbyAotearoa#SuperRugbyAUhttps://t.co/a5D63W1gLw
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 6, 2020
“There’s been a lot of plans and every week a plan goes in the bin.” the New Zealander said.
“We’ve done a million Zoom calls, trying to stay connected. We’ve had chances for Wisey and Tatsey (Scott Wisemantel and Matt Taylor) to get around the Super Rugby clubs but of course that’s stopped now as well.
“It’s just great that the boys are back playing rugby. We’re trying to work in with the Super Rugby coaches, chip in and help out and then hopefully we get some international footy come October.”
Rennie also confirmed he is doing all he can to bring South African scrum guru Petrus du Plessis on his staff but nothing had been finalised.
“If we can get it across the line, there’s more than just the Wallabies, it’s getting around the country working with all national sides and so on but he’d be a great get if we can get it over the line.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Not 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.
24 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 commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
4 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
4 Go to comments