Super 15?

[Donny B.]

WTF!!!!
The Super 14 will be a Super 15 from 2011, with a new-look three conference calendar stretching the Super Rugby season to 24 weeks.








There will be three five-team conferences, one based in each of the SANZAR countries with Australia by far the most likely country to benefit from an extra franchise, something that will delight ARU CEO John O'Neill no end.





The new 24-week Super Rugby competition guarantees each team a minimum of eight home matches and a 16-match regular season. A new six team finals series includes an extra round with two "sudden-death" qualifiers before the semi-finals.





All teams will have a three-week bye while the tournament is suspended during the June International Test window, while the Tri-Nations series has also been given a new time slot in the calendar to run at the conclusion of Super Rugby.





The expanded competition has a 2011 launch date, with the current broadcast agreement to expire at the end of 2010.





"It has been an intense negotiation but we believe the outcome is a very good one for rugby, for the SANZAR alliance, for our players and fans and for broadcasters," said Andy Marinos, the CEO of SANZAR.





"We were all committed to an expanded tournament and have been able to make it work, taking into account the different landscapes of our domestic game. What we have agreed upon is a competition with added domestic interest and a compelling international component that will see Super Rugby retain its status as rugby's toughest provincial competition."





Key features of the proposed new season structure are:






<LI>A 15th team playing in the Australian conference will be added to Super Rugby following a tender process open to all territories, and with SANZAR making the decision on the new side's location. A timetable for tenders will be released shortly to ensure adequate lead-in time is provided to the successful bidder.









<LI>The Tournament will kick off in the last week of February and conclude in the first week of August, except in 2011 when the calendar will be shifted earlier to accommodate Rugby World Cup.









<LI>Teams will be divided into three national Conferences of five teams each. The new team will compete in the Australian Conference.









<LI>Teams play the other four teams in their Conference twice (home and away). [img]smileys/c&#111;nfused.gif[/img]









<LI>Teams play four out of the five teams from the other two Conferences (four home, four away). [img]smileys/redface.gif[/img]









<LI>All teams will have a three-week bye during the June Test window.









<LI>The three Conference winners and three wildcard teams with the highest number of competition points from any Conference qualify for the play-offs.









<LI>The wildcard teams and the Conference winner with the least competition points will play an elimination round to meet the two Conference winners with the greatest number of competition points in the semi-finals. - My brain is beginning to bleed at this stage!









<LI>Tri-Nations will always kick-off in South Africa in mid-August and conclude with two of the three trans-Tasman matches in early October to allow for early release of Springboks to Currie Cup. The will allow for Tri Nations tests between particular teams in particular countries to become permanent fixtures on the rugby calendar.








Australian Rugby Union Managing Director and CEO John O'Neill was delighted with the outcome of the negotiations. - He would be, the big blowhard gobs**te!





"This new structure will enable us to further embed Super Rugby as the premier provincial competition in world Rugby," he said.





"The extended se

[Donny B.]

And the reaction:

The new Super 15 was unveiled on Tuesday. It is an incomprehensible compromise of compromises, tainted with the ink of newscorp cash.








If you've not seen it yet, have a look <S&#079;NG>here</S&#079;NG>.


So, John O'Neill, the man who will not shut up or do or say anything for the good of the game of rugby, appears to have got his way mostly, but the whole lot appears to be such a half-measured set of improvisations that it is doubtful whether anyone is truly happy.





But let's look at O'Neill's victory - for an increase in Australia's Sanzar revenue share and the virtual dissolution of the Currie Cup and Air New Zealand Cups are undoubtedly that.





He believes the game should change in order to create more tries, continuing to promote a ludicrous set of rules under which, lest we forget, not a single Australian team has qualified for the Super 14 semi-finals this year and which have raised widespread derision from most corners of the globe.





Well, the problem of qualification has been solved: one team from each country at least will qualify thanks to the new national conference system. As for the issue of the rules: we'll see, but the IRB has dug heels in just a little bit harder with its recent pronouncement of global rules. O'Neill's rugby league-style cheats' charter may have to wait a little longer yet.





He has also won the running to have a fifth franchise in Australia despite some of his finest coaches and figures in the game warning Australia does not have the playing stocks.





His solution to that? Have a 'hybrid' franchise; a franchise consisting of players from the Pacific Islands, South Africa, New Zealand et al. What a lovely concept for the new host city. I bet Melbourne can't wait to have a team of locals from South Africa, New Zealand and Tonga to identify with.





The other solution?





"We will not be making the same mistakes that we did when the Western Force was established. We will guarantee that the playing strength of the existing franchises is not diluted and the range of options include repatriating players from overseas...There are also 16 NRL teams with players with the required skills. We are not without a reasonable pool from which to fish."





Aha, a team of rugby league players. Wonderful. Just what rugby union needs as it struggles with a rise in off-field misbehaviour all over the world.





As for the rest... the Tri-Nations will go ahead with the annual dirge of nine matches featuring the same old players and teams, with the likely exception of the neutral territory O'Neill farms a Wallaby match out to in the name of raising petty cash.





It also means that, in spite of all the positive noises and the repeated calls from fans and governing body alike, Argentina are set to be shut out of any possible SH competition for some time to come, as are the Pacific Islands (who do at least have the carrot of the Pacific Nations tournament). Is anybody other than John O'Neill happy about this?





Then, there's the structure itself. In a flawless act of genius, the Super 15 will take a three-week break, right at the most critical point of the season, in order to accomodate the June Tests. Just as interest in a tournament should be peaking, along come the internationals to break up the momentum and - let's not kid ourselves - plague the business end of the tournament with fatigue and injuries.





The potholes in the plan continue. The peculiar wild-card play-off system and qualification thereto, the fact that some teams will play other weaker teams more than others while playing two other teams not at all during the conference perio

[franman]

They can't even support 4 franchises properly.

[i_like_cake]

<div style="overflow: auto; width: 100%;">[*]The three Conference winners and three wildcard teams with the
highest number of competition points from any Conference qualify for
the play-offs.

[*]The wildcard teams and the Conference winner with the least
competition points will play an elimination round to meet the two
Conference winners with the greatest number of competition points in
the semi-finals.
</div>

I hope these are based on points difference, as the defenses of most of these games are shocking.. otherwise.. tournament seems to have a more logical structure...

[Balla Boy]

Still no franchise for the Islands? They want shooting.

[Kilmeen]

Sounds like John O'Neill goes for lunch very often with the NRLs Head honcho David Gallup!!!.
He is turning Super 12/14/15 into the NRL, with his elimiantion rounds before the semis, teams not playing everyone twice (think the NRL play 26 rounds, which includes 2 byes, even though there are 16 teams!)...and of course the ELVs stank of league!!...wasnt there some mention of rolling subs recently too???
When will they trial 13 a side?????

[Bitter As A Lemon]

Or Japan or Argentina....I honestly think John O'Neill needs to be taken aside with a baseball bat.

[Balla Boy]

Or Japan or Argentina....I honestly think John O'Neill needs to be taken aside with a baseball bat.

I assume this is the end of "Argentina into the tri-nations" notions? Wasn't that contingent on a franchise?


We might get 6 nations matches in San Sebastian yet.

[Mucky Boots]

If ever there was a case for forced euthanasia...

[scotscor]

I assume this is the end of "Argentina into the tri-nations" notions? Wasn't that contingent on a franchise?

I think noone has any notion of rg in either the 3N or the 6N, but sometimes you need to give a nibble


Same way as Georgia could win the world cup and might not be invited into the 6N, until they had proved themselves over a number of years

[McCloud]

Or Japan or Argentina....I honestly think John O'Neill needs to be taken aside with a baseball bat.

Bit harsh on the baseball bat...

[evanderch]

And the reaction:
The new Super 15 was unveiled on Tuesday. It is an incomprehensible compromise of compromises, tainted with the ink of newscorp cash.








Then, there's the structure itself. In a flawless act of genius, the Super 15 will take a three-week break, right at the most critical point of the season, in order to accomodate the June Tests. Just as interest in a tournament should be peaking, along come the internationals to break up the momentum and - let's not kid ourselves - plague the business end of the tournament with fatigue and injuries.

One could say the same happens with the business end of the HEC where the tournament stops before the qf's to play the 6N!

[i_like_cake]

<div style="overflow: auto; width: 100%;">[*]The three Conference winners and three wildcard teams with the
highest number of competition points from any Conference qualify for
the play-offs.

[*]The wildcard teams and the Conference winner with the least
competition points will play an elimination round to meet the two
Conference winners with the greatest number of competition points in
the semi-finals.
</div>

I hope these are based on points difference, as the defenses of most of these games are shocking.. otherwise.. tournament seems to have a more logical structure...

Yes, forgot to add my voice to the "why no franchise for the islands/Argentina" people....

[Hugged Rugger]

so we're suceeding in making rugby a sport for all sports fans then. sure what do people find so complicated about it that puts them off? Easy peasy

[TheRedHurricane]

[img]smileys/c&#111;nfused.gif[/img]...... so very confused

[Bosco]

makes next seasons AIL Div One look a walk in the park
[img]smileys/lol.gif[/img]

the comp needs the 3 weeks off in june so they can work
out the next round. [img]smileys/sad.gif[/img]

[TheRedHurricane]

So its:


NZ Conference: Chiefs, Highlanders, Blues, Hurricanes, Crusaders
Aussie Conference: Brumbies, Waraths, Reds, Western Force, + 1
SA Conference: Lions, Cheetahs, Bulls, Sharks, Stormers.


So they play everyone in their conference, home and away.
They play 4 other teams from the other 2 confernces.


So the Chiefs would play each NZ team + (e.g) Lions, Sharks, Reds, Brumbies?

[Daly Messenger]

I read John o' Neills book and have to say he comes across as a very arrogant man. That said I think Australian rugby isincredibly lucky to have him. Wearing my rugby league hat I'd have him replace David Gallop any time. With regards to an Islander franchise,he is on record as saying he would like to have a team based in Australia made up of islander players. The ideal location would be western sydney ie. parramatta which is to the islands what Boston is to Ireland. A team could be based on one of the islands but who is going to pay for it - not sky/fox. Fiji is under sanctions at the moment and is politically very unstable. Also there is intense rivalry between the different islands.I think the next franchise will be Melbourne, purely for tv money. Thats not O' Neills fault - someone has to pay the bills. As regards Argentina, tri-nations may be feasible but not super 14. Flights alone would be a major burden. That said O' Neill mentions Japan in practically every interview and I think if it was up to him he would have a Jap franchise. However Eddie Jones said a japanese franchise would not have financial support in Japan as rugby there is financed by companies who all have their own club.

[kooga made for rugby]

it all started this morning


Welcome to Super15 Danny Cipriani: Rebels smashed 43-0 by Waratahs in opening game. 7 tries. England's lost flyhalf missed 1 conv. That's it

[bobbin]

if they scored no tries he hardly missed a conversion [img]smileys/biggrin.gif[/img]





Some fooking hammering all the same, at home too, not what a new franchise needs. On paper they have a decent side to be fair but obviosuly havent gelled yet. Waratahs have a serious side and are a decent outside bet.

[NotreDameRFC]

HArd to look past Crusaders and Bulls again . They have won the last 6 competitons between them.... the way the fixtures fell this season... ( in the inter conference fixtures that is... btw i hate that expression and will not be using it again)......... the Crusaders have all their big rivals having to travel to Christchurch to play them... Waratahs, Sharks, Bulls and Brumbies with their way fixtures ( out of NZ that is)..the Cheetahs, Reds, Stormers and Force.


The Aussies best team... on last years form at least, the Waratahs , who beat all other Oz team in S14 lst year have been unlucky with fixtures , in having to travel to Christchurch ,Bulls country, Auckland and the sharks....


Bulls v Crudaders or Crusaders v Bulls final me thinks....with maybe the Brumbies or Stomers able to upset the applecart... Waratahs away fixtures looks like to have scruppered them imo.

[bobbin]

They play them all home and away surely ND?

[NotreDameRFC]

They play them all home and away surely ND?

Fraid not bobbin..... Each team will not at least one other team from each conference this season for example





Crusaders wont plat Rebels or Lions,


Bulls wont play Brumbies or BLues etc etc....


i think next year , ( given its not a world cup in 2012, they will reduce it down to just one.





hope that makes sense!

[bobbin]

your explanation makes sense, the rules of the comp dont! madness!

[NotreDameRFC]

Ithink the previous format of the comp was terrible in comparison to the HEC... i can see the point in trying to revitalise it in fairnesss only they seemed to have taken the wrong path imo.


Geography is always going to be a factor when deciding a format...Cape Town is closer to Dublin than it is to Auckland!!


i can see only see one beneficiary from this format - THe Aussies. they more than most have been suffering from twindling crowds...and as they have no domestic competition themselves this is a way to get higher attendance due to the new format of home and away games , derby matches within your own conference/country.


the downside of this is that some/most Kiwis and Boks are not overly happy with this format as they already have "derby" matches home and away in the NPC and Currie cup already... for example


CRusaders will play Auckland home and away in S15 and also Canterbury will play home and away to Auckland in the NPC. While not all the players in each team overlap , the majority do.. this repeated with WAikato/Chiefs , Welliington/Hurricane , Bulls/Blue Bulls , Western Province/Stormers , Sharks/Natal Sharks etc etc.... list goes on....


But in saying that both SA and NZ agreed to it.


Also , the Southern Kings based in Port Elizabeth , who are trying to make it a S16, will they get in now??? as this would throw the conference out of kilter???


Might have to include "Marlborough Sauv Blancs" and "Darwin Dingos" to make it balanced again [img]smileys/smile.gif[/img]

[Upfront_1979]

Are Argentina in this years tri/Quad nations or did I dream that?

[NotreDameRFC]

Bobbin just to highlight why most of the Bok supporters are not overly happy with this format... here are the two teams who were in Currie Cup final last year Natal and Western Province and also the team for when Sharks played the Stormers in the Super 14 in 2010 ... i know it only one match but from my experience of watching Currie/Super Rugby/ NPC etc.. this is an issue local supporters are not too happy about... except the Aussies off course!


Im sure if you looked at the other teams in the 3 comps i named above this is repeated. Only the "superstar" players such as McCaw, Carter etc dont seem to play much NPC, but the likes of Nonu etc regularly appear for Wellington and off course the Hurricanes.


<S&#079;NG></S&#079;NG>


<S&#079;NG>Natal Sharks Team v Western Province Currie Cup final 2010</S&#079;NG>
15 FB Louis Ludik ,14 W Odwa Ndungane ,13 C Stefan Terblanche ,12 C Andries Strauss ,11 W Lwazi Mvovo
10 FH Patrick Lambie ,9 SH Charl McLeod
1 P Tendai Mtawarira 2 H Bismarck du Plessis 3 P Jannie du Plessis
4 L Steven Sykes 5 L Alistair Hargreaves
6 F Keegan Daniel 7 F Willem Alberts 8 N8 Ryan Kankowski

<S&#079;NG> Western Province Team v Natal Sharks Currie Cup final 2010</S&#079;NG>
15 FB Conrad Jantjes 14 W Gio Aplon 13 C Juan de Jongh 12 C Jean de Villiers 11 W Bryan Habana
10 FH Willem De Waal ,9 SH Ricky Januarie
1 P JD Moller 2 H Deon Fourie 3 P Brok Harris
4 L Adriaan Fondse 5 L Anton van Zyl
6 F Schalk Burger 7 F Francois Louw 8 N8 Duane Vermeulen


<S&#079;NG>Sharks Super 14 Team in 2010 v Stormers</S&#079;NG>
15 FB Patrick Lambie 14 W Odwa Ndungane 13 C Stefan Terblanche 12 C Riaan Swanepoel 11 W Lwazi Mvovo
10 FH Ruan Pienaar 9 SH Rory Kockott
1 P Tendai Mtawarira 2 H John Smit 3 P Jannie du Plessis
4 L Steven Sykes 5 L Alistair Hargreaves
6 F Jean Deysel 7 F Willem Alberts 8 N8 Ryan Kankowski


<S&#079;NG>Stormers Super 14 team 2010 v Sharks</S&#079;NG>
15 FB Gio Aplon 14 W Sireli Naqelevuki 13 C Jaque Fourie 12 C Juan de Jongh 11 W Tim Whitehead
10 FH Peter Grant 9 SH Dewaldt Duvenhage
1 P JD Moller 2 H Tiaan Liebenberg 3 P Brok Harris
4 L Adriaan Fondse 5 L Andries Bekker
6 F Schalk Burger 7 F Francois Louw 8 N8 Duane Vermeulen

[NotreDameRFC]

Are Argentina in this years tri/Quad nations or did I dream that?

UPfront , will do in 2012


http://www.espnscrum.com/super-rugby...y/story/134647 .html

[sewa]

Sharks starting well. 8 - 0 up after 20 mins [img]smileys/biggrin.gif[/img]

[sewa]

The beast still driving straight up every scrum. Surprised refs arent watching for that.