Super Rugby News
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@KiwiMurph said in Super Rugby News:
Sounds like Milner Skudder is out at least 6 weeks with a fractured foot.
Christ that bugger is made of glass. Well at least it gives JB a chance to start.
NMS is a brilliant player but his chances of surviving 3 Lions tests are probably zero.
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A further update.
Report: Super 15 with 3 teams axed.
TVNZ's Andrew Saville is reporting that two South African franchises and an Australian side will be axed as Super Rugby will be reduced to 15 teams.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11818693
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@KiwiMurph doesn't the current TV deal run through to end of 2019, so I wonder if they are driving this otherwise a complete renegotiation there would be required as well.
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@taniwharugby the TV money question is the big one IMO. Will the SARU and ARU now get less of the cut now that they have less teams? Can they afford it? What trade-offs will be required for them to accept that? If NZ has the most teams, can we now negotiate a bigger cut?
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@taniwharugby Yeah I understand there was the flexibility in the current deal to look at potential changes so they weren't locked into the 18 team comp til 2019/2020.
I do think Super 15 would be much smoother of the options. You could have 3 even conferences and then a 6 or 8 team finals system.
Chucking the Sunwolves in the Aussie conference could work timezone wise and would mean that they could play all their home games in Japan.
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@mariner4life said in Super Rugby News:
@taniwharugby the TV money question is the big one IMO. Will the SARU and ARU now get less of the cut now that they have less teams? Can they afford it? What trade-offs will be required for them to accept that? If NZ has the most teams, can we now negotiate a bigger cut?
I have no way to back this up but IIRC SARFU negotiate the TV rights for SR and TRC as a package, and that the value of the test comp is relatively greater. It might not matter too much if they have less teams as they are still a big draw in the tests
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It looks like the Blues will get an easy game this week, with Crotty the only experienced Crusaders back still playing..
Crusaders injury update: Israel Dagg, Seta Tamanivalu, Digby Ioane
Israel Dagg has had an MRI scan which has confirmed a PCL and lateral meniscal injury. He has been seen by a specialist who has recommended a small operation to assist his recovery. He is expected to be ready to return to play in approximately 6 weeks. Seta Tamanivalu is progressing well after sustaining a right upper hamstring injury last weekend against the Reds. His return to play is expected to be in the vicinity of 4 weeks. Digby Ioane has also been ruled out with injury this week, after sustaining a minor hand injury. The injury will be assessed early next week before a decision will be made about his availability for the following weekend's game against the Force. -
@KiwiMurph said in Super Rugby News:
A further update.
Report: Super 15 with 3 teams axed.
TVNZ's Andrew Saville is reporting that two South African franchises and an Australian side will be axed as Super Rugby will be reduced to 15 teams.
But the Cheetahs coach said only two. So I thought about it, and I reckon this is what is happening...
- Bye bye one of the Rebels/Force/Brumbies
- Bye bye the Kings and the Cheetahs...for half a season each...complete genius by Sanzaar...
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Cheetahs have made the semi-finals
Western Force have been around just as long and never made the play-offs.
This is the Rebels 8th year and they haven't and won't make the play-offs this year.
The Australian sides sign South Africans because they have no depth.The Sunwolves nearly had a 100 points put on them by the Cheetahs last year and look like schoolkids playing against professionals half the time.
And yet the Cheetahs are the ones to miss out? What a joke.
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The Rebels have private equity. The ARU doesn't have the cash to kick them out.
The Force have among the best membership rates, large expat community in a city five-times the poulation of Canberra. Last weekend it had more home developed players than the Brumbies.
The Brumbies have required players from elsewhere their entire existence, only makes losses and have something seriously rotten in their governance. -
@antipodean that might be the deciding factor, some seriously shady shit has gone down there, and that still hasn't been cleared up.
@cheetahsBO mate you are over-egging it. They have been back in for 11 seasons. They came 6th once, and lost the qualifying final (they didn't make the semis). Every other season it's 10th or worse. They aren't really bringing much to the table.
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@mariner4life said in Super Rugby News:
@cheetahsBO mate you are over-egging it. They have been back in for 11 seasons. They came 6th once, and lost the qualifying final (they didn't make the semis). Every other season it's 10th or worse. They aren't really bringing much to the table.
However you look at it, they aren't deserving of being scrapped unless you're going back to Super 12.
There are worse sides in Super rugby.
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@cheetahsBO thing is, do the Cheetahs bring more $$$ to the table than the Sunwolves?
As at the end of the day, this is going to be a big factor in the decision.
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@cheetahsBO thing is, do the Cheetahs bring more $$$ to the table than the Sunwolves?
As at the end of the day, this is going to be a big factor in the decision.
Thought we were at the stage where we realised diluting the product was causing the huge drop in viewers & attendance.
I wouldn't pay to watch the Sunwolves have 60 points put on them every weekend.
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Is there honestly someone who thinks the Sunwolves will last in this comp? Unless they make some serious changes to the Top League competition that result in the best Japanese players being available for Sunwolves selection and allowing for a proper preseason, they're not going to improve much. Except if they contract a lot more good, non-Japanese players.
How many people watch their games on tv? Is the Japanese public interested? They seemed to attract a big crowd to their first game in Tokyo, but there were a lot of empty seats in the stadium in Singapore. Travel will also always be a factor. I just don't believe in it. Drop them now, so another team can stay (not the Kings).
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@cheetahsBO but they are looking at expansion of the game, and the Asian market is big, if they can get a competitive team and grow it there, it will be good long term.
NOt saying it's right, just that I expect that is what they will be wanting/hoping....
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@cheetahsBO but they are looking at expansion of the game, and the Asian market is big, if they can get a competitive team and grow it there, it will be good long term.
NOt saying it's right, just that I expect that is what they will be wanting/hoping....
You're right.
But they're stupid to think it will work. They'll support a competitive national side but not a bunch of also-rans getting pummelled and who are 75% foreigners. Just not gonna work.
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I do, if they can get better players. You've nailed it there.
But, the non-home home games are empty because they are non-home home games - that's a problem with the bullshit pools.
It's full and really well supported in Tokyo.
Now - I'm not quite sure they deserve their spot - but if they get better players (over time), they'll become a force - or st least not get 70 points put on them every game.
Furthermore, they'll get really good support from the non-Japanese people if we get a real draw - I'll pay to go to any game against NZ opposition.
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