'Super Rugby' 2021

[Bovidae]

@Machpants Yes, I was just reading another article.

NZR General Manager Professional Rugby & Performance Chris Lendrum also confirmed NZR is working closely with Rugby Australia on a trans- Ta$man cross over series and would announce details shortly.

NZR Head of High Performance Mike Anthony confirmed the All Blacks would be available from Round 1.

[KiwiMurph]

@Bovidae nice!

[Machpants]

SRAu has the same finals date was SRA, 8 may, so the stars are aligned for some cross over matches

[Derpus]

6 weeks of spare time after the two comps. Enough time for a game against each foreign team for each club plus a 'final' for the best of each country?

[Kiwiwomble]

@Derpus i dont like the idea of finals and then cross overs, i think we either have a Minor Premier as it were and then "Finals" that cross over

[Derpus]

@Kiwiwomble only issue with that is that means not very many games will be played. like 10 tops? Probably not enough.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Derpus not every weeks needs to be filled with a game, games for the sake of games if how we ended up playing each other four times in a row

[Derpus]

@Kiwiwomble i mean, the game is the end in itself - isn't it? I don't see why you wouldn't aim to have at least a 15 game season if possible.

[KiwiMurph]

@Kiwiwomble said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:

@Derpus i dont like the idea of finals and then cross overs, i think we either have a Minor Premier as it were and then "Finals" that cross over

I'm not sure the non Finals teams would be pleased/able to survive on 4 home games.

[Kiwiwomble]

@KiwiMurph fair enough, just seems weird to have a "champion" and then go play more games...too many different comps

[Derpus]

@Kiwiwomble its a one off though. Makes sense to me.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Derpus i guess thats all that matters

[Derpus]

Well the alternative where half the teams dont play as many games because we dont want the comp to be a bit awkward as a one off sounds like a worse outcome.

[Kiwiwomble]

@Derpus no, the alternative if the two unions are talking is to actually have a proper trans Ta$man comp...not just keep on bolting on more games as they think of them

[Machpants]

I think, because of covid, both Oz and NZR know it's best to be cautious. You've got a very good chance of completing a domestic series, so organise that, sell it. Then look at international games

[Derpus]

@Kiwiwomble and have the whole thing go to pants as soon as an errant covid diagnosis happens? Spread the risk.

[Bovidae]

The Sydney Morning Herald can reveal a six-week competition – in which the five Australian teams will play each New Zealand franchise once – is set to be approved in the coming days.

The two teams that finish at the top of the 10-team ladder will then square off in a trans- Ta$man Super Rugby final.

Multiple sources have told the Herald the trans- Ta$man competition will kick off on May 15 – one week after the domestic deciders – and will finish in time for the Wallabies and All Blacks to begin preparations for inbound Test tours in July.

So two different finals. It could get complicated unless the Ws and Ls from each countries competitions count towards the final places in the trans- Ta$man competition.

[Machpants]

Top two teams, or top Oz Vs top NZ

[Derpus]

@Machpants i think top oz v nz team makes the most sense, so its not a potential repeat.

[Machpants]

@Derpus said in 'Super Rugby' 2021:

@Machpants i think top oz v nz team makes the most sense, so its not a potential repeat.

They're all potential repeats, we are playing each other once. The wording says to me the correct way, top two teams. But I'll wait if they start down the slippery slope of watering down competition that fucked the original super rugby happens even before a full trans Ta$man League is set in 2022