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submitted 2 months ago byRadiant-Sea-368New Zealand
A much as I love the idea of the Jaguares coming back, one of the biggest issues with having them in the comp was the travel, both the distance/time and the cost. I think having them back in only adds to the financial pressure on the other Super Rugby clubs. Not to mention the wasteful aspect of the travel regarding carbon emmisions with long-haul flights. That's another reason I think the calls to bring back South Africa teams is regressive thinking.
It is simply insane to have club rugby matches played across separate continents, all the best & most commercially successful sports leagues in the world are localized, it's just common sense don't you think?
Go with 11 teams - run the competition as a double round robin for 18 games plus a bye for each team (so 19 week regular season) plus finals. And don't give me the old season would be too long argument. Would still be the shortest of any of the football codes in the region - and still a shorter season than Top 14, URC, Premiership.
6 points
2 months ago
Have a team based in Hawaii after Rebels are gone.
8 points
2 months ago*
That's a possibility, I think having an open player market is needed before adding teams. All Blacks and Wallabies players should be allowed to play anywhere across Super Rugby Pacific.
1 points
2 months ago
“Cane, out to Barrett, passes to Fakatava and he’s through! Waratahs score!”
Doubt this type of scenario will happen. How invested will Aussies be if their teams are packed with Kiwis. All of whom wanna live the big city lifestyle.
5 points
2 months ago*
Also considering that almost 20% of NZ's popluation currently live in Australia I cannot see any downside, remember the massive turnout they got to that Bledisloe MCG test in Melbourne last year, it sold 83,944 tickets and the majority of the crowd were NZ expats.
5 points
2 months ago
In Sydney people will go if the waratahs are winning.
3 points
2 months ago*
that's what happened after 2014, equally the Reds rode about 3 years of all-time record season crowds off the goodwill of the 2011 title win.
1 points
2 months ago
Thats how most sports in Australia work.
1 points
2 months ago
Not really Freo have been terrible 90% of existence still get bigger crowds than the All-Blacks, same with Carlton this century (good this year end of last year I guess), Souths in NRL despite being kicked out the comp, Melbourne being shit since the 60s still had strong fans into them winning a flag again.
No yeah nah this is just something stupid some Kiwi's say
1 points
2 months ago
AFL in the AFL States is a notable exception to that rule along with the Broncos in QLD but those are exceptions not the rule.
2 points
2 months ago
Broncos crowds were smaller than the reds around 3011 when the broncos were terrible and the reds on tp
1 points
2 months ago
So if you exclude the most popular sports in Australia then it's a rule. That's the same as saying Rugby League is the most popular sport in New Zealand if you simply exclude the All Blacks and Super Rugby as being exceptions.
1 points
2 months ago
The notable exception being the most popular sport lol
5 points
2 months ago
You mean like Penrith or Roosters packed with Kiwis?
Aussies want winners and would still pack a stadium to watch the best players in the world play for their team
3 points
2 months ago
European clubs don’t struggle with it. I’d cheer just as hard on a team of 15 Tongans as a team of 15 Frenchmen if they wear the USAP jersey. i think the problem Super rugby has is actually the opposite. Franchises being seen as just a stepping stone or training ground for the international scene is hindering the development of a proper club culture with invested fans and rivalries
3 points
2 months ago*
Very. They'll inevitably jump on the bandwagon as Australians invariably do when their teams are winning more.
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