Adam Bridgland
Academy Player
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2014
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 0
As things stand this season is the last season we will enjoy the Heineken Cup in its
present form. How we've got to this stage is a debate for a different day, and frankly doesn't
matter. We're here and we need to find some answers, and fast. In order to find the right
answers however, we need to ask the right questions. Out of the debacle surprisingly comes
an opportunity for reflection. Victoria Derbyshire on the BBC this week referred to the
Heineken Cup as "the envy of the Southern Hemisphere." Rubbish. But she may be on to
something. Should it be the envy of the Southern Hemisphere? Could it be the envy of the
Southern Hemisphere? How can it become the envy of the Southern Hemisphere? Those are
the right questions.
Some might baulk at the comparisons with the Southern Hemisphere, but to ignore
the lessons from south of the equator would be folly bearing in mind the fact that they have
won six of the seven Rugby World Cups played to date, with each of the SANZAR countries
winning two. Despite that they still keep adapting and changing to improve, and Super
Rugby today is unrecognisable from that which burst on the scenes in1996. It continues
to improve and produce players able to make the transition to full international rugby
seemlessly, playing less rugby than their northern hemisphere counterparts, but more rugby
at an intensity level just below that of a test match. Surely that was always the intention of the
Heineken Cup? While it has almost achieved that, the one weakness of it was that we tried
to fit it in as part of the regular domestic season. The turmoil created this year gives us the
opportunity to change, and create something more in tune with Super Rugby. Of course we
don't want to create a northern hemisphere Super Rugby and lose our identity, but nobody
can argue that Super Rugby doesn't work. It is a wonderful spectacle, and it is no coincidence
that the freedom to express and play open running rugby is encouraged by players not being
creatively strangled by fear of relegation or non qualification for next seasons competition.
Lessons to be learned there.
So what of the future of European rugby? Simple. Keep the regular domestic structures
of each of the Six Nations countries, but create a new competition played outside the
regular season between newly created franchises backed with money from television rights,
sponsorship and of course gate receipts. It can be played from April through to the end of
June, allowing for the end of season Southern Hemisphere tours to still take place in July
and August, with the Southern Hemisphere still coming north in November for the autumn
internationals. Professional players playing in the Aviva Premiership, Pro 12 and Top 14
would have something to play for - a European Cup contract with one of the new franchises,
just as Currie Cup players play for a Super Rugby contract in South Africa, likewise in New
Zealand with the NPC. While the top South African, All Black and Australian players do
play some rugby outside the Super Rugby season for their provinces, appearances are limited
and used to keep players sharp and match fit, with readiness for international rugby always
being the priority. The new European competition would enable similar nurturing of players,
protecting them from over playing and the risk of serious injury as a result. One only has to
look at the importance of Richie McCaw to the All Blacks, and the way they are nursing him
through to the next Rugby World Cup to see the benefits of such a system. It is inconceivable
currently that any of the Six Nations sides would be able to do the like with a Chris Robshaw,
or Thierry Dusautoir. How many more England caps might Jonny Wilkinson have won had
he been able to be looked after in such a manner? Sadly we'll never know.
Nobody is saying that the transition would be simple, and the road ahead is full of
hurdles, not least the resistance of the various unions, clubs and possibly even broadcasters
protecting what they already have. But just because it might be difficult, that doesn't mean
we shouldn't try. We stand at a crossroads, and in years to come we will look back at 2014
and either say "that was the year northern hemisphere rugby began to catch up with their
Southern Hemisphere counterparts", or "that was the year of a massive missed opportunity".
I know where my money is.
present form. How we've got to this stage is a debate for a different day, and frankly doesn't
matter. We're here and we need to find some answers, and fast. In order to find the right
answers however, we need to ask the right questions. Out of the debacle surprisingly comes
an opportunity for reflection. Victoria Derbyshire on the BBC this week referred to the
Heineken Cup as "the envy of the Southern Hemisphere." Rubbish. But she may be on to
something. Should it be the envy of the Southern Hemisphere? Could it be the envy of the
Southern Hemisphere? How can it become the envy of the Southern Hemisphere? Those are
the right questions.
Some might baulk at the comparisons with the Southern Hemisphere, but to ignore
the lessons from south of the equator would be folly bearing in mind the fact that they have
won six of the seven Rugby World Cups played to date, with each of the SANZAR countries
winning two. Despite that they still keep adapting and changing to improve, and Super
Rugby today is unrecognisable from that which burst on the scenes in1996. It continues
to improve and produce players able to make the transition to full international rugby
seemlessly, playing less rugby than their northern hemisphere counterparts, but more rugby
at an intensity level just below that of a test match. Surely that was always the intention of the
Heineken Cup? While it has almost achieved that, the one weakness of it was that we tried
to fit it in as part of the regular domestic season. The turmoil created this year gives us the
opportunity to change, and create something more in tune with Super Rugby. Of course we
don't want to create a northern hemisphere Super Rugby and lose our identity, but nobody
can argue that Super Rugby doesn't work. It is a wonderful spectacle, and it is no coincidence
that the freedom to express and play open running rugby is encouraged by players not being
creatively strangled by fear of relegation or non qualification for next seasons competition.
Lessons to be learned there.
So what of the future of European rugby? Simple. Keep the regular domestic structures
of each of the Six Nations countries, but create a new competition played outside the
regular season between newly created franchises backed with money from television rights,
sponsorship and of course gate receipts. It can be played from April through to the end of
June, allowing for the end of season Southern Hemisphere tours to still take place in July
and August, with the Southern Hemisphere still coming north in November for the autumn
internationals. Professional players playing in the Aviva Premiership, Pro 12 and Top 14
would have something to play for - a European Cup contract with one of the new franchises,
just as Currie Cup players play for a Super Rugby contract in South Africa, likewise in New
Zealand with the NPC. While the top South African, All Black and Australian players do
play some rugby outside the Super Rugby season for their provinces, appearances are limited
and used to keep players sharp and match fit, with readiness for international rugby always
being the priority. The new European competition would enable similar nurturing of players,
protecting them from over playing and the risk of serious injury as a result. One only has to
look at the importance of Richie McCaw to the All Blacks, and the way they are nursing him
through to the next Rugby World Cup to see the benefits of such a system. It is inconceivable
currently that any of the Six Nations sides would be able to do the like with a Chris Robshaw,
or Thierry Dusautoir. How many more England caps might Jonny Wilkinson have won had
he been able to be looked after in such a manner? Sadly we'll never know.
Nobody is saying that the transition would be simple, and the road ahead is full of
hurdles, not least the resistance of the various unions, clubs and possibly even broadcasters
protecting what they already have. But just because it might be difficult, that doesn't mean
we shouldn't try. We stand at a crossroads, and in years to come we will look back at 2014
and either say "that was the year northern hemisphere rugby began to catch up with their
Southern Hemisphere counterparts", or "that was the year of a massive missed opportunity".
I know where my money is.
