expanding super 14 to a top 6 finals series

[redunderthebed]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,2...0-23217,00.html

Six from 14 say Brumbies

By Jim Morton

March 24, 2008

THE Brumbies are pushing for a six-team finals series from next season as a "middle-ground" preliminary move towards Super rugby expansion.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan revealed the Australian Rugby Union was supportive of their proposal for two more teams being rewarded with play-off places.

The Super 14's top-four finals system makes the world's biggest provincial competition the most cut-throat tournament of any professional sport involving teams from Australia.

Whereas the AFL and NRL reward half of their 16 teams with an eight-team finals cut-off, and the NBL are even more generous with eight in their 13-club league, the current Super 14 structure sees 28 per cent of teams given a play-off position.

A model hasn't been locked in as part of the proposal, blocked last year due to the tight broadcast schedule, but Fagan would prefer to see all six teams play off on the first week of finals.

That would see the two lowest-ranked losers knocked out and the rest seeded to play off 1 v 4 and 2 v 3, as the current system works.

ARU chief executive John O'Neill is keen to expand the Super 14 season for more product when the broadcast deal comes up for negotiation from next year.

He also wants a six-team finals format as part of a 22-week competition, which should allow at least three more home-games for the each team.

New Zealand and South African reactions to O'Neill's revitalisation plans have been cool to say the least but Fagan believes there should be more support for just one extra week added to the Super rugby calendar for 2009.

Even if O'Neill wins the day with his plans, an expanded Super rugby competition wouldn't kick-off until 2010 or more likely 2011.

“I know that John O'Neill from the ARU perspective is talking to SANZAR about all those possibilities at the moment with a particular push of expanding the Super 14 competition overall,†Fagan said.

“But if that's going to become a 2010 or 2011 potential start point, there's some things we should do in the mean time to freshen up the competition and ensure we can maintain some interest and it would only add an extra week in the calender which we should manage.

“And in the event that's not on the cards a middle-ground of expanding (for 2009) is a six-team finals series.â€

The Brumbies' frustrating record over the past two seasons, where they have finished fifth and sixth and have both times secured more wins than teams in the top four, is only part of their willingness to force a change.

The short competition and it's intensity can make for skewed results, particularly when travel to and from South Africa and New Zealand is factored in.

A top-six would also generate extra interest for the middle-of-the-road teams, as it is in the AFL and NRL, as well as more gate and broadcast revenue.

“A top six in a 14-team competition is appropriate,†Fagan said. “It would allow an evening out of some factors that can influence such a short competition.

“I think you would concede that any of those top six teams could win the competition. It would allow another week of finals football to maintain interest and you could arguably see finals in Australia, South Africa and New Zealand on the same weekend.â€

AAP

[/b]

I totally agree it should be expanded to a top 6 system and maybe a top 8 system with two more teams added.This would give teams that are up and coming more incentive to do well and make things fairer and a longer finals series of course the union might ***** but i think that can be sorted.






discuss

 

[Hamster]

I agree, top 4 system doesn't give much opportunity for teams and the current finals system is too short. The gap in the middle is too big and doesnt give much of those teams something to aim for.

All personal tirades to be directed straight at the persons involved via PM or e-mail. Please don't clog up forums with it.

 

[candybum]

It doesn't sound too bad i suppose. Longer final series could generate a lot more revenue as well.

Whats up with these Australians and their ideas of expanding the super 14? lol wasn't there a proposal type just a couple weeks ago (is this the same proposal?)? Was it because their recent new tournament was a load a crop?

I guess it will sort of give the tournament a fresh sort of look/feel about it. I think it's still great how it is though

Poor brumbies finishing 5th and 6th hehe

 

[ChiefsFan]

Six team finals is good, but I hate hat other crap they've proposed. It's blatantly a money maker for Oz. They wouldn't be proposing it if their Provincial comp was still running. ANY expansion should have Argentina in it. Japan and the PI should be in aswell.

 

[candybum]

Yup those tricky Australians. I'd go as far as perhaps even having a American team!

 

[Wellycane]

I agree. I'd go with a top six any days or a top eight would be even better. It will be more challenging for the teams and exciting for the fans.



I think this will happen.

 

[Fushitsusha]

I agree. I'd go with a top six any days or a top eight would be even better. It will be more challenging for the teams and exciting for the fans.



I think this will happen.
[/b]

I agree.

As a Brumbies fan (and I'm sure Chiefs fans feel the same) it was so dissapointing last year that due to a lack of bonus points they couldn't make the finals, especially when they'd won more games than some of the teams in the finals... plus with the form they were in they could've beaten anybody...

However, the only problem with this is geography... it couldn't work if a team had to travel from New Zealand to South Africa one week, then play a semi in New Zealand, and then a final in South Africa...

 

[InsaneAsylum]

+1 for final 6

when i was young, AFL had a final 4, then expanded to a final 5, then 6 then a final 8 all within about 10 years. there are 16 teams in the AFL

seeing as there are 14 teams, a final 6 sounds perfect or maybe even a final 7 ie. top half of the comp play finals

 

[BLR]

Yup those tricky Australians. I'd go as far as perhaps even having a American team!
[/b]

You Kiwi's are the ones with the agreement with the Yanks, so you are the ones likely to do such a thing to raise some funds for yourself

As for the 6 team final series, why reward mediocrity? The AFL was used as an example....why would we EVER want to be like that god-forsaken game?

 

[candybum]

<div class='quotemain'>
Yup those tricky Australians. I'd go as far as perhaps even having a American team!
[/b]

You Kiwi's are the ones with the agreement with the Yanks, so you are the ones likely to do such a thing to raise some funds for yourself
[/b][/quote]

Of course we need the cash, so we could pay our players millions of dollars so they'll stay in the country! lol

But aren't these proposals most beneficial to australia? not in a financial P.O.V. I got this from the media

 

[InsaneAsylum]

i don't even read that deeply into it... expand the final 4 to a final 6 simply to allow more opportunity for teams to take out the ***le

 

[woosaah]

I agree with expanding it to a top 6, but if they are going to keep the 14 teams then i would say leave it at 6. If they expand with more teams, maybe give it to the top 8 say like the NRL.

if they go with having 22 rounds (which is going to be like the NRL in itself) i think the top 6 should be plenty fine as we will be all rugbied out by the end of the comp anyway.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

I agree with expanding it to a top 6, but if they are going to keep the 14 teams then i would say leave it at 6. If they expand with more teams, maybe give it to the top 8 say like the NRL.

if they go with having 22 rounds (which is going to be like the NRL in itself) i think the top 6 should be plenty fine as we will be all rugbied out by the end of the comp anyway. [/b]

NRL just copies AFL... even though i think AFL sux, i reckon NRL sux more for copying them

for those that feel anger after reading what i wrote... suck it... it's true

 

[BLR]

NRL just copies AFL... even though i think AFL sux, i reckon NRL sux more for copying them

for those that feel anger after reading what i wrote... suck it... it's true
[/b]

If your stupid enough to play League over Union I wouldn't be surprised

 

[redunderthebed]

As for the 6 team final series, why reward mediocrity? The AFL was used as an example....why would we EVER want to be like that god-forsaken game? [/b]

Because it gives teams chances it makes the finals series more exciting.AFL might be **** in your opinion but we dont have the same lot of teams making the finals every year because we have the top 8.If we have more teams we might start having some diversity in whom wins the s14 if you look at it only 4 teams in its history have won it and two of them have won over half between them.

 

[BLR]

Because it gives teams chances it makes the finals series more exciting.AFL might be **** in your opinion but we dont have the same lot of teams making the finals every year because we have the top 8.If we have more teams we might start having some diversity in whom wins the s14 if you look at it only 4 teams in its history have won it and two of them have won over half between them.
[/b]

Shouldn't teams concentrate on getting better overall instead of managing a fluke win against a team who has played better consistantly over the season? The reason so few teams have won the ***le is because they simply aren't good enough....pick up your game and you'll be in the finals, simple as that....

 

[Dmx#1]

Even though it would increase the canes of making the playoffs, I think it would be stupid if a average team managed to fluke their way to winning the Super 14. I think they should just leave it alone.

 

[Bullitt]

At this rate, why not just ditch the round robin league and make it a straight knockout tournament... <_<

That said, the Aussies always whinge to change things in rugby when they're not good enout to get by under the current system.

*coughelvscough*

 

[mimic]

Leave it alone.

Boohoo you won 9 out of 13 and didn't make the semis. Maybe you should be more exciting in scoring more tries, rather than making the last few weeks exciting by getting into the top 6.

Final four is fine. The top 4 deserve to be there. It's usually the top teams who make it there anyway.

No need to expand the finals. It's bad enough we start the Super14 in summer ffs.

 

[melon]

At this rate, why not just ditch the round robin league and make it a straight knockout tournament... <_<

That said, the Aussies always whinge to change things in rugby when they're not good enout to get by under the current system.

*coughelvscough* [/b]

The original rule changes were actually devised in South Africa I believe. This was under the name Stellenbosch.

What else have we apparently changed, exclusively of course just like the ELVs, to suit ourselves?