From the South African Bunker

[Jethro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Sanzar will cause CC teams to be cancelled

Sanzar's expanded Super 15 format, due to come into being in 2011, will lead to the cancellation of at least two, maybe three teams' participation in the Absa Currie Cup Premier Division.

And if the Eastern Cape are harbouring any thoughts of winning the right to host one of the new Super 15 franchises, they should cease right now.

The expanded Super 15 will inevitably lead to the compression of the Currie Cup and, the president of the South African Rugby Union, Oregan Hoskins, conceded to SuperRugby that this would mean the streamlining of the world's proudest domestic rugby tournament.

Hoskins is in Auckland at the moment, not only following the Springboks as they look to clinch the Tri-Nations ***le, but also for a series of Sanzar meetings, with the southern hemisphere alliance set to decide at the end of October whether Melbourne or Port Elizabeth will be the home of the new franchise.

And Hoskins believes New Zealand and Australia have already made the call that the new team will be based in Melbourne, the Aussies for obvious reasons and the Kiwis because it would mean far less travelling for their teams.

"We're outvoted anyway, we always are. But I haven't given up. I thought we might actually be able to have a combined franchise or thought it was possible they could spend time in both countries ... maybe even more time in Australia, seeing they are playing in the Australian conference," Hoskins said. "But I'm not sure if this whole idea will get past first base anyway, because Australia is keen on having its own team in the competition."

With the Super 15 stretching from the last weekend in February to the first weekend of August it is inevitable that the Currie Cup will be affected, despite the assurances of Andy Marinos, the acting managing director of SA Rugby, that this would not happen.

The revamped Super 15 will also feature an expanded finals series and the new 24-week competition guarantees each team a minimum of eight home matches and a 16-match regular season. A new six-team finals series includes an extra round with two sudden-death qualifiers before the semifinals.

All teams will have a three-week bye while the tournament is suspended during the June international test window, while the Tri-Nations series has also been given a new time slot in the calendar to run at the conclusion of the Super 15.

Hoskins revealed that the SA Rugby plan is to cut the number of teams in the Currie Cup, which means the participation of the likes of the Platinum Leopards, Boland and Griquas is obviously under severe threat.

There is the possibility that the Currie Cup premier division could be played as a franchise competition itself, with teams based in the five major test unions of Durban, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

While that may end up being a blessing in disguise, one of the silliest features of the new improved Super 15 is that not everyone will play each other as is currently the case and as occurs in most other reputable competitions. Because of the conference system, a team could be crowned as champions without, for instance, having played the Bulls or the Crusaders.

"That is true, but then they will play them the following year, it's all done in cycles," Hoskins offered helpfully.

Far more alarming is that top-class rugby may die in Kimberley, Paarl and Potchefstroom, a natural consequence of the big money the five franchises will have to plunder their resources.

Source : SuperRugby[/b]

Frack me are Saffas actually considering this bollock :huh:

The CC is one of the great domestic competitions, to undermine it because the ARU can't get off their arses and get a domestic comp underway is share insanity. I'm not in a good place over the pressure being place on the ANZC, if I was a Saffa I would be writing to the SARU and threatening to toss in my pay TV licence ... get em in the sponsorship pocket

Anyways what the South Africa lads think?

 

[Bullitt]

The apparent SANZAR motto: Why improve quality when you can just add MOAR! What a complete farce.

 

[QLD]

Kick SA out and make the super rugby between Aus and NZ countries.

 

[Steve-o]

What the f*&% is Hoskins thinking? Sharing a franchise with the Aussies?! Crazy talk. That should never ever happen.

Even though it would be super **** for South African pride, SARU are being clever here, in a business and depth building way. It's quite well known that the ARU and NZRU have been recruiting players recently after seeing them in the Craven Week. SA's player pool is huge compared to Oz and NZ.
Living in both these countries is a huge draw for many South Africans, mostly due to discrimination from the government. Players are no different.
So how do you counter this leak in player resources? Take over their god damn unions! Bwahahaha. Has a SAracens tune to it.

It's crap logistically but the reality of the situation is that SA is lossing players due to the draws of living in a 1st world country.
I'll say it again, crap logistically and heritage wise, but clever.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Sep 11 2009, 09:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Kick SA out and make the super rugby between Aus and NZ countries.[/b]

:lol:

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Sep 11 2009, 09:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Kick SA out and make the super rugby between Aus and NZ countries.[/b]

So that you might actually win more than 4 games a year?

 

[Steve-o]

It would be sooo perfect, the AB's and Wallabies could play each other 9 times a year then!

 

[Jethro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ Sep 11 2009, 11:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

It would be sooo perfect, the AB's and Wallabies could play each other 9 times a year then![/b]

Awesome!!!!! That's sure to drag the crowds in

Good luck tonight btw, it's going to rock the house down regardless of result.

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jethro @ Sep 11 2009, 05:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE

The expanded Super 15 will inevitably lead to the compression of the Currie Cup and, the president of the South African Rugby Union, Oregan Hoskins, conceded to SuperRugby that this would mean the streamlining of the world's proudest domestic rugby tournament. [/b]

[/b][/quote]

You mean prouder than the "Pride of South Rutland proud under 15s tag rugby tournament of pride"?!

As for the deabte on the conference system, we're seeing an interesting clash of cultures between North American sport (which favours Conferences) and the European and European influenced sports (which prefer leagues where everyone plays each other home and away).

My view is that if you really want to go with a Conference system then there are simply not enough teams to justify a conference really in my view. Better to just make it a Super20 and include teams in Argentina and give an extra team to South Africa to compensate for a cut down CC.

Still doesn't disguise the fact that nobody in SANZAR or anywhere in the SH establishment want to tackle the issue of how to reconcile having a high intensity trans-continental Rugby League with two very entrenched traditional national leagues (CC and ANZC)

 

[QLD]

Aus and NZ have their own comp.
SA has their currie cup.
Tri Nations end of season, only play each other twice instead of three times.

 

[stormer2010]

My 2 cents:

CC and ANZC stays as is and Aus get their act together WRT creating and nurturing a local championship. Not give up after 1 year like before. S14 cut down to S12 again with 4 teams each and promotion/relegation (CC), for SA franchises at least. That way the supposed Southern Kings will have an opportunity if they can take it and we will be spared having the Lions bleed points and embarrass SA. 3N to include Arg and played home and away. That way, we keep our valuable domestic competitions in tact, have a shorter, better quality Super series and a more interesting 4N. Seriously, who wants to see NZ play Aus 4 times each year?

Expansion forced by anything other than popular demand is not the answer if you don't consolidate first.