Give me one way you would improve rugby union?

[mackerzz]

I think people look back on the last few years of the full super rugby with rose tinted glasses...was far from perfect and was lots of talk about changes, crowds were dwindling fast, uneven game time between NZ and RSA (3-5 pm kick offs in RSA and 730-8pm) kick offs in NZ because the south african broadcaster demanded better times, thats before we talk about the skewed results, the SA african teams being strong at home wasnt even a guarantee anymore, where NZ had 1-2 bad teams every year (often the Highlanders)....SA had 1-2 good ones by the end

current model does have lots of improvements for the fans, better times being the major one, have seen a steady uptick in crowd attendances....so probably a lower ceiling....but more sustainable

I dont think it was sustainable as it was and the only thing i really miss was a effect it appears to have had on the AB (theyve gone a bit soft)

Yeah it did end up a bit ****.

If they keep the aus teams as they are now - Force, Reds, Brumbies, Waratahs
Then new zealand teams - Highlanders, Crusaders, Hurricanes, Cheifs, Blues
The SA Teams - Sharks, Bulls, Lions, Stormers
And the Outliers - 2 Argentinian Teams & Drua

That will make 16 teams,

Have 2 pools of 8 teams, they play each other twice (so 14 games),
top 4 teams from both tables go through, to quarter finals.

To fix the travel issue, make sure that each team is always in that particular country for two week games.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Yeah it did end up a bit ****.

If they keep the aus teams as they are now - Force, Reds, Brumbies, Waratahs
Then new zealand teams - Highlanders, Crusaders, Hurricanes, Cheifs, Blues
The SA Teams - Sharks, Bulls, Lions, Stormers
And the Outliers - 2 Argentinian Teams & Drua

That will make 16 teams,

Have 2 pools of 8 teams, they play each other twice (so 14 games),
top 4 teams from both tables go through, to quarter finals.

To fix the travel issue, make sure that each team is always in that particular country for two week games.

I was always keen to see a champions league version, either the top NPC or more likely the top super teams after a domestic season play a post season comp, top two from NZ, Aus, SA with the winner of the Japanese and whatever Argentina wanted to do play over a smaller but more elite 6-8 weeks, integrate the domestic with the "super", give aussie a format they could build on domestically...teams travelling to the other side of the world to get thrashed with almost no one watching at home because the game is 2am just doesnt do it for me

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Far be it from me to argue with the most capped Lion of all time.

The genie is well out of the bottle but I wish the balance would return more towards team than squad. I really do.

Willie John McBride: Rugby's use of replacements is an 'absolute nonsense' says British and Irish Lions legend

British and Irish Lions legend Willie John McBride believes reverting back to only using the bench to replace injured players would leave rugby a "far better game".

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Modern rugby is significantly better than the era he played in, so I wouldn't to do anything to take it back to the "good old days" tbh

 

[Saintjay]

Just reminds me of the Harry Enfield sketch when 1933 Arsenal played 1991 Liverpool.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Subs only for injuries wouldn’t work as teams would just cheat. How can you really prove someone is injured if they lie.


On the other topic though, bring back the proper World Cup format and the proper European cup format.

They have made both substantially worse all for greed. Those rounds of 16 are such a waste. Feels like we could have been smug over football a few years ago but now rugby has followed suit.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Ive mentioned this before but i strongly believe we should make more of the RWC qualifying, everyone except the current champion and host should qualify over the 3 years between RWC, this would mean the ABs would have to go an play some of the PI's more regularly and with something actually on the line...games that are otherwise friendlies would have some meaning, i think it would add something to July internationals

 

[Which Tyler]

It was considered dangerous when it was done before (well, host + top 3) - which is why is was stopped.
Now, of course, it would also reduce £$€ as there's only so many weeks in a year.

There are already concerns about the likes of Hong Kong and Zimbabwe playing actually in the 2027 RWC - and that's with 18 months of coaching and training support WR provides to lower ranked qualifiers*; and no teams outside the top 25 in the world.

How safe does South Africa vs Uganda feel?
Or the All Blacks vs the Phillipines?

It doesn't just mean that "the ABs would have to go an play some of the PI's more regularly and with something actually on the line" it means that the ABs would have to go and play someone who's got nothing except health hazards - and doing so before WR can invest in them in an attempt to bring them up to speed.

If you can overcome that, then I'm all for it - but it's a hell of a hurdle, even without the sport's safety making headlines already.


* IIRC for 2023 it was £50M of support to amateur qualifiers; and approximately doubled for 2027 with its larger pool of amateurs.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Modern rugby is significantly better than the era he played in, so I wouldn't to do anything to take it back to the "good old days" tbh

In most respects I agree.

But doesn’t mean everything about the past was wrong either. Change is inevitable, but good change isn’t. And every 20 something at the cutting edge soon becomes a nostalgic “better in my day” 50 something. Let’s reconvene on 20 years when the 6N has been absorbed into R360’s domination of the global game

Seriously though, reducing subs is one area where I’d turn the clock back.

For front rowers in particular most of the satisfaction came wearing down your direct opponent over 55 minutes and reaping the personal and team dividends over the last 25.

As a spectator I don’t like watching mass substitutions - they provide disruption and a disjointed narrative as often if not more than being real value adds.

As an amateur player if I’d only have been getting a max of 50 minutes a week I’d have been demanding reduced subs before rapidly finding something else to do on a Saturday.

 

[spursincornwall]

Have 13 players and six tackles

 

[higgik]

It was considered dangerous when it was done before (well, host + top 3) - which is why is was stopped.
Now, of course, it would also reduce £$€ as there's only so many weeks in a year.

There are already concerns about the likes of Hong Kong and Zimbabwe playing actually in the 2027 RWC - and that's with 18 months of coaching and training support WR provides to lower ranked qualifiers*; and no teams outside the top 25 in the world.

How safe does South Africa vs Uganda feel?
Or the All Blacks vs the Phillipines?

It doesn't just mean that "the ABs would have to go an play some of the PI's more regularly and with something actually on the line" it means that the ABs would have to go and play someone who's got nothing except health hazards - and doing so before WR can invest in them in an attempt to bring them up to speed.

If you can overcome that, then I'm all for it - but it's a hell of a hurdle, even without the sport's safety making headlines already.


* IIRC for 2023 it was £50M of support to amateur qualifiers; and approximately doubled for 2027 with its larger pool of amateurs.

Maybe having a regional event every 4 years would give T2 more matches at higher level.
Then RWC of 20 teams again.
Only, have semi finalists auto quality for next.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

It was considered dangerous when it was done before (well, host + top 3) - which is why is was stopped.
Now, of course, it would also reduce £$€ as there's only so many weeks in a year.

There are already concerns about the likes of Hong Kong and Zimbabwe playing actually in the 2027 RWC - and that's with 18 months of coaching and training support WR provides to lower ranked qualifiers*; and no teams outside the top 25 in the world.

How safe does South Africa vs Uganda feel?
Or the All Blacks vs the Phillipines?

It doesn't just mean that "the ABs would have to go an play some of the PI's more regularly and with something actually on the line" it means that the ABs would have to go and play someone who's got nothing except health hazards - and doing so before WR can invest in them in an attempt to bring them up to speed.

If you can overcome that, then I'm all for it - but it's a hell of a hurdle, even without the sport's safety making headlines already.


* IIRC for 2023 it was £50M of support to amateur qualifiers; and approximately doubled for 2027 with its larger pool of amateurs.

it doesn't feel unsafe at all, there will be some lopsided scores but i don't see it as dangerous....we see top international players dropping down and playing clubs games against+40 year old tradies often when coming back from injuries and they dont go around hurting people

i see it as some short term pain for some long term gain, raising interest in some of these countries, new fans are never going to travel to watch their teams play the big names but they'll definitely check it out if its on their doorstep....and increased interest will grow support etc