Which is the top domestic competition?

[General Tah]

Sorry if this has been decided or thread is already open but which is the best?

Top 14? Super rugby? English premiership?

 

[Mumbles119]

I would say the Super 15 is incorrectly levelled against the national leagues, such as Top 14, the AP, or Pro12.
A more suitable comparison of like for like structure and participating teams would be the European Rugby Champions Cup.

So, my view on Super 15 vs European Rugby Champions Cup? Super 15 probably has high tempo games more often. The European game can and does produce spectacles and matches that easily match the excitement of the Super 15, just not as consistently.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yes, if we are talking about domestic competitions then you'll talk about SA's Curry Cup, NZ's ITM Cup and Aussies' newly established competition. I get why you added Super rugby though as it was essentially doubling as Aussies domestic league till now.. maybe still even.

I havn't watched a lot of the Japanese Top league or Rabodirect so I couldn't talk about them. ITM Cup and AP I also only watch the finals so I could only comment on the Top 14 and Curry Cup and its difficult to make comparisons though since the resources involved aren't comparable at all and though you get some good rugby in the CC amongst the top teams its not comparable to the intensity and quality of opposition of the top teams of the Top 14. The Curry Cup has suffered a lot the last few years from a mass exodus of our middle order talent to Europe and its timing to accommodate the extended Super rugby and internationals meaning our test players also don't play in the league any more. So, I guess as an attempt to answer your question from my own framework of reference it'd be the Top 14.

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I'll put a poll up as this seems like the perfect thread for it and it might add to discussions..

 

[TRF_heineken]

Yes, if we are talking about domestic competitions then you'll talk about SA's Curry Cup, NZ's ITM Cup and Aussies' newly established competition. I get why you added Super rugby though as it was essentially doubling as Aussies domestic league till now.. maybe still even.

I havn't watched a lot of the Japanese Top league or Rabodirect so I couldn't talk about them. ITM Cup and AP I also only watch the finals so I could only comment on the Top 14 and Curry Cup and its difficult to make comparisons though since the resources involved aren't comparable at all and though you get some good rugby in the CC amongst the top teams its not comparable to the intensity and quality of opposition of the top teams of the Top 14. The Curry Cup has suffered a lot the last few years from a mass exodus of our middle order talent to Europe and its timing to accommodate the extended Super rugby and internationals meaning our test players also don't play in the league any more. So, I guess as an attempt to answer your question from my own framework of reference it'd be the Top 14.

- - - Updated - - -

I'll put a poll up as this seems like the perfect thread for it and it might add to discussions..

Yeah but we can't compare most of these leagues with one another, as there are different criteria's.

nonetheless, I voted for the Currie Cup. It's the oldest competition and still remains a tough tournament to win. It's the backbone of the South African rugby Fraternity and some even see it as a better tournament than the Super Rugby.

 

[FrenchFan]

Sorry if this has been decided or thread is already open but which is the best?

Top 14? Super rugby? English premiership?

I'll vote for the Top 14 no surprise. I also like the S15 and the European Champions Cup.

Hard to compare a club competition with S15 and Guinness Pro12, we don't have franchises or regional teams.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I'll vote for the Top 14 no surprise. I also like the S15 and the European Champions Cup.

Hard to compare a club competition with S15 and Guinness Pro12, we don't have franchises or regional teams.

Agreed, those clubs have massive budgets and more streamlined (less encumbered) managements and also enjoy greater freedom of decision making being more or less private entities.

 

[General Tah]

Fair call on super rugby not being equal against top 14 and premiership.
NRC, which i am enjoying, has a long way to go and is far behind curry and itm. But you have to start somewhere.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Yeah but we can't compare most of these leagues with one another, as there are different criteria's.

nonetheless, I voted for the Currie Cup. It's the oldest competition and still remains a tough tournament to win. It's the backbone of the South African rugby Fraternity and some even see it as a better tournament than the Super Rugby.

I know many Saffas see the CC as numero uno still but surely that's because of sentimental factors rather than objectively looking at the actual product on offer? That said, I suppose those emotional connotations do have value and for an individual feels more invested in CC then I can see it carrying more value for him. I do feel though the OP is asking for objective value judgements here.

Fair call on super rugby not being equal against top 14 and premiership.
NRC, which i am enjoying, has a long way to go and is far behind curry and itm. But you have to start somewhere.

yeah, rather late than never! Aus need that level below SR. I'm sure it'll pay dividends sooner rather than later and will be a more worth while long-term investent for the ARU than some of the RL converts even if Folau has been a massive coupe (Hunt though..).

 

[TobesHodges]

I would say Top 14 because it has most flare, in the sense of charisma, teams making all star squads etc.. Super Rugby holds the best standard of rugby (My Favourite)

 

[TRF_heineken]

I know many Saffas see the CC as numero uno still but surely that's because of sentimental factors rather than objectively looking at the actual product on offer? That said, I suppose those emotional connotations do have value and for an individual feels more invested in CC then I can see it carrying more value for him. I do feel though the OP is asking for objective value judgements here.


yeah, rather late than never! Aus need that level below SR. I'm sure it'll pay dividends sooner rather than later and will be a more worth while long-term investent for the ARU than some of the RL converts even if Folau has been a massive coupe (Hunt though..).

Of Course!!

But let's look at it differently. And this is Utopia... What if all the top leagues currently had the same currency and limits? What if SH players had the choice to stay in the SH where they would get paid the same amount of money if they went to the NH? Which league would then stand out?? My guess is that a lot of fans would not then go for the same league as they have currently gone with.

 

[Stumpy]

I like the Top 14 and the AP but the one thing that detracts from the Top 14 is during the regular season most teams don't send full strength squads to away games which means some games are a waste of time (obviously there are exceptions where teams have sent a weakened team away and won but it is rare) I've never watched any of the southern leagues so I can't compare them. So for me out of the Pro 12, Top 14 and AP I'd have to say AP. Support wise the Top 14 wins hands down, the main reason I went to the Top 14 final this season was to be part of the Yellow Army (Clermont Fans) who I fell in love with at Saint Ettiene when we played them in the ERCC semi final.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Top 14. Strongest of the "private" leagues. Agree with French Fan on S15 and pro 12 being incomparible, you could also include ITM and Currie cups because they are all focused on player development, whether for an international side or franchise, a lot more than the Top 14, AP, Top league etc...

 

[FrenchFan]

I like the Top 14 and the AP but the one thing that detracts from the Top 14 is during the regular season most teams don't send full strength squads to away games which means some games are a waste of time (obviously there are exceptions where teams have sent a weakened team away and won but it is rare) I've never watched any of the southern leagues so I can't compare them. So for me out of the Pro 12, Top 14 and AP I'd have to say AP. Support wise the Top 14 wins hands down, the main reason I went to the Top 14 final this season was to be part of the Yellow Army (Clermont Fans) who I fell in love with at Saint Ettiene when we played them in the ERCC semi final.

wow a Saracens fan falling for the ennemy....the Yellow army. Did they bribe you?! LOL. Turn coat!!

 

[Tony Manx]

I agree with@French Fan (again!) but would add that one further reason for the club support rather than international is the ability to attend.

Financially and physically it is easier to support a club than attend internationals where corporates and greed makes it financially difficult. Add in the time and cost of travel to capital cities when ko, at the whim of TV, necessitates overnight very often.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Of Course!!

But let's look at it differently. And this is Utopia... What if all the top leagues currently had the same currency and limits? What if SH players had the choice to stay in the SH where they would get paid the same amount of money if they went to the NH? Which league would then stand out?? My guess is that a lot of fans would not then go for the same league as they have currently gone with.

I would of course go with the CC for the simple fact that I am South African. But currency/budgets isn't the only facor though;

1) as is the schedule hampers the CC as a 'top end' product in that our best (test) players would still remain unavaiable throughout the entire competition.
2) it is very much a South African development competition with the restrictions on overseas players and as such we inevitably hit the ceiling when we get to 100% of the SA public whereas the Top 14 has a very cosmopolitan dare I say exotic (?) feel and many nations could conceivably develop an affiity for a team for the simple fact that a countryman or two (or even 9 Saffas in the case of Montpellier) plays in it. This is precisely how I ae to support RM92.. that and the beutiful jersey and emblem.
3) for shear size (or rather lack thereof) the CC also gets penalized when put up next to all of the NH leagues as well as the ITM cup which has some cross over from the two tiers.

 

[Stumpy]

wow a Saracens fan falling for the ennemy....the Yellow army. Did they bribe you?! LOL. Turn coat!!

Yeah kind of... they gave me lots of beer and wine. They didn't let me pay for a bear all night and the atmosphere they produced was off the scale. They are well and truly my second team.