Melbourne Super 15 team failing.

[cr@zydude]

Firstly, I'd like to say: "Called it!", I knew that a rugby union team could never work in Melbourne.:wtf:

Melbourne - Australia's Melbourne franchise, who beat South African rival Southern Kings in the race for a Super 15 spot, continues to be troubled by funding issues as sponsors start to walk out on the Victoria-based outfit.

According to the Australian Associated Press, the Melbourne franchise is in "disarray", with investors pulling out after failing to agree to terms with the Australian Rugby Union over funding.

News 24

Serves the convicts for trying to put a team in the AFL heartland. There are almost no rugby union fans in Melbourne. The only reason they were chosen was TV rights. The 'expert panel' even said that the Southern Kings were the better rugby option.

Will be interesting to see how this pans out.

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

I wish they would stop trying to expand the Super XX trophy within Sanzar, they're just watering it down. Get an Argentinian team in there.

 

[cr@zydude]

I wish they would stop trying to expand the Super XX trophy within Sanzar, they're just watering it down. Get an Argentinian team in there.

I would have loved to see an Argentinian team, but I think the problem would be for them to get many of their players out of their European contracts.

The main reason for this expansion and re-organisation, is ARU president, Idiot O' Neil. He's decided that since Aus need a rugby union domestic competion, he'll just turn Super rugby into one.

He forgets that Aus has a tiny market for rugby union, they like their AFL and rugby league over there.

 

[GreGorGy]

AAaaargh!

I think ALL the fans (here and NZ) would love to see an Argie team play. Hell, even the Oz fans would probably enjoy it. What ever happened to the rumour of adding an Argie team to the Currie Cup? Did that just die a sad death?

At the 2007 WC, they lost only one match - to us! They really deserved to be in the final against us rather than England. Second best team there. They fell apart on the Euro tour recently though (as did we).

 

[cr@zydude]

AAaaargh!

I think ALL the fans (here and NZ) would love to see an Argie team play. Hell, even the Oz fans would probably enjoy it. What ever happened to the rumour of adding an Argie team to the Currie Cup? Did that just die a sad death?

At the 2007 WC, they lost only one match - to us! They really deserved to be in the final against us rather than England. Second best team there. They fell apart on the Euro tour recently though (as did we).

An Argentinian team will be playing in the Vodacom Cup in 2010. It will be made up of their home based players, and is set to play out of Stellenbosch. With Argentina going the Tri Nations (4 Nations?), I would think that the logical step would be to have their clubs/franchises in Super Rugby. The problem is that most of their top players play in Europe.

 

[PhreakBoy]

I'm actually happy that the Spears weren't added to the Super 15. As it would only mean the rest of the franchises (provinces) get watered down more. And the funding more thinly spread.

However, would have loved to see Argentinian team added. For a start they could have made it an Argentinean national team put together of the players that weren't in Europe. I think a lot of the current franchises would beat the Argentine national team in any case.

 

[cr@zydude]

I'm actually happy that the Spears weren't added to the Super 15. As it would only mean the rest of the franchises (provinces) get watered down more. And the funding more thinly spread.

First of all, the team is called The Southern Kings. Anyway, I can agree about the talent being spread. I see it as a problem, but PE is still a big enough market to sustain a team, and in pro sport, the market is the most importent thing when choosing a location.

However, would have loved to see Argentinian team added. For a start they could have made it an Argentinean national team put together of the players that weren't in Europe. I think a lot of the current franchises would beat the Argentine national team in any case.

Well, the Argentinians are going to be setting up a new team, not the Pumas or Jaguars, to play in the Vodacom Cup. As for the franchises beating the Pumas, I'd say it would be a very close call.