Official Super Rugby 2014 Thread

Mehrtens: Time for SuperRugby to ditch S.Africa

Former All Black and Crusaders flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens has said that it might be time for New Zealand and Australia to ditch South Africa in Super Rugby.

Mehrtens highlighted the difference in time zones as the main reason for the growing lack of interest.

Super Rugby is approaching it's 20th year and although the tournament still has a good following there appears to be a growing feeling that interest is waning as the same teams play each other year on year in time zones that don't suit broadcasters or fans in Australia and New Zealand.

Mehrtens says that he got up on Sunday morning to watch the Cheetahs play his former team the Crusaders but he says, "I'm sure I was in the minority".

"I can't help thinking we might have lost a little interest in playing South African teams, and that ultimately the future of this competition (Super Rugby) might be more localised round time zones," Mehrtens said in his column on Stuff.

The 70 cap All Black said that he feels rugby needs more "tribalism" and matches to be played in the right time for broadcasters and fans.

"The provincial championship still has a pretty strong following, and if you're looking at what Australia and New Zealand needs, maybe it's that parochialism, that tribalism which is very important.

"The logistics of involving South Africa are problematic - the travel and time difference - and maybe it would be better for all concerned just to play within our time zone and include teams from the Pacific Islands and Japan."

"New Zealand needs to align with a couple of big economies. It can't be the UK or France, so we have to look at helping grow the game in Australia. Japan would be the other natural alignment that could help with the finances.

"You might have 20 teams in our time-zone - eight or so from New Zealand, maybe six in Australia and the rest from the islands and Japan."

"Granted, greater minds than mine might need to hammer out the detail, but that's the way I see the game heading over the next couple of decades" said the former All Black who was born in Durban South Africa.
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http://www.superxv.com/42217/1/mehrtens-time-for-superrugby-to-ditch-s.africa#.U07dbFWSx8E

Comments?
 
Go for it!! Let's see how strong New Zealand rugby will be after 10 years of playing with themselves and the Aussies.
 
Perhaps this year's poor support is down to the crap rugby being played by most NZ teams at the moment, Andy?

Now kindly go fsck yourself...
 
To an extent, I agree with him. SR has become contrived and the current format has us all dancing like monkeys to the tune the broadcasting organ grinders have churned out. I have voiced my utter displeasure with the crap that is this format a few times. It is possible that the piss poor performances we have been treated to in the last few years are the result - at least in part - of administration fatigue, where the organisers are literally feeling "Okay, time to stage this crap show again." It is stale and boring for many non-die-hard fans. It is not uncommon for me to have conversations with people on a Sunday about the games only to find out they didn't watch. And the reliable reasons - my cousin's wedding, grampa's funeral, wife was being a bitch - are fast being replaced by more mundane excuses like washing the dog, painting the bathroom and going to some or other market or fresh produce sale.

I mean for fück's sakes - fresh produce? Leaving us out of the tournament won't fix that but at least then we can concentrate on other markets. SA rugby will decline as much as NZ with such a proposal but it may breathe new life into a dull affair for many fans.
 
Chris said:
Mehrtens: Time for SuperRugby to ditch S.Africa



http://www.superxv.com/42217/1/mehrtens-time-for-superrugby-to-ditch-s.africa#.U07dbFWSx8E

Comments?
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IIRC SA has some of the highest attendance and viewing numbers, If this is correct then they will economically speaking be shooting themselves in the foot.

I know SA has looked to play in a EURO based competition which they also said would be much more lucrative for SA rugby.

I only think that SA might lose the edge if we play mostly vs EURO teams as their style of Rugby is very much different than ours.
 
Devill said:
IIRC SA has some of the highest attendance and viewing numbers, If this is correct then they will economically speaking be shooting themselves in the foot.

I know SA has looked to play in a EURO based competition which they also said would be much more lucrative for SA rugby.

I only think that SA might lose the edge if we play mostly vs EURO teams as their style of Rugby is very much different than ours.
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That's one of the NZRU's main reasons for backing South Africa to stay in the comp. We bring in lots of $.

I'd definitely be annoyed if we weren't part of it anymore. I think it gives us our players the best possible platform to compete internationally.
 
OrbitalDawn said:
Ya, silly stuff. But what a good game that was. Crusaders playing some quality rugby.
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That final kick of the game shows how important it is to have someone like Frans Steyn on your team. Exciting finish. Crusaders defence was fantastic but The Chiefs lost it more than The Crusaders won it...
 
DJ... said:
That final kick of the game shows how important it is to have someone like Frans Steyn on your team. Exciting finish. Crusaders defence was fantastic but The Chiefs lost it more than The Crusaders won it...
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Had the ref actually awarded the penalty from the right spot and it might have gone over!!
 
DJ... said:
Nah he missed that by some margin. Was an odd call by the ref as to the position of the penalty though...
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Didn't miss by much... Very odd call...

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DJ... said:
That final kick of the game shows how important it is to have someone like Frans Steyn on your team. Exciting finish. Crusaders defence was fantastic but The Chiefs lost it more than The Crusaders won it...
Click to expand...

Yeah. I wouldn't have taken the shot. Run it up and try to get another penalty closer to the posts.
 
Bulls looking better in this second half so far. Greg might just get a celebratory drink out of this game if they carry on like this...
 
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