Articles

How to put the super back into Super Rugby? Posted over 7 years ago

Photo: The Rugby Site

How to put the super back into Super Rugby?

The recruitment of Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder by English Premiership side Bath is just the latest example of the respect New Zealand coaches command on the global rugby stage.

It also offers further evidence that experience beyond your immediate border is also highly valued with Blackadder’s rugby CV already featuring a stint playing and coaching with Scottish side Edinburgh.

“For me this is more a career decision to keep learning and developing,” said the former All Blacks captain who will be joined at Bath by his Crusaders assistant Tabai Matson.

The appointment of Blackadder is also a major boost for the Premiership, if not England’s homegrown coaches or the system that produces them, with the 44-year-old having also been in the mix for the top job at Super Rugby rivals The Reds.

There was more cause for concern for Super Rugby in the form of Blackadder’s parting shot at the southern hemisphere’s premier competition which was not the most welcome comment on the eve of this year’s title decider.

“There’ll be some things I won’t miss like the competition structure,” he told Fairfax Media. “It’s not fair on those teams that perform consistently all competition.”

He’s not the first high profile figure to question the format that changed once again this year to accommodate 18 teams and the introduction of new franchises in Argentina, Japan and South Africa.

Stormers captain Schalk Burger no doubt echoed the frustrations of many from the field, to the stands to the press box when he told AAP, “The conference system is far too complicated, there aren’t many who even understand it.”

SANZAAR must be praised for embracing new markets and attempting to grow the game – and revenues for its members – but it is clear that the structure of the competition is far from perfect when such central figures are left frustrated and even baffled.

Understandably SANZAAR chief executive Andy Marinos recently came to the defence of the competition insisting it was ‘agreed by the SANZAAR Executive Board that oversees Super Rugby’ and which is made up of representatives of the major competing nations.

Quite rightly, he also pointed out: “A tournament’s qualification criteria cannot be determined on one years’ results in isolation."

But perhaps there is an acceptance that it is a work in progress with the governing body having also appointed management consulting services company Accenture earlier this season to work with the SANZAAR Working Group to, ‘map out the future of SANZAAR by examining three core areas: the structure of its competitions; its commercial structure; and its governance model.’

In a statement back in, Marinos insisted that SANZAAR, “are serious about continuing to deliver the best rugby competitions in the world by operating in the right territories, being innovative and ensuring we have the best players.”

Perhaps most importantly, he added, “We want competition formats with integrity to deliver growing attendances, TV audiences and fan engagement and to ensure that our National Teams remain a dominant force in world rugby.”

Rows of empty seats in stadiums for what should be compelling knock-out games are a rather brutal reminder that there is an issue when it comes to engagement.

Thankfully the final between the Hurricanes and the Lions in Wellington is a 36,500 sell out, but empty seats for crucial games should be a real worry for all involved and especially those intent on delivering ‘the best rugby competitions in the world’.

So what can be done to not only restore the faith of those committed stakeholders but also entice new supporters, viewers and sponsors?

One look at the geographical spread of the competition and the time zones and air miles that separate the teams involved is enough to illustrate the logistical nightmare facing SANZAAR.

If travel is a painful but necessary inconvenience, then arguably redemption lies in the format.

Burger, who also happens to be Premiership-bound with Saracens, is one of those to favour a return to a ‘round-robin’ that would see every team play each other as in some of the previous incarnations of the competition.

His Stormers side were starved of exposure to the in-form New Zealand sides – a fact that arguably contributed to their heavy home defeat to the Chiefs in the quarter-finals.

In addition to players wanting to challenge themselves against the most highly-rated of their rivals, fans and broadcasters want to see the best teams take on each other.

Such a change would go some way to improving the credibility – and clarity – of the competition as many continue to question the crowning of a champion who may not have played or beaten all the best sides in the competition.

However, the unpredictability of a competition can also prove positive and for the second year running Super Rugby will have a new champion this year following the Highlanders’ historic triumph in 2015.

The current format may not be perfect but we can take solace from the fact that, like Blackadder, tournament chiefs are clearly still keen to learn and develop.

The Rugby site is the only online coaching resource to offer a truly global perspective, subscribe for 12 months – now at a lower price point.

Enter your email address to continue reading

We frequently post interesting articles and comment from our world class content providers so please provide us with your email address and we will notify you when new articles are available.

We'll also get in touch with various news and updates that we think will interest you. We promise to not spam, sell, or otherwise abuse your address (you can unsubscribe at any time).

See all News & Opinions videos

Comments

comments powered by Disqus

Graham Jenkins is a freelance sports journalist who has been reporting around the rugby globe for over 20 years. A former editor of the leading rugby union website Scrum.com, he is a veteran of five World Cups and cites England’s 2003 triumph as the most memorable moment of his professional career - closely followed by a night out with Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal.

Comments
Topic News & Opinions
Applicable to Coaches   Players   Others   Supporters and fans  

Related articles

Can Japan shock the world again?

Countries have finalised their RWC squads and now finalise their preparations for the tournament. Writer Graham Jenkins in his latest article looks at Japan’s prospects as host nation and make another indelible mark on sporting history.

Coaching to inspire in your own orbit

As the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing, writer Graham Jenkins reflects on how coaches should be looking to inspire, and positively influence, their players within their own orbit.

Innovate or die? Rugby's continued quest to stay relevant.

The pressure on English rugby, and the game in general, to adapt and ensure the long-term success of the sport is evident in two innovations that are set to debut next season. Writer Graham Jenkins looks at these innovations and their possible positive effect on the game and its continued evolution.

Coaches should embrace ‘half game rule’ challenge

From the start of next season, all match day squad players at every level of youth, junior and minis rugby, from ages 6 to 18, must play at least half a game. A policy that has been in place in NZ and Wales for some years. Graham backgrounds the rationale behind the move and the impact on coaches.

Is it time the Six Nations packed down behind the Nations Championship concept?

World Rugby’s plan for a ground-breaking annual Nations Championship uniting both hemispheres appeared to have little support when revealed last month but is it actually a concept we should all be embracing? Writer Graham Jenkins looks at the merits of the plan.