Is ARU being serious?

It is now thrice that I have heard the same story: ARU wants the Super 14 to be longer, include a franchise in Japan and fill it with japanese and aussies.


Do they want Larkham back in Super Rugby? Do they want an easy retire for Mortlock and Giteau? What are the reasons for pointing at Japan and overlooking Argentina?

Oh, now I know.

Let's give some facts:

  1. The Super 14 competitions is played besides national championships which happen to be very strong in New Zealand and South Africa but have misserably ran out of public in Australia.
  2. The present Super 14 contract expires in 2010 and a new one is to be signed. Two of the three SANZAR unions (NZ, OZ) are hoping for bigger revenue whereas there has been certain gossip about the third side (SA) to quit playing super rugby to join northern hemisphere's competitions.
  3. Argentina has been asking for a long time to be included in one of the two 'nations' tournament.
  4. The Islanders had two teams in the first super rugby competitions.
  5. Japan has got money and pays well. (Ask Larkham, Flavell or Mortlock).

So, basically Australia is saying: "I don't have a domestic competition. I want more money, I want a franchise in Japan which I will feed with australian players. What NZ and SA should do is forget their useless domestic competitions and join my plan".

Is ARU right? Should SA and NZ focus more on how to increase revenues at the risk of losing their strong competitions? Is Japan the direction that this opening should take? What about the Argentinians and the Islanders?

Meanwhile in NZ...
And also...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are on the right track.....it is all about $$$$ and not about enhancing or helping Japan.
It wouldn't surprise me because the Japanese rugby officials are like Mexican banditos....swindlers. They are the perfect foil for the genetically criminal Australians. "Amores perros."
On the oher side of the world, NZ is partnering with the USA and the Americans are DUMB, DUMBER,and DUMBEST!

sesenta y cuatro said...

Sure. The SANZAR does not have a common goal, a common view on where should the competition head to.

I wish they can all push in the same direction.