Field Theory by Hadyn Green

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Field Theory: The Super 135

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  • Angus Robertson,

    Highlanders seem destined for 131st place?

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    New Zealand's 40 new franchises are listed here.

    I think you'll find the bras on the fence franchise - that's the NRL, not rugby.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    New Zealand's 40 new franchises are listed here.

    Yeah! Go the fricking Taihape Pirates!

    Actually, one game with Jonathan Kaplan and they could set a new benchmark as the only team to have all their players binned at the same time.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    It starts. It goes for a bit. Then it stops. Then it shakes it all about.

    The Jaapies get to keep their domestic competition intact complete with Springboks so they can nuture their player base.

    For no apparent reason the Aussies get another team that will be allowed to pinch our players.


    YAY! We Won!

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Well said Tom, except you forgot...

    And O’Neill gets his much coveted Provincial Championship by proxy.

    And our NPC is officially 2nd tier.

    And the Northern Hemisphere can continue sending development sides here in June.


    John must be in heaven

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    Yeah! Go the fricking Taihape Pirates!

    I just know that, despite all the good ideas for names, Tauranga will still end up with something dumb like the Steamers...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    The new Super deal is astoundingly bad. Does SANZAR/NZRU perform any market research or do they just ask the person at the next desk for their opinion?

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Naly D,

    Hadyn, you forgot the new rule where whenever a scrum goes wrong, the referee plays duck, duck, goose with the front row and whoever catches him gets the feed on the next one...

    Wellington • Since Sep 2008 • 307 posts Report Reply

  • Jimmy Southgate,

    I hate the new structure - and I can't see how its a good deal for New Zealand in the slightest. I really don't know how much longer we can continue being a great international rugby country when we only have 5 teams playing top level rugby.

    My preference would have been for the Air NZ Cup, Curry Cup & whatever domestic competition Australia can invent to be played all at the same time, with Champions League type competitions running at the same time.

    It works in the Northern Hemisphere, and is great for football, so why do we have to reinvent a competition structure?

    Wellingtown • Since Nov 2006 • 103 posts Report Reply

  • Dave Patrick,

    The continued running down of the Air New Zealand Cup and provincial rugby in New Zealand still doesn't end - this won't be good for grassroots rugby at all, but the the whole "Super" concept hasn't been good for that either.....

    Let's concentrate even more money and emphasis on 5 teams, and ignore everyone else, that'll work.....

    Rangiora, Te Wai Pounamu • Since Nov 2006 • 261 posts Report Reply

  • Hadyn Green,

    The new Super deal is astoundingly bad. Does SANZAR/NZRU perform any market research or do they just ask the person at the next desk for their opinion?

    I got very excited when Tew said that the changes to Super rugby (a term I hate!) were already being discussed "out there". I even thought that maybe they had been perusing the PASystem.

    Turns out "out there" means a board room in Dublin.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Beard,

    I just know that, despite all the good ideas for names, Tauranga will still end up with something dumb like the Steamers...

    I thought they were from Cleveland?

    I'd have though that Tauranga's team might be called The Zimmer Frames or The Tauranga Sprawl. I guess that some cities will have to have several teams representing different suburbs or neighbourhoods. Who's keen to see The Te Aro Macchiatos vs The Karori Pajeros?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report Reply

  • Jake Pollock,

    Who's keen to see The Te Aro Macchiatos vs The Karori Pajeros?

    So long as they do an exhibition match in Argentina.

    Raumati South • Since Nov 2006 • 489 posts Report Reply

  • Naly D,

    I'd have though that Tauranga's team might be called The Zimmer Frames or The Tauranga Sprawl.

    What about the Tauranga Riot? [Referencing events at the Mt. around New Years]

    Wellington • Since Sep 2008 • 307 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    The Tauranga Reefers, encapsulating the broken halfpipe dreams and herbal consulations of Mt Maunganui's would-be surfers.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    Tauranga (left) Testicles

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    I haven't seen any mention of the tri-nations in the bits of media I've read. What happens to that?

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • LegBreak,

    I haven't seen any mention of the tri-nations in the bits of media I've read. What happens to that?

    Same (bloated) format.

    Only difference is that it will always start with the South African home tests (late August) and finish with the Bledisloe Series.

    This is to ensure that all the Boks are available for the bulk of the Currie Cup.

    And puts the NPC right in its place.

    Not quite sure why we swallowed that one.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1162 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Rowe,

    Not quite sure why we swallowed that one.

    I'm struggling to understand how the NZRU swallowed any of it. Had they already decided that the Air NZ Cup was a gonner? I understood the S14 struggled to make any money (as does the NPC) but by focusing on (what I assume is the big earner) All Black tests, they have cut the game off at the knees.

    NZ's heroic ability to replace seemingly irreplaceable players in the past (Michael Jones past it? Here's Josh Kronfeld) will wither & die if we reduce the opportunities for players to play top level rugby (witness our problems with providing real career opportunities for coaches already)

    Lake Roxburgh, Central Ot… • Since Nov 2006 • 574 posts Report Reply

  • Stuart Coats,

    Maybe if we all lie back and think of the Air NZ Cup as college football and Super rugby as the NFL we'll all feel better.....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 192 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Same (bloated) format.

    Meh. That's the bit I could have quite happily had reduced. 6 games was fine, 9 is silly.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Poole,

    Meh. That's the bit I could have quite happily had reduced. 6 games was fine, 9 is silly.

    Especially when we seem to be adding what is currently a fourth Bledisloe match to be held overseas anyway.

    Frankly, I think it would be acceptable to play a Bledisloe decider outside of the Tri-Nations (And restrict the Tri-Nations to 6 games). Whether we really want that to be in Tokyo/Hong Kong/Denver instead of Brisbane or Wellington is another matter entirely.

    The new season looks ridiculous, and we're still stuck with weakened Northern teams each June while they get to milk the profits from top-quality AB/SA/Australian sides in November.

    Since Dec 2008 • 161 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    I predict that the Air New Zealand Cup will collapse under this arrangement. Who wants to sponsor a competition which not only doesn't have any All Blacks, but has all the Super 15 players out for the first rounds (and we all know that after seven months of rugby they'll all make excuses to be away anyway)?

    This arrange means the end of first class rugby outside the five super franchises. And with that, the final destruction of the New Zealand game.

    Since this Super competition is fundamentally a real mess, and is rugby inferior as a simple marketable entertainment to the NRL, the death by neglect of provincial rugby and its loyalties will see rugby league the number one spectator sport in NZ by 2020.

    Since New Zealand rugby will then be built on foundations of sand, and collapse of the All Blacks to second nation status can't be far behind that.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    *and rugby union is inferior as a simple marketable entertainment to the NRL's rugby league

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    I just know that, despite all the good ideas for names, Tauranga will still end up with something dumb like the Steamers...

    What's wrong with "steamers" ? It's the perfect description for a pile of dung!

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

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