posted Jul 21, 2008

Just like the boks did on the weekend hey total 80?

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posted Jul 22, 2008

Unfortunately, how much of shake of Southern hemisphere is made to tri nations and super 14's the money is always going to be in England and France. NZ just doesn't have the resources, rugby is falling in popularity in Australia, politics still affects SA rugby and Argentina still have bridge too far to close with regards rugby versuses football. Part of this is because the tri-nations is brand new game which falls of the back end of Six nations in Northern hemisphere which is dripped in tradition and therefore pulls in a lot more income.

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posted Jul 22, 2008

i don't see it as a tradition thing. there's nothing traditional about the heineken cup, yet it's prospering.

it's all about generating interest levels and having the same three teams play each other in an endless series of matches hardly grips the imagination.

and o'neill should stop whinging about NH teams not sending their best teams down under. we send the best of what's available and if he wasn't aware in advance the top 14 finals would be clashing with his aus/french series, he's an even bigger idiot than i first thought.

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posted Jul 25, 2008

WalesWillWin08 (U10947993)
posted 6 Days Ago

Intersting comment as part of that article. I feel that Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland sent the best available players with France going for the experimental team?

Due to the difference in seasons, it's inevitable that injuries will force teams to send likely replacements isn't it?"

funny you say that, have you conveniently forgotten that basically the whole english first were left at home? Or that your players needed a rest.
wasnt that the excuse you english trotted out when your team got battered by the boks?

wonder how many of the team that toured SA will be playing the autumn test against SA in november?

As for telling o'neill to stop whinging, because you send the best of whats available, well, when you guys tour, we also have competitions on the go.
Would you guys be happy if we sent over a 2nd team in november? I doubt it.

I reckon if this carries on next year, sanzar will come up with excuses not to come over for the autumn tests.
And that the UK will be left fielding a great britain team, i mean a Lions side every four years.

try and be a little unbiased please.

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posted Jul 28, 2008

an exodus of the best sanzar players chasing the buck.
the game went pro to suit these people but now the players want the best deal for them selves they don't like it.
not nice when things come back to haunt is it?

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posted Jul 28, 2008

anyway if the Argies do scrummage the rest off the pitch we can look forward to another set of rules to screw the technically adept players
to suit the so called best teams

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posted Jul 30, 2008

I thought you would all like to have a read of the proposed changes to Super rugby. I imagine that one of the possible ways to have more super rugby played is to scrub the june test series. This would no doubt serve everyones better interests, giving the northern hemisphere players a chance to have a rest and our guys a more structured season. Any how I am sure the article that I have cut and pasted below may well interest you all;



Rugby: Islands, US and Japan to boost Super rugby
5:00AM Sunday July 27, 2008
By Gregor Paul


Sanzar partners want to see Pacific Islanders in Super rugby. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A phased integration of Super rugby sides is likely to begin in 2010, with a fifth Australian team likely to be the first new entrant into the expanded competition.

Following that, it is possible that Sanzar bosses will look to invite a Pacific Islands side into the competition in 2012, with franchises in the US and Japan also likely to go live at the same time - making it a Super 18 competition.

There are strong hopes that an Argentinian and Canadian franchise can be welcomed but both might take longer to build.

Australia have been looking to grow their Super Rugby presence from day one of the original Super 12, as they don't have a provincial contest to provide their elite players with strong competition throughout the season.

When they were granted a licence to host a fourth side in 2006, both Perth and Melbourne were in the mix and it was a close decision to give the nod to Western Australia.

Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill has never hidden his desire to see Melbourne awarded a side and the green light for that is expected to be given in the next few months. Melbourne has a sport-loving public and has successfully hosted a number of Crusaders pre-season games in the past few years. Rugby is growing in popularity in Victoria and the ARU would like an elite team based there to help try to convert fans away from the hugely successful Melbourne Storm NRL club and the many Australian Rules teams based in the city.

New Zealand Rugby Union boss Steve Tew says there is a strong desire among the Sanzar partners to see a Pacific Island involvement in Super rugby.

Plans are being drawn up to encourage Super rugby sides to contract a limited number of foreign players once the competition expands. By doing that, Sanzar hope that significant numbers of Argentinians and Pacific Islanders will win places in the various teams so they can avoid player release issues and field international sides in an expanded Tri Nations.

"That might not be the only route for the Pacific Islands," says Tew. "I'm not in a position to say that it will happen in 2010 nor 2012 but having a Pacific Islands Super rugby team is possible. We are getting to the stage now where it is apparent that certain things are going to be easier to achieve. We will map out some possible ideas to show how change will be phased in."

Building a Pacific Island Super rugby franchise is certainly going to be easier than building one in Argentina, due to the difficulties in reaching South America.

It is understood that if there is a Pacific Island team, it will most likely be based in Australia, with Gosford and Newcastle being considered.

It is possible that Argentina could be awarded a franchise in time, with Miami mooted as a possible base.

A US team, which now seems almost certain, is likely to be based on the West Coast, with Los Angeles the obvious city to host it.

Tew stressed that there is still an enormous amount of detail and planning to be worked through and that more specific ideas would be formed by January next year.

He also said the NZRU board would meet this week to discuss a proposal to extend the Super 14 playoffs next year to six teams.

The problem with the extension was that it would force an earlier start to the competition, something the NZRU was reluctant to do, given their desire to afford the leading players a longer off-season.

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posted Jul 31, 2008

This action has nothing to do with stopping the exodus and all about money.The 3Ns is a joke at the moment the 3 best sides in the world meeting 3 times each,and the draw favouring the winner [2 home 1 away and vice versa],The S14 extended to 6 places play offs[how long before NH follows suit.What if when sides go on tour EVERY COUNTRY PICKS IT STRONGEST TEAM. Heineken League play offs clash with tours tough country be fore club .If NH clubs had there foreign stars pulled out for a tour they would not be so ready with the cheque books.The NH attitude is now why bother to develop a prop or Lock when we can buy the best in the world.Or the converse when late stages of S14 s drag on SH tour with weak sides.My make for cheap victories but who loses in the long run inter national rugby.It is timt there was a wages cap and a limit to foreign qualified players to be limited.The case of Toulon for example is more SH than French players.SA have already caved in and any overseas player can be picked.If NZ lose to many matches this season then off shore players are al mst certain to be picked driven by a media run frenzy by fans with no patience 3 or 4 defeats in one season is almost un heard of

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posted Aug 7, 2008

I think the Argentinians should consider playing their club rugby in SA, Aus or NZ. That way they can still participate in the Tri-Nations without breaking any commitments with clubs.

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posted Aug 20, 2008

Stoney 73, we had players Injured, fatigued or in need of surgery at the end of the season. That is why some of Englands top players did not come on tour to the SH.

Personally i think it is too much rugby and that the June tests should be scrapped, with the Autumn tests rotating every year as to whether they are played in the NH or the SH. This would make a lot more sence and benefit everybody.

Unfortunately this would never happen because it would mean less money for the Rugby bodies of the respective countries and their "Nevermind about the players health!" attitude would not agree with this philosophy.

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