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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans
Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
Should Argentina and SA Get A Super Rugby Team? 17 views
22 February 2014 by The Swede Eaters
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Should Argentina and SA join Super Rugby and make an extended competition in 2016?
SANZAR has given the green light to including another South African and a Argentinian franchise in an expanded Super 17 Rugby Competition in 2016, is this a good move?
Argentina has been relatively competitive at times in the Rugby Championship and I think that including them in Super Rugby is the next step in helping their development. The only problem is that they are only getting one team which could mean that the best players from Argentina are in the one franchise team, playing in the same part of the country, which may not be the best for rugby in Argentina. There is also the option that some players from Argentina player in other franchises.
New Zealand was against including Argentina in an expanded Super Rugby competition, because it seems that it goes hand in hand with stretching the Super Rugby competition in time and also including another South African team, even though the Lions and Kings have struggled in the past and the season currently goes from February to August.
There have been several other option floated which included teams from the Pacific Islands, Japan and USA, but it seems that the Super 17 in 2016 is the most viable option.
This won't sit well with people who feel that the balance of power is to the detriment of the Pacific Islands. There isn't enough money produced by playing in the Pacific Islands and so despite everything that the Pacific Islands have done for the All Blacks, there is plenty of feeling that this isn't reciprocated.
There are also question marks about Australia's ability to sustain more than three teams, while South Africa seems to have the power in SANZAR since they would have six teams in their franchise with the Bulls the only team to win Super Rugby with three titles.
Would you rather have more or less teams in Super Rugby? Is more teams actually better or does it dilute the standard? I would love to see every team play each other once, but if there are more than 15 teams then this isn't practical. The New Zealand teams are beating each other up in their local derbies and playing each other twice, doesn't help the players with injuries. The conference system is required if they are going to continually expand Super Rugby, but finding the geographical balance to suit the teams involved is difficult.
I would love to see Argentina in Super Rugby, but would rather a Pacific Island and a maybe a Japanese or USA team to balance it out so that South Africa doesn't get more teams than the other SANZAR partners.
http://www.superrugbytips.com/2014/02/should-argentina-and-south-africa-get.html
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