If one of the best ways to solve a problem is to talk about it, then some of those invested in seeing Super Rugby work appear to be heading in the right direction.
And it has a problem, partly because not everyone will consider that Australasia’s premier professional club competition has one.
But here we are: with diminishing crowds on both sides of the Tasman and in New Zealand at least a clear resurgence in support for the Warriors (although that may be short-lived if they continue their slump).
Generally speaking, the NRL is a far more logical competition, not to mention tougher and more competitive.
The recent Chiefs v Crusaders match in Hamilton was a Super Rugby Pacific match of rare intensity after a build-up of rare interest.
The same applied to the Blues v Crusaders match at Eden Park in March.
But apart from those two, the Fijian Drua home games in Lautoka in front of crowds expressing true joy, and Moana Pasifika’s first game in Apia where loose forward Miracle Fai’ilagi scored two tries a short walking distance from his village, it’s difficult to remember any matches of significance or much interest at all, really.
New Zealand Rugby considers Super Rugby first and foremost as a feeder system for the All Blacks.
That means any meaningful rivalries between the Kiwi franchises – as seen in overseas competitions - are secondary to developing the next new talent to wear the black jersey.
In hindsight, after the initial novelty of Super Rugby’s start in 1996 and the misguided expansions that followed, a competition which has no real champion in the form of a central administrator (Sanzaar was effectively wound-up recently), was always going to lose fans.
Blues chief executive Andrew Hore broke ranks recently when telling Stuff that he didn’t think Super Rugby Pacific was at a “crisis point”, but: "I do see it as at a crossroads… and if we don’t grab the next 18 months and turn this around you will see the NRL grow like the NFL and we will then be in a situation where we potentially become Brazilian soccer… selling talent off and bringing them back for international windows.”
This was touched on in a different way recently by All Blacks head coach elect Scott Robertson, who, in an interview after the announcement of his new assistant coaches, said he believed it was inevitable that New Zealand’s best players would be selected for the national team while playing overseas, a comment which was swiftly rebutted by current All Blacks coach Ian Foster, who said the idea might have merit on paper but from a NZ Rugby perspective, “as a whole, I think it’d be a disaster”.
This whole exchange merely heightened the suspicion of those who believe the organisation is dysfunctional but back to the issue at hand: Super Rugby must change, clearly.
There are too many mismatches. A ridiculous eight out of 12 teams qualify for the playoffs, effectively making the regular season irrelevant.
Moana Pasifika, winless after nine matches, don’t have enough depth, and the same could be said of the Highlanders, who are clinging to eighth place despite winning only three games.
To making matters worse, fans here are sick of the best players leaving for overseas money-making sabbaticals which are often explained away by those saying they want to take themselves and their family away for a different experience.
Can anything be done? Yes. NZ Rugby eventually listened when fans said for years that games were on too late at night, coming up with a compromise of a 7.05pm kick-off, 30 minutes earlier than was traditional.
So if fans keep beating the drum, the suits may start dancing to their beat.
One of the most intriguing propositions has recently come from Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan who is an advocate of a player draft in Super Rugby.
In an interview with The Roar, McLennan said: “I think we should be doing a draft now to create more innovation around the game and keep eligibility within Super Rugby Pacific and move different players to different clubs.
“This would lead to better ratings and better broadcast performance.”
“Razor’s [Robertson] coming out and saying we need to look at eligibility. What we should be saying is that’s fine within Super Rugby Pacific, why couldn’t a New Zealand player come and play for us and also play for the All Blacks?” McLennan said.
“I think that’d enhance Super Rugby, and let key Rugby Australia players do the same."
Getting the finest young rugby talent of Australasia in a room prior to the season for a televised draft like the NBA and NFL do could be a significant broadcasting event in itself.
And McLennan is right. Why couldn’t someone like Brodie Retallick or Shannon Frizell play a season or two in Sydney for a different experience while still being eligible for the All Blacks?
Maybe the bigger question is whether NZ Rugby will listen before it’s too late.
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