“Super Rugby” is here to stay, all the teams are from the Southern hemisphere excluding one team from Japan, which is drawing quite an interest around the world and has prospects of being a major force in the years to come provided the organizers sustain the same tempo and distance themselves from unnecessary problems.
The formation
A brainchild that was originally formulated in 1996 by the South African Rugby Union, New Zealand Rugby Union and the Australian Rugby Union which decided to abbreviate the governing body as SANZAR.
There were twelve teams when the first round tournaments began but with the entry of Argentina the total number of teams was increased to fourteen and with the addition of Argentine Rugby Union’s “A”, the parent body became SANZAAR.
The Super 12 became Super 14 and then it was subsequently rebranded again as “Super Rugby” and presently has eighteen teams with the inclusion of the Japanese though not a full member.
Expansion
The “Rugby World Cup” to be held in Japan towards the latter part of 2019 could change this equation and it is very likely that they too might put their strength behind “Super Rugby” to make it a very formidable force in the international Rugby arena.
The present eighteen teams consists of one team from Argentina, six from South Africa, five from Australia, five also from New Zealand and the lone outsider from Japan.
The inevitable turmoil
At present Super Rugby is in turmoil with the governing body of Australian Rugby which decides which teams from Australia would remain in the “Super Rugby” hot seats has decided to remove the “Stormers” from Western Australia which has irked the State government of Western Australia with many rumblings and grumblings being heard outside the Rugby greens.
The Western Australian Premier has gone to the extent of threatening the Australian Rugby Union that he would do everything in his and the State’s power to protect the “Stormers”, against what he and his government calls an arbitrary decision.
Finding a compromise
It is very likely to end you in the Western Australian Supreme Court and a long drawn out battle is in the offing and though “Super Rugby” has been a financial success it is wrought with problems since it first saw the light of day.
The reason for this could be the high grossing revenue that is rolling within SANZAAR which has acquired millions by selling Television broadcasting rights and other franchises over the last twenty one years or so.
Solving the problem
Where the present problems would take “Super Rugby” is anybody’s guess but saner counsel should prevail in the better interests of Rugby as the game needs to move forward and not to be undone by spanners in the works that could derail the good work that has been done so far.
Rugby could be the loser because there is still a lot to be done if it is to draw crowds like what we see in cricket especially with mighty India in the forefront.
