Comments on: Blueprint for a new Northern Hemisphere season structure

By: Jacob

Jacob — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 08:04:42 +0000

Above the financial aspect; I think it is one of the only times of the year that casual fans show an interest in rugby. That and double header is the only time that friends of mine that aren’t rugby fans care about it.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 08:03:33 +0000

Ah right; apologies. Read it is a rush yesterday and thought it was sarcastic.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 20:58:19 +0000

I like the idea of a radical overhaul, I’m not sure as written here it would work, too many high intensity matches, (e.g. potentially up to 9 internationals in 10 week followed by European rugby) in succession.

First thing I would fix is 6N. This is the annual show piece event for NH rugby, this is where you want the players at their peak and the spectacle at it’s best. Slugging it out in winter means NH matches are not generally played at the same pace in terms of speed of movement of the ball as the rugby championship. I’d hold the 6N in May/June, evening kicks offs, no club comps in parallel, start the domestic season earlier but no games for international players for the first 4 weeks

By: Steven Mumford

Steven Mumford — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:06:49 +0000

On the specifics of the Autumn Ints have attended Autumn Internationals at the Millenium for years , i think in the current format they have had their day. They have lost their “buzz” Unlike the 6 nations which retains excitement and interest. A more competitive league /cup format needs to be introduced even if its played over two seasons. I would propose 4 fixtures per autumn thats a league of 8 fixtures (2 years) ok the South Hem may well come out on top initially…but as this world cup shows NH need to compete and maybe a league system would begin to close the gap yet further. To confirm 8 teams from NH 6nations plus Georgia , Rumania (?) 8 teams from SH Championship plus Samoa , Fiji , Tonga Japan …
Got to try something in my opinion

By: brighty

brighty — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:31:06 +0000

I am agreeing with you – we couldn’t stop the summer tours down south, which generate a huge chunk of SANZAR revenues, and then expect them to come up here in the autumn to fill our stadiums. So we can’t scrap one or the other of them. Either both or none.

By: brighty

brighty — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:29:05 +0000

I don’t think you can have both (full on club rugby and full on international rugby) properly Mike and have a managed season that works for players and fans.

In Wales we cope with the clashes by our top players playing very little club rugby. Not ideal.

In England/France they cope by flogging the players at clubs and letting the international team go hang e.g. Prem final overlapping Eng summer tours.

As has already been said the Super 15 is great on tele, great at producing players, but isn’t as big a draw for fans at the stadiums themselves.

Why does it work in football?

a – they don’t have a European cup every year
b – they have less “friendlies” and those really are friendlies
c – rugby is harder on the body than football

Unfortunately this rearranged season, in my opinion, only works if we go super 15 model (it’s all about getting players to the top of the pyramid) or football model (grow the clubs, let the international game go hang). I see no way to manage the assets (the players and the fans*) to achieve both.

* by the fans I mean that if someone attends all of Wales’ home matches in a year it dwarfs the price of a club season ticket – so most people do an either/or. That’s before the details of Wales/Pro12 matches occuring at almost the same times 3 or 4 times a year.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:24:26 +0000

Bit confused what is inferred by this comment Brighty?

By: brighty

brighty — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:23:16 +0000

Wales stopped our A team because we could no longer afford to run it. In Wales it generates marginal revenue but costs a lot to run. In Ire and Eng their A teams actually draw crowds.

By: brighty

brighty — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:15:22 +0000

Yep – the only reason SANZAR come up here for the AIs is because we go down there in the summer. They won’t let us stop going over there while they still come over here.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 15:10:41 +0000

I think if you look at your goal of increasing participating; there is one sure fire way of doing that; having your national team do well.

In any sport, participation goes up when national teams are in the media and being successful.

By: Leon

Leon — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 14:35:31 +0000

Not much wrong with the club level except that they should dis-incentivise having foreign imports via either max quotas or salary cap benefits.

Why is it that each club is allowed 1 (increasing to 2) players outside the salary cap provided they are foreign. Surely the players outside cap should be English to encourage development and help retain English talent

Grassroots changes from age group level to size group level would be more beneficial, improving players core skills, than season restructuring.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 14:14:44 +0000

Not “Does this tournament”; should be “Do some of these suggestions”