Just when the fractured relationships blighting southern hemisphere rugby union seemingly could not deteriorate any further, a new issue is brewing which is likely to add further strain.
The relations between Sanzaar and the Super Rugby clubs could hardly be at a lower ebb, and the urgent need for governance reform for the showpiece competition has been highlighted over recent months.
Sanzaar’s decision to axe three teams from next year has prompted high anxiety, particularly in Australia, with the Melbourne Rebels and Western Force playing out their seasons with an axe hanging over their heads.
With the culling saga dragging on, the Victorian Rugby Union and the players association, RUPA, last week called on the ARU to hold an emergency general meeting so the issue could be thrashed out with stakeholders, who are demanding answers.
The ARU baulked at holding an EGM because it required giving 21 days’ notice and instead offered to hold an informal meeting with stakeholder within seven days. This meeting was due to be held in Sydney on Friday, but has now been postponed. As a result the ARU will now hold an EGM in about three weeks’ time.
The axing of an Australian team will still be the main item on the agenda at the rescheduled meeting, but there is another issue that is hardly going to help matters.
Sanzaar has proposed the starting date for next year’s Super Rugby competition be brought forward one week, which means it would kick off around 17 February. This is to allow the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies an extra week to prepare for the in bound Tests in June against European opposition.
Historically, the southern hemisphere teams have won about 90% of the June Tests in the professional era, but the re-emergence of England as a world superpower under Australian coach Eddie Jones has folks down south getting nervous. Remember what they did to the Wallabies in 2016.
South Africa will host England next year and it was the South Africans who pushed for the change of date, which was supported by Australia and New Zealand.
The Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby teams are not happy about it. For a winter sport Super Rugby already starts early enough in what is a summer month. The New Zealand sides in particular will find it difficult to attract crowds at that time of year.
In Australia a 17 February kick-off would immediately follow the International 10s in Brisbane and the Sydney Sevens the previous week, which is not ideal. An earlier start to the season also means there is more chance teams will be missing key international players in the first round or two.
It is clearly not in the best interests of a Super Rugby competition which is struggling for credibility, especially in Australia.
And this highlights the fact the Super Rugby teams have little or no control over their own destinies. The Sanzaar nations own and administer the Super Rugby competition. The teams that participate in it are just that, participants.
The clubs have no real say in how the competition they play in is run. Sanzaar can consult the clubs on issues as much as they like, but at the end of the day the clubs are powerless about their own fate.
There is no doubt the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies are the main revenue generators for the game in their respective countries and the interests of the national teams should always come first.
But the next area of economic growth for southern hemisphere rugby is Super Rugby and the clubs need to be treated as partners, not invitees to a party.
Perhaps there needs to be an independent commission to run Sanzaar rather than the national unions to ensure the needs of both international rugby and Super Rugby are met. That’s something they could discuss at the EGM.
