How Super Rugby’s leaner and tougher format disadvantages teams
Although the South African Super Rugby contingent has been cut from six to four teams‚ there is no guarantee there will be an improvement in player depth at each franchise. The Cheetahs and Southern Kings are still involved in PRO14 rugby so little of their talent has been incorporated into the four remaining Super Rugby franchises — the Bulls‚ Lions‚ Sharks and Stormers. Playing depth will remain an issue for all SA teams‚ especially when injuries inevitably set in. The tournament structure has also reverted to its 2012-15 incarnation with 15 teams playing eight interconference and eight cross–conference games. While the format is a return to something resembling strength versus strength‚ it is still flawed as not every team play all the others. Each SA team for instance‚ will miss out on playing one New Zealand and one Australian conference team. The other factor is that the fixture list can also penalise some teams and benefit others‚ which has always been the case in Super Rugby...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.