ARU boss John O'Neill eyes expansion to Super 15 format in 2011

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03-02-09, 18:00
travelling_gerry

ARU boss John O'Neill eyes expansion to Super 15 format in 2011

ARU boss John O'Neill eyes expansion to Super 15 format in 2011

By Samantha Broun
February 03, 2009 Australian Rugby Union (ARU) boss John O'Neill says he expects the Super rugby competition to expand to 15 teams in 2011.

O'Neill said talks have recommenced between the SANZAR working party after a breakdown in discussions late last year over a proposed 16-team finals series.

The ARU chief indicated that a Super 15 competition running from the March 1 until early August in 2011 would involve an extra team from either Japan or the Pacific Islands and would incorporate six teams in the finals.

In the proposed expanded format, teams would play each other once in a round-robin competition before teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa would play teams from their own country again.

"We've renewed the work of the SANZAR working party so we sort of took time out coming into Christmas and back in discussions, it's not CEO level, it's the next level down," O'Neill said, adding that all decisions by SANZAR must be unanimous.

"It's taking on all of the work that was done last year and in a sense getting it back on track.

"We're officially back on the normal timetable, we had been trying to accelerate it, (but) under our existing broadcast deal we have to have a proposal to our broadcasters by the 30th of June this year of whatever we think is a reasonable proposal to commence on January 1, 2011.

"So the metre is ticking, dialogue is good, we're all open to the same ideas that we were talking about last year, but I guess we're not immune at all to the reality of the economic climate."

O'Neill said it thought it was highly unlikely that there would be any changes to the Super rugby format before 2011 and there would be no change unless broadcasters came to the table.

"There's a range of options (being discussed), the one in favour at the moment is a Super 15 competition, going from March 1 to the beginning of August, everyone playing each other once and then each of the teams playing in their conferences.

"That gets you to 23 or 24 weeks and that's still a very attractive offer as long as we are rewarded for it.

"People ask me what are broadcasters thinking, we actually don't know yet.

"We know they have an appetite for Super rugby and we know they have an appetite for expansion but the big unknown is what will they pay.

"We won't know that until we give them a proposal."

O'Neill said the ARU's current broadcast deal expires at the end 2010.

O'Neill said while he hoped the expansion would be approved, he said nothing was definite until approved by SANZAR.

"I think everyone still has a black ball that they can throw in there, O'Neill said.

"The ARU's preference is for expansion in a way that's fiscally responsible, but then again if nothing changes then we have to wait another five years to have a crack at it."

AAP

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html

if you can put up with some mistakes and bad spelling...
03-02-09, 18:42
Burgs

So there would be a team in a Bye every week and in the last Season Round there would be a NZ team, a SA team and the new team all wanting a pre Finals hit out???
Surely they need an even number???
03-02-09, 19:19
JediKnight

Thought it'd been a bit quiet from JO'N for a while....!!!
03-02-09, 19:23
beige

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burgs

So there would be a team in a Bye every week and in the last Season Round there would be a NZ team, a SA team and the new team all wanting a pre Finals hit out???
Surely they need an even number???

No, cos you need three pools of equal numbers to make the whole thing work - Australia's one team short so you need a 15th team.

Every team would get two byes during the season. Sure, that means one team in each pool gets a bye before the finals but I don't think that's a big deal given the unfairness of the current system with teams flying all over the place in the lead up to the finals - at least everyone's in their home country. The question mark is how the finals will work.

Thank goodness! I was wondering when the big-wigs were gonna start talking this up again.
03-02-09, 19:48
jargan83

big wigs only got back from christmas holidays this week
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03-02-09, 20:18
mudskipper

"We've renewed the work of the SANZAR working party so we sort of took time out coming into Christmas and back in discussions, it's not CEO level, it's the next level down," O'Neill said, adding that all decisions by SANZAR must be unanimous.

Well to SaRU to agree to anything which doesn't give advantage to the republic is unlikely to happen. This is old news, which conference does the Japan or Islander team play in , Australia? and how does that make it fair on them...
03-02-09, 20:37
beige

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudskipper

This is old news

... which we hadn't heard anything about for a looong time, which is why the excitement (from me anyway).

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudskipper

which conference does the Japan or Islander team play in , Australia? and how does that make it fair on them...

Yes, cos we're one team short like I said. Fairness? Having their own team in the Australian conference of a high-profile, fully professional, competition? Sounds fair to me.

I agree about the SARU though - Australia and NZ are pretty much on board but the Saffers always seem to be pushing their own separate agenda which is why I'm a little worried about the whole thing.
03-02-09, 20:58
GIGS20

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudskipper

Well to SaRU to agree to anything which doesn't give advantage to the republic is unlikely to happen.

Wrong Muddy, the SARU vote will be won and lost over how much prestige it brings to which SARU board member and his cronies....they won't care about hte value to SA Rugby, only how long it keeps them in a very cushy, very prestigious job!
03-02-09, 21:16
mudskipper

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIGS20

Wrong Muddy, the SARU vote will be won and lost over how much prestige it brings to which SARU board member and his cronies....they won't care about hte value to SA Rugby, only how long it keeps them in a very cushy, very prestigious job!

I stand corrected your quite right GIGS...
04-02-09, 05:56
travelling_gerry

Super series expansion on hold as broadcasters eye

Bret Harris | February 04, 2009

Article from: The Australian

ARU chief executive John O'Neill believes it is highly unlikely the Super 14 series will expand next year and will give no guarantee the competition will increase in size when the new broadcast agreement with News Limited is renegotiated for the 2011 season.

The ARU and its SANZAR partners in South Africa and New Zealand support the idea of expansion in principle because it is expected to be a driving force in the growth of the game.

SANZAR had hoped to fast-track expansion next year, but the three partners could not agree on an increased finals format and discussions "went off the rails".

Under the existing deal, SANZAR has to deliver its 2011 proposal, likely to include a 15th team from Japan or the Pacific islands and an expanded finals format, to broadcasters by June 30. But O'Neill admitted there was uncertainty about what broadcasters would be prepared to pay for an expanded Super rugby series in the current economic climate and that could scuttle the plan.

"The meter is ticking. Dialogue is good. We are all open to the same ideas that we were talking about last year, but I guess we are not immune at all from the reality of the economic climate," O'Neill said.

"People ask me what are broadcasters thinking? We actually don't know yet.

"We know they have an appetite for Super rugby and we know they have an appetite for expansion. The big unknown is what will they pay. We won't know that until we give them our proposal."

Asked whether it was guaranteed the Super series would expand in 2011, O'Neill said: "No. Everyone still has a black ball they can throw in and veto it.

"The ARU's strong preference is for expansion in a way that is economically and fiscally responsible. But if nothing changes, you may have to wait another five years for another crack at it."

Meanwhile, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has predicted successful campaigns for the four Australian teams, the Brumbies, Force, Reds and Waratahs, which will have a flow-on effect for the national side.

"When you look at each side in isolation every one of them is capable of beating every other team in the competition, so that's a good start point," said Deans, who guided the Crusaders to five Super titles. "These blokes have put a lot of time and thought and energy into their programs and I think that will be evident shortly and hopefully it will be evident in round one.

"I believe we can get four results in week one. If we get that, it will be game on because a big part of it is belief and obviously some of the teams lack a bit of background in that.

"If the Reds can get up in Pretoria, they are under way. They are a young team, but they are a very able team, particularly if they structure a game that suits what they've got.

"You look at the Brumbies. They would have taken a real fillip out of tipping over the Hurricanes (in a trial) without a lot of their senior players.

"The Waratahs have been thereabouts for some time and they are hungry and they've got depth.

"And the Force, believe it or not, out of adversity comes strength and I think that's what you'll see."

Deans was hopeful Australian success in Super rugby would translate to the Wallabies.

"If you look historically, not necessarily so. It's what you make of it," Deans said. "But I believe if we can get a good performance from each of the franchises this year, you will see a correlation."

A series of key positional switches feature in the selection of the Australian teams for their final trials tomorrow night, when the Waratahs host the Brumbies and the Force travels to Brisbane to play the Reds.

Brumbies coach Andy Friend has chosen Wallabies outside centre Stirling Mortlock at inside centre with utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper in the No13 jersey.

And loosehead prop Nic Henderson will receive an opportunity to start at tighthead.

Queensland coach Phil Mooney revealed Wallabies winger Peter Hynes' selection at fullback was a strong pointer to him starting at No15 for the opening game against the Bulls.

Rugby league convert Mark McLindon had been earmarked for fullback, but he was still learning how to play rugby.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html