Originally Posted by
chibi
I don't understand the need for multiple teams from Sydney and Brisbane, one "Super B" team for each franchise is fine.
Unless the new third tier competition is based on "origin criteria" or "which senior club you first played for" then all I can see is the weird distribution that occurred in the old ARC; whereby the Reds and the Waratahs were split up, but the Brumbies and the Force stayed as a unit. I know that's an oversimplification, but I thought it an odd situation when at the time the Force and the Brumbies were the two best Australian teams. Conversely in 2007, the Waratahs and Reds were the bottom of Super 14 and yet they were the ones split into 5 franchises. As I say, if there is an "origin criteria" for this system, then fine; from there, if WA, Victoria or the ACT/Southern is a little a sparse on talent, a draft and salary cap can come in and even it out.
I've got to admit though, does anyone else have the same ambivalence to new made-up competitions with all-new franchises, logos, nicknames etc...? I just wonder whether rugby needs to go about it by trying to emulate the A-League or the NBL?
I think the "B Team" vs the Pacific Island "A" or residents teams idea is a bloody interesting concept though.