a new paradigm?

[Darren]

I reckon Wallabies training should be year round, and talent should be evenly spread. How to do this without to many 'hard' restrictiosn on franchises? Commercial TV also wants more product and an extended season.

Here's one half baked idea...

Super 15 (as it stands with 3 nations) needs a few bye weeks with some internationals in the middle.

Given we are moving to a conference system, how about 7 weeks of super 15
6 weeks "conference", and the remaining 7 weeks super 15.

The 7 weeks before and after remain pretty much same as now.

However, during the 6 week conference period, each team plays each other team within their conference once (which means they'll play once during the season, and once during the conference period - make this one home, one away)

But lets do this without national reps. During the conference period, we also play 6 weeks of home and away trinations.

7 weeks Super 14, 6 weeks trination/conference, 7 weeks super 14. This will expose more border line players during the conferecne period - which also is also a time when inuries have had a hit in player stocks.

It also gives us a preview of national teams. After the season has finsihed - we have a short break followed the NH/SH internationals where we have a geater pool to pick from.

To manage the skill pooling at local franchises - enforce a rule of 6 players from each of the 5 franchises make up the national squad. If only 6 players are allowed in the national squad from each franchise - the ARU will spread the money more evenly for (potential) wallabies and those players that have the skills may be more inclined to stay with a flailing franchise with a wallabies call more likely than to move on...

That's my 2c - it only too me 10 minutes and a pint (0plus 2 or 3 before hand )to come up with ...

[James]

I like it. It would be the next best thing to an ARC in exposing fringe players to game time. It'd really even out the playing field if the better teams lost more of their top players. It used to be something I didn't like about comps like the GP but it does partially prevent over-dominance by two or three teams. It's crazy that only 4 different teams have ever won the Super 14 and it does take a bit of a shine off the comp a little.