ARU ponders Super Japanese option

[force addict]

AUSTRALIA will be granted a fifth licence when the Super rugby competition is expanded.

But that does not necessarily mean there will be another Australian team.

The ARU is considering a range of options in relation to Super rugby expansion.

And it is understood that one of those options is to sell Australia's fifth licence to Japan.

This would make good sense in a number of ways.

The ARU would secure a multi-million dollar fee for a Super rugby licence, which would help to provide Australian rugby with financial stability in uncertain economic times.

The move would open the door to Japan to enter Super rugby, which is a development that has to happen if the game is to grow in the booming Asian region.

The presence of Japan in Super rugby would expose the competition to a lucrative new market and increase the value of the broadcasting agreement, which will be re-negotiated in 2010.

Even without a fifth Australian team, the Super rugby series could still be expanded to an 18-team competition played over 26 weeks.

A Japanese team could be joined by sides from the US, Argentina and the Pacific Islands to make up the required 18 franchises.

Selling the licence to Japan would cause some domestic political problems for the ARU with potential bidders such as Melbourne, the Gold Coast and West Sydney certain to express bitter disappointment about missing a wonderful opportunity to promote the game in their cities.

MORE:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...3-2722,00.html

[jono]

shit.
they said they wanted to expand.
thats one hell of an expansion! bringing in 4 other countries.
gotta look long term though. as america will only want to be part of this proposed format until union grows bigger in america. then they will have their own leauge with however many teams they want.

[jono]

actually the same could hold true for japan as well.
as they could possibly form an asian competition.
and if there was only one team from each of these 4 other countries. wouldnt we be playing their international team anyways?

[waratahjesus]

why dont we just move perth to melbourne?

just kidding, japan would be good!
makes sense, and if its an aru licence would mean we could have a half aussie half jap team there wouldnt it? some old timers could go there and help the japanese out in developing.

[Darren]

actually the same could hold true for japan as well.
as they could possibly form an asian competition.

Like the Asian 5 Nations competition which started this year? Japan won by the way ..

[Burgs]

I think it is a win if Australia is given control of the licence to auction out for the short term (improving our fund base and injecting it into development) and then bringing it back to the most suitable (probably Melbourne, they love their sport...) location at the appropriate time for our growth.
No point holding up expansion just because Australia doesn't yet have the depth.
I'd definately want to see a team out of Argentina in the next exansion phase though.

[Thequeerone]

Money money money - JON is dropping a lot of hints about Japan - saw an article in an English rugby mag tipping Adelaide as the next franchise base - don't think they speak Japanese though

[shasta]

just kidding, japan would be good!
makes sense, and if its an aru licence would mean we could have a half aussie half jap team there wouldnt it?

First time for everything I suppose. I agree with you.

[welshrugbyfan]

The money in Japanese rugby is on a par with France, they get 60,000 at games over there each week.

Once they get into a decent comp you may see similar defections to Japanese clubs that were seeing going to France. Money talks and players walk.

Players have always gone to Japan towards the end of their career for the cash the same way the league boys used to go to England, now players are going to England during the prime of their playing life and when Japan come on board to a decent comp the same will happen over there.

Most of the clubs are backed by large electrical companies like Toshiba and Sony, money doesn't come into it in the large scheme of things when your talking money like that.

Still haven't got any replies from Bill Gates about building our stadium for us.

[jono]

i dont see why crazy john's isnt pushing the rectangular stadium.
i mean they wanted to buy the naming rights to subi a couple of years ago didnt they?

[welshrugbyfan]

i dont see why crazy john's isnt pushing the rectangular stadium.
i mean they wanted to buy the naming rights to subi a couple of years ago didnt they?

I can't believe he changed his real name to Crazy Johns, I would have thought Crazy Mustafa would sell alot more phones

[Cowboy]

I can't believe he changed his real name to Crazy Johns, I would have thought Crazy Mustafa would sell alot more phones

How about Crazy Osama, think of the cross marketing potential

[Jehna]

Financially expanding into Japan would be awesome.

But I am worried though about how such significant changes to the existing Super Rugby format would impact on the traditional Tri-Nations window utilised by SANZAR countries and how it affects the other areas of the international schedule, like the June Tests. Also, not so important to the Aussies but what about competitions like the Currie Cup and Air New Zealand Cup.

It's getting to the point where some international players are going to be playing 10months of the year, and i'm not sure their bodies can hold up. What does this mean for the quality of the games we're going to be seeing?

[GIGS20]

I can't believe he changed his real name to Crazy Johns, I would have thought Crazy Mustafa would sell alot more phones

No, crazy Mustafa buys the phones as remote trigger devices.

[laura]

makes sense, and if its an aru licence would mean we could have a half aussie half jap team there wouldnt it?

That would be kind of cool. Would give Jimmy Hilgendorf, Matt Windle, Luke Doherty etc a higher level of competition that would also allow them to see their mates and give Aussie players another option if their contracts aren't renewed (heaven forbid that happening) with an Australian-based team.