New Super Rugby side on the horizon. South Africa

[jargan83]

I can't see a West Sydney and the ARC gold coast team struggled for crowds. Melbourne has a plenty of NZers and NH expats... I guess if the Brumbies move to melbourne the 5th team will be out of subi with Ben Cousins at flyhalf..

thats just silly seeing as Ben Cousins signed on with Richmond

the 5th team would still need to be somewhere else because the Force were the 4th team you hipster doofus and you didn't mention them moving, and nor would you need to, we actually get crowds to our games

[mudskipper]

thats just silly seeing as Ben Cousins signed on with Richmond

the 5th team would still need to be somewhere else because the Force were the 4th team you hipster doofus and you didn't mention them moving, and nor would you need to, we actually get crowds to our games

I'm sure he could get out of his contract given the right offer....

[jargan83]

I'm sure he could get out of his contract given the right offer....

you would have to get in contact with Wendell Sailor for that "right offer"

[Burgs]

I think Melbourne will be a shoe-in with the only left field longshot competition possibly coming from Adelaide.
South Australia actually has a reasonably competitive Club comp (though below Perth and Melbourne) and has less competition for sponsorships from other sports than Melbourne.
The best bit would be seeing the VRU really crack the shits if it were to happen and they missed out a second time
But despite living in hope, I can't see a purely Australian team going anywhere other than Melborne.
There have been discussions previously about a Islander team having Gold Coast base and I think that would be their only real chance.
NSW can't support one team let alone get a dedicated following for a second.

[mudskipper]

One team towns are best...

[Burgs]

Another totally left field approach would be for Australia to not look to Japan to on lease the franchise (as previously speculated in the media) but base their own team in Hong Kong where there is a far higher population per capita of expats.

Perhaps even tie it in with basing the Sevens program there and the canned Brisbane Development Academy to make it a real Juniors development hub with a seasonal goal of making the top half of the comp rather than winning it.

[RuckNMaul]

NSW can't support one team let alone get a dedicated following for a second.

Hmmm, they tried that and look what hapened R.I.P. A.R.C.

Another totally left field approach would be for Australia to not look to Japan to on lease the franchise (as previously speculated in the media) but base their own team in Hong Kong where there is a far higher population per capita of expats.

Honkers would be a great base for an islanders side also

[AndyS]

For mine a combined PI side would be awesome, bearing in mind it would only be the lads resident in the region rather than the bunch of professionals that currently tour - same difference as the Argie team that struggled at home against Scotland, relative to the RWC team...

[jargan83]

yeah but it would still increase the depth for the Pacific Islands, be it individual nations (Fiji, Tonga, Samoa) or for the combined Pacific Nations side

[Burgs]

Only in the first instance I think Andy, if it was decent money I think many would come home after their existing contracts and the next generation would jump at the chance to represent their homelands.
Getting Argentina and the Islanders in is my prefered future too, but that isn't on the cards so why I have stuck to the Aus options.

[AndyS]

Composite Japanese (money) and PI (magnitude) team in Singapore (location/timezone/seemly keen government and organisation)?

[TOCC]

the thing working against a PI team is that it doesnt really contribute anything except goodwill towards the pacific nations, and whilst that is all well and good this is professional rugby and money speaks.

Why have a PI team based in Australia if it is only going to tie up more sponsorship dollars yet not really contribute anything to developing more australian players.
Whilst i love to see the pacific islander teams play, i tend to think that they would find it hard to be competitive in the Super14 for 14 weeks. So basically they will add novelty value for a short time but that would quickly start wearing off unless they get some wins under there belt.

[AndyS]

I'm not sure I'd agree - by themselves, the S14 franchises generate income and fund the grass roots. There is no reason a PI team couldn't do the same for the islands (and I would have thought the dollars would go a damn sight further too).

And who says the fifth team must do something for Australia? There was no shortage of people to say that the fourth team was a mistake, even more that say we don't have depth for a fifth team, so it would hardly be surprising if someone believed it! But you are right, location would matter if it was a PI team. North Q'ld would be a possibility I suppose, but Auckland would be more likely. I do like the idea of Singapore though, perhaps with the team being SE Asia & PI to widen the appeal. Timezone is good and travel is not too onerous, but the weather could be a big home town advantage. So long as they organised a team pub with cut price booze for travelling supporters...

[beige]

Grmbl grmbl Japanese team in Singapore idea again grmbl grmbl...

Don't mind me...

[AndyS]

Grmbl grmbl Japanese team in Singapore idea again grmbl grmbl...

Don't mind me...

I'd agree with your earlier point, that the JRFU do seem to be putting a lot of effort into the Top League (and good on them for that too!). Mind you, the S14 would be off season for them, so rather than be directly involved the JRFU might use a Singapore team as an advanced training tool for some of their players...