'Return to Super 12'
SUPER RUGBY SPOTLIGHT: Stormers head coach John Dobson has urged SANZAAR to bring back the Super 12.
In an interview with Netwerk24, Dobson revealed that the deterioration of the Southern Hemisphere competition was courtesy of its expansion over the years.
In 1996, 12 teams contested Super Rugby before the tournament expanded to Super 14 in 2006 with the addition of South Africa’s the Cheetahs and Australia’s Western Force.
In 2011 is again went through modification as the Melbourne Rebels joined the tournament to make it Super 15 and in 2016 became an 18-team competition with the addition of the Southern Kings, Argentina’s Jaguares and Japan’s Sunwolves.
After expanding from 15 to 18 teams in 2016 under, the tournament was reverted back to a 15-team structure last year during the current deal following a vast array of lopsided results and a decreased quality of competition.
The Southern Kings and the Cheetahs of South Africa and the Western Force of Australia were the victims of that culling, with the South African franchises transferring to the Pro14 competition in Europe, while the Force were taken over by billionaire Andrew Forrest, who formed his own league – Global Rapid Rugby – for the Perth-based club to take part in.
While 2021 will see the Sunwolves cut and the competition returning to a 14-team format.
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Despite all these changes, supporters continue to lose interest in the brand, while talented players opt to ply their trade in the Northern hemisphere.
Dobson believes the solution to combat some of these problems is to revert to Super 12.
“Rugby, as a product, is in a very bad state,” Dobson told the Netwerk24.
“The crowds for Super Rugby matches between the Bulls and Stormers have drastically decreased.
“In the Western Cape, the heartbeat of the game was always between April and October. Now we have to finish the Currie Cup at the end of August so that PRO14 matches can be broadcast and then Super Rugby starts on February 1.
He added: “There’s a simple solution. We have to return to a Super 12 series where every team faces the other one. Sorry then to whoever falls out.
“I have no doubt that rugby will have to return to its old values of less is more,”
The Stormers get their campaign underway when they host the Hurricanes at Newlands on February 1.
Source: Netwerk24
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