Super Rugby faces burning questions

They are geographically and at times ideologically far flung. That partly explains why the southern hemisphere's rugby bosses again find themselves between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Their latest incarnation of Super Rugby has been a flop and they are faced with the desperate need to change the unwieldy competition structure for next season, while remaining mindful that they may have to subject it to another overhaul if a global season becomes a reality after the 2019 World Cup.

Rugby's current test and tours roster concludes that year and an integrated global season will affect the protracted Super Rugby competition.

Sanzaar - South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina Rugby - can't afford to play a waiting game until the syncing of the seasons either side of the equator comes into effect.

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They are more likely to be paralysed by indecision.

"Those plans are quite advanced but I haven't seen them yet," said one rugby boss who did not want to be named. "Then both hemispheres can start their season at the same time and play from, say, February to October."

The 18-team Super Rugby structure that came into being last season has failed to capture the imagination. Several franchises are in financial strife and TV audiences have plummeted.

Sanzaar meet on March 9 to discuss the future of the tournament and while several options will be discussed they may ultimately be guided by inescapable economic imperatives. In each territory the burning question is which franchises are a going and which are a growing concern.

South African franchises aren't exactly in rude financial health.

The Southern Kings this season are playing under the spectre of anchor union Eastern Province Rugby's liquidation. The Cheetahs have become accustomed to tiptoeing the financial tightrope, while the Lions, Sharks, Bulls and the Stormers can't rest easy given the proximity of the woods.

In Australia the picture is bleaker still.

The Force, Rebels and former Super Rugby blue bloods the Brumbies are in the red. The Australian Rugby Union have been a lifeline. Just this week, former Wallaby great Simon Poidevin lamented the union's priorities in propping up franchises in nontraditional rugby areas at the expense of developing talent in the country's rugby heartland in the east.

Later in the week, former union chief John O'Neill called on his countrymen to show resolve in the reconfiguration of the tournament.

O'Neill wants a team from South Africa, as well as the Sunwolves and the Jaguares to be axed.

He argued the current format across five countries and 17 time zones with matches being played from Thursday to Sunday was flawed.

Australian players are jittery and locally there is anxiety too. "Ultimately," said players' organisation spokesman Nyaniso Sam. "Sanzaar need to decide on the commercial sustainability of the current competition but they need to arrive at a balanced decision. Their decision needs to be justified."

Sanzaar may find the economic realities hard to ignore. Coupled to that, viewership is down.

"The conference system was confusing, everybody knows this," said Thato Monale, executive producer of rugby at SuperSport. "As a broadcaster, we always look for a premium product to put on air.

"I believe Super Rugby is still one of the premium rugby competitions in the world."

Monale admitted that viewership was down but was not prepared to say by how much.

The rugby boss asked a rhetorical but fundamental question: "Are there really 18 super teams in the competition? When it was the Super 14 it was still competitive but I don't think we are going to see a return to that."

sports@timesmedia.co.za