Seal clubbing rugby matches, why rugby needs a new format

Forum » Rugby » Seal clubbing rugby matches, why rugby needs a new format

Nov 24, 2024, 10:59

If you believe the journalist you would think that Ireland is the most amazing team in the world by putting 50 points past a small island nation or that NZ was poor and ultimately Italy won the game even though it doesn't show. There were so many pointless games. Don't even get me started on the Welsh. Australia is probably the only team that is improving. 


1South Africa92.78
2Ireland90.78
3New Zealand90.36(+0.27)
4France88.51(+0.43)
5Argentina84.97(-0.43)
6Scotland82.70
7England82.31
8Australia82.17
9Fiji80.07
10Italy78.64(-0.27)


SA ran away from their challengers, but only NZ, Ireland and Argentina against the B team boks troubled the boks this year. 


I don't think having these matches preplanned years in advance helps rugby. Then, France and some of the Northern hemisphere teams that don't even send their best team down south during June is another bug bear of mine. It allows the coaches to experiment and their is no incentive for them to improve the team. Unlike football, as a coach you can be 10 games in, lose 4 and get the sack. 


Yet, we see old grumpy pants Gatland still guaranteed his job after 11 straight losses. Yet, the Australians are bouncing back and beat England at home in a thriller. 


My suggestion is that rugby should adopt a ladder format. Where each match is to challenge the team above to climb up the ladder. We still don't know if the boks are better than Ireland after only winning one game against them over the last 5 years. New Zealand seem better than them but then the boks beat the Kiwis 5 times in a row now. 


I think if games were organised that the top 4 play each other with two games each. Then see who is the top team. The top ranked team gets home ground advantage. Then teams from 5 to 8 challenge each other and so on. A team needs to climb up the ladder in order to get to the top. 


The top 4 teams are SA, FRA, NZ and Ireland. Would it not have been better to see these teams in action this season? 


Then you have Scotland, England , Argentina and Italy hanging around. We could have a first block of seeding and then a 2nd block of matches of title contenders and regulators. SA didn't play France at all this season.. Would SA have beaten in NZ in New Zealand etc. But it makes for a far more entertaining game then the boks playing against 2nd tier games and only playing their rivals 2 and no games against France. What if the game against the Irish were a 3 match series. What if SA played NZ and Ireland at home, France away and Argentina away. The lowest rank team drop to the 2nd tier and the highest rank team in tier two fonup a block. These are 12 test matches of high quality. 6 at home and 6 away. It bringa back the tour element again and it would make each match so much more compelling. 


I do think for this to happen, rugby will have to abandon the 6 nations as well as the championship which it finds hard to do, but I think we would see far more meaningful matches. 


You could still have the 6 nations and championship in World Cup years. No need for lions tours. 


A week team like Wales wouldn't get a sniff of playing the top teams but it would also be good for them to sort our their rugby and build it back up to where it needs to be 

Nov 24, 2024, 12:40

K C

It my be interesting - but will never happen.   In reality the November test window allows for 16 ems to play in  while he July test levl applies to three or 4 matches to be played and the 4th match be ouside the test window, whie in the  only in the two  test level purely cater for the 6 NH teams and the RC the heineken Cup catering for 6 NH eams to play each ther.   

On average the test teams play an avergae of 11 to 12 test matches a year otside of WC year - so how do you see the top 5 teams should play in a situation where only the ankings are to eb considered in the present esablished system?

.           

Nov 24, 2024, 12:40

I’m not sure I agree we need to remain respectful of nations like Wales who have historically been a rugby power

They need to play against the best to measure themselves and improve just like the stronger sides need to play the odd lower ranked side to enable them to blood youngster and slightly downscale the intensity involved in top tier clashes

Nov 24, 2024, 12:53

Silly idea.

Commercially it would make no sense.

Also, how do you expect to grow the game globally with that formula? Do you have any idea the impact rugby had in Portugal when they played the Boks? Club rugby in Portugal had an upturn of 250% since that game.

And us SAFFAS must not have short memories.

Nov 24, 2024, 13:39

Nothing wrong with rugby at all...best game ever...leave it just like it is.

Nov 24, 2024, 20:42

What’s happened to Chippo ?! He’s posting sensible comments with no mention of Saffex’s Mum !

The world has gone crazy :P

Nov 24, 2024, 20:57

I don't want to keep hurting my step son and his mum.

I'm trying my best to behave.

Nov 24, 2024, 21:16

Well, I don't know why you guys get so much joy at 40 point games, when you clearly know the team is not up for it. England just put 50 points past Japan. 

Scotland did really well and shut the Wallabies out. It begs the question how good England really is given that they were on a 5 match losing streak. When rugby teams are out of form they are out of form. I would rather see close match game then Portugal getting moered. 

That doesn't say that with my proposal that smaller teams can't play the big boys. I like what they do in the NFL, each team gets 3 warm up games before the coipition proper starts. I think 14 test matches might be stretching it but we saw how many games some teams play. So SA could still play the likes of Fiji etc but just don't waste the viewers ticket prices. Every game would have meaning, if you lose you slide down, if you win, you make your way to the top. 

I would have loved to have a 3 test series match with Ireland at home, NZ at home and then play 6 games away against France and Argentina. 

The fans were robbed of seeing the boks try to beat Ireland. But it is wishful thinking

Nov 25, 2024, 01:05

You’re doing well, Chippo ;) 

Nov 27, 2024, 12:36

So, Test matches in SA next year has been agreed. 

5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
27 September: SA v Argentina

Other than Argentina, none of these teams are anywhere near giving SA fans any decent games to attend. It makes a mockery of rugby. So we will just put 100 points pas Italy and Georgia and we would blood a new generation of youngsters, but those youngsters would have stronger test at age group and URC. 

But it is far more of a spectacle having a the strongest French, Kiwi or Irish team to come and challenge SA in SA for the crown of best team in the world. 

So France is sending a C grade to New Zealand, leaving 30 plus players at home because their season is still happening and they can't be bothered to have fewer club games and actually run a normal comp, 

The French club rugby is a massive front for money laundering. You saw the guy from Altrad, we paid his 20 million euros and become a preferred sponsor. We know the French like their bribes, but nobody likes to talk about it. 

I would still welcome maybe Portugal for a 1 off or even get these small teams to come and play against our A Team and give the fringe guys a chance. If we lose, so what, it was the A team not the Springboks

Dec 04, 2024, 20:45

But it is far more of a spectacle having a the strongest French, Kiwi or Irish team to come and challenge SA in SA for the crown of best team in the world. 

Doesn't make any sense.

SA need to travel.

Having 2 games against NZ in South Africa during the Rugby Championship should never have happened.

This competition has completely lost its way along with the f idiots running it.



Dec 05, 2024, 01:58

As long as teams play on average the same amount of games on each other's patches then it's all good.

I don't see the need to play one in NZ and one in SA per season.

Cricket has never worked that way and nobody has complained.

Dec 05, 2024, 07:01

Klop, beat your fearsome foe on consecutive weeks on their home patch .

 
You need to Log in to reply.
Back to top