Super Rugby rubbish!

Recent injuries to the Stormers, amongst many others, just add to the mounting evidence that the season is too long. Injuries are going to water down the whole competition. Having said that, the Stormers and Lions have been especially unlucky as far as injuries are concerned. My Bulls by comparison are relatively injury free, but as the season wears on, I think the Bulls as well as all the teams in the competition are going to have their fair share of injuries. The end result of this overly extended competition is going to be Springbok, Wallaby and All Blacks, teams that are severely weakend by injuries. If one actually thinks about it, it is going to rob deserving Springbok players of Springbok caps. Seriously, if they are out injured because of the long Super Rugby season, then they will obviously not be available for selection and in my opinion that is a tragedy. Yes, the counter argument will be that it opens the door for up and coming players, but that is only at the expense of more deserving players.

The long season is a joke, and it comes at the expense of rugby.

 you are right bluebok - the season is pretty long - take for example the Highlanders - last year they started their season with a roar and then ran out of puff due to injuries. This year, they seemed to have learnt from last years mistakes and seemed to be pacing themselves - even with their current injuries, their smart preseason selections seem to have covered for any inevitabilities.

Conditioning was a bad word for NZ in 2007 but I think it still has a place in terms o player management in a rather long season.

The solution IMO would be to revert back to the old system of the Super 12 - have less teams and less games but more competition for spots and more quality games instead of playing alot of rubbish games increasing the chances of unnecessary injuries.

Hakwa, Bluebok, I don't think there is a reasonable fan out there that can honestly say that he/she is happy with the current situation. Agreed the season is too long and apart from the effect it has on the players as you suggested it also devalues the competition itself, as the fans become tired. A shorter version of the competition would be perfect. Also the conference system is flawed. I would however not like to see the number of teams decrease I would like to see an increase, strange yes but true. this will make space for possible Argentinian and Island sides. In the situation that we have an increase in teams but need to shorten the competition the only solution would be a pool competion ala the World Cup. A draw before the season puts teams in different pools. They play it out and then have a quarter, semi and final. This shortens the Competition alot while creating more space for spreading the game.

Just my thoughts though.

How about  slight increase in teams but only one round where all sides play eachother. To have also the Currie Cup and year end tour, mid year tri nations is too much for any player.  Coaches have to manage their resources better.

Well playing each other only once will make a difference in a single pool if you so wish. Unfortuntely It won't create as much space for expansion as a full on pool system. you can only bring in so many teams until the competition becomes too long again.

Some interesting ideas coming through here. Possibly have two mixed pools with teams from the three countries. Top four from each pool go into the elimination rounds, quarter finals, semi finals and then top two to a final. Would make the competition shorter and more exciting. Also that would make for a better international season for the Southern Hemisphere sides, because less games means less fatigue and less injuries.

Adding on to my last comment. You could have two pools of 9 teams each, that way the islanders and Argies could also be included in some way, and the whole competition would still be much shorter.

correct i was thinking along the same lines.