The talk around the Super Rugby water cooler is that the bloated behemoth of a competition will soon be slayed as pieces of the whole are lopped off in an attempt to make things better and simpler.
In theory, it is a good move.
A competition with 18 teams, from the distant West to the far East, through abilities that range from world beaters to woeful wets, needs to be rethought. However, the rumours are that Sanzaar is not thinking with their rugby togs, rather their business suits.
Sanzaar is the same organisation that took the competition from its ideal limit of 12 to what it is today, and all for the sake of money. They seem to be indicating that two South African teams will be cut – the Kings and Cheetahs – as well as an Australian team will drop away as the Sunwolves, full of Yen, and Jaguares will remain.
Cutting the Kings is quick and painless, they were a badly constructed limb to start with. Same with an Australian side, but for another reason; Australia just does not have the interest in the sport to support five teams. It is the Cheetahs heads being on the block that is an issue.
The Free State is the heartland of South African rugby, and to lose them would be catastrophic for the country. I can still hear coach Franco Smith’s words ringing in my ears; South African rugby cannot survive without the Cheetahs.
The Sunwolves should be the others for the chop, they have been ineffective and have not contributed to the value of the competition. The Cheetahs are on the rise, and the Jaguares are far more professional, the mere fact that these teams are showing promise should allow them another life.
Of course you will have poor teams in a tournament, so what not use that as a factor to strengthen the competition?
READ: Kings at risk as Super Rugby decides to cut teams
Super Rugby, Southern Hemisphere rugby essentially, can work with a two-tier system. Keep 18 teams, but make Super Rugby 12 and fill the lower tier with sides from the Pacific Islands and even another African team (Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya).
There can be a promotion and relegation system meaning those teams who are simply in the top tier for a free ride have a threat of demotion to make them panic a bit and get better.
It will mean a lot of work, and it will probably cost Sanzaar a bit of tom, and for that reason, don’t expect such progressive thinking.
There are other options too. Paris set a pretty bold precedent this week by merging Stade Francais and Racing Metro into one team, it was not taken to very well by the players and fans, but I bet if you offered the Kings a chance to be a part of the Sharks, or for the Cats to save the Cheetahs, it would be considered.
There is also the land of milk and money, which is far off, but in the same time zone at least. Go North. It would require a global season, which needs some problem solving, but to have the likes of the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls thrashing it out with Saracens, Toulon and Leinster would be pretty magical.
There would also be some handy paychecks coming in with Pounds and Euros written all over them, keeping players in their homeland.