I reckon Melbourne deserved a team far more than Western Australia at the time. Had went to a few city games with my dad when I was over there including a match against a pretty strong Crusaders team. Gets a bit more of the family rivalry going with the Hurricanes-Rebels being a game where me and dad can go to the city and watch the game every year.
I don't think its a bad thing in terms of crowd numbers - I imagine NZ supporters would be more inclined to attend home matches when their sides face rival national franchises than against some of the Australian and South African sides, especially the weaker ones. New Zealand rugby's structured a bit differently to the Currie Cup, since the Blues, Crusaders, etc. don't exist in our provincial competition, unlike the South African franchises, so perhaps the South African fans will have differing views on the conference format. The big issue for me though is the length of the season, and the new format is certainly an issue in that regard.
Always thought that decision had something to do with wanting a city without a League presence. The idea might have merit with the NRLs likely expansion to Perth being complicated by Rugby fans having a few years to get attached to a local team. I don't think expansion into Melbourne would be any more difficult for Union now than it would have been a few years ago.
Neither deserve a team. How many locals are in the Rebels/Western Force teams? Australia clearly can't support 5 teams judging by how many imports they've had to get draft in. Off the top of my head I can think of Cipriani, Ged Robinson (!) & Willie Ripia. The Rebels will in all likelihood get as many Kiwi expats watching their games as locals. SuperRugby is a joke (sorry, it's not Super 15, it's SuperRugby - I was at NZRU headquarters tonight and calling the tournament Super 15 is a big no-no. As was my pro-NPC rhetoric)
Agreed, not a particularly flash start - although when you've got a Highlanders side which has Otago, bottom of the ITM Cup, and Southland, arguably the dullest provincial side, as your main base for players, against an ill-disciplined Hurricanes outfit in round one of the competition, perhaps we should've been expecting that sort of performance. The reason I tipped the Blues was because I expected some of the better NZ sides like the Hurricanes and Crusaders to start slowly, so now that the Canes have completed their end of the bargain its time for the Cantabs to follow suit.
How rebellious for this topic to be named Super 15 then!
Can add Gareth Delve (Ex-Wales and Gloucester) & Mick Lipman (ex-England & Bath), although, to be fair, the latter is a quasi-Aussie (Blighty-born, Ocker raised).
Yeah, I find that so weird. I'm sure the Sydney and Brisbane comps are a fairly high standard, but to not have a national league is surreal.
Was tried tbf - the ARC comp which "unearthed" players like Pocock, Beale, Burgess, The Faingaa twins, Dean Mumm, Matt Hodgson, Ben Daley, Sleezy Maa'fuu anda couple of others. YouTube - Australian Rugby Championship
Rugby (both codes) only exists in the northern states. Can't have a national competition when half the country doesn't know the sport exists.
Pretty impressive start and they took the Bulls to the wire. 50,000+ at Ellis Park as well. Can't remember the last time that occurred for a Lions game.
