KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
marboy01
I believe it is the way to go, my concern is that the Aussies cannot be trusted and I trust the Boks more than the Aussies because they appreciate rugby more, it being their national sport, but the travel is not the best so I guess we will have to go down another channel I dont really like helping the Aussies getting their rugby good because they dont want to make changes internally in their own country, they take forever to do any changes in trying to develope rugby over there.But as long as NZ does it in their own interests first and not Australia's we should enter only win agreements.Australia would have to do gate share but this will be highly unlikely I dont trust them!!Australia does not provide a high entertaining type of rugby they are quite boring to watch.So I am not sure.
Naomi from Brisbane, Harbour all the way
I think that we should cast off the Sth Africans. It is as if they are rubbishing both NZ & oz teams by not bringing the best they have. A trans tasman comp would be great I would love to see more games not have be up at like 1am in the morning just to watch my team play. I also think that having a north harbour team would be great for Auckland. Why should nth harbour players have go to Auckland or Waikato to play in the premier game there are enough of them to make another team. The NZRU needs to wake up & smell the coffee... Sth Africa were good when they came back from their ban but please they are boring players & boring teams with no real want to be in the Super 14 or the Tri-Nations.
Shane
Rebuttal part 1.
Chris Rattue is a beat up old league journo that has to re-hash stories that appear in the Sydney Morning Herald because he can't find anything original to write. Geez Chris, how much are the nzh paying you? What a racket!Rattue writes, "...his Australasian competition idea is an absolute winner". Winner for who Chris? The nzru & the aru who would miss out on hundreds of millions of tv revenue generated from having SA as part of the comp? The fans in New Zealand and Australia who actually enjoy seeing the South Africans play our teams? He continues, "..with a top-five finals series along the lines of the old Australian Rugby League format.". Well, well, well. Chris shows his true colours. If it doesn't look like league and doesn't smell like league then it can't be league and Mr Rattue doesn't like it.Come on Chris, this isn't some tin pot, 2-bit global equivalent of lacrosse - like that other sport you love! The only way for the 'super' competition to survive is to get bigger and more inclusive, not smaller and less so. Bigger also means more revenue for the nzru which means more money to keep current and future All Blacks in the country.
Shane
Another gem from Chris, "Melbourne may sound like a great place to plant a fifth Australian team, but the league experience shows the city isn't interested in non-Aussie Rules rugby codes...Melbourne Storm have a brilliant on-field record, yet they had the second lowest crowd figures in the nrl last season...".If you did some 'research' Chris - look it up, it's under 'R' in the dictionary - you would know that rugby is well supported in Melbourne, particularly in the top end of town. Here's some facts for your edification: - 1300 attendees at the annual Weary Dunlop rugby lunch paying hundreds of dollars per head. - The number of registered players has doubled in Victoria in the last 4 years. - 19 rugby clubs in metropolitan Melbourne alone, all fielding teams in multiple grades. Also anecdotally, rugby union is enjoyed by afl types in Victoria much more than league because of the contest for possession - much like their own game. They find league as dull as dishwater.Your ignorance on this issue is illuminating. Go back and report on league Chris. They need and deserve you.
Colin Handcock
I bet sailors are pleased that the NZRFU aren't running the Americas Cup, if they were just think how many timesthey could have changed things by now. We would end up with 3 races offshore, 3 onshore and an egg and spoon race up the mast to finish. Leave the thing alone, since 1976 the competition for the top players has changed at least 6 times. How many times has the English Premiership changed its format or the NFL. The problems is that SANZAR is based on money not competition. Get the competition bit right and the money will come, somehow it seems to have worked that way for every other professional sports competition.
Anton v Seattle
If Ritchie wasn't talked up so much he wouldn't be captain. I am a kiwi and find it fascinating how Nzers are quick to defend their players. This disbelief is a false sense of security. We need to look at facts with emotions aside. I believe Mccaw is a jack of all trades and master of none. In the most recent game he played with 110 per cent but didn't dominate any part of the game. In fact who missed the tackle for the first try. Who missed the tackle inside macalister on mortlock. Also failed to turn over any possession, in the late stages of the game it was Australian turn overs by there faster loose forwards of the bench that retained the lead. So my observation is he's not fast enough to be a no 7 which results in him arriving a split second late, and penalty count would confirm. As for captain he doesn't have respect with refs he failed to reach the npc semi finals and also beaten in the super 14 semi in a forward dominated game. lucky to beat SA lost to AUS. but surprisingly the fans keep there fingers crossed and hope he can captain the AB's to world cup victory.As for Thorne please. Has been a waste of the opportunity to develop another young player.Thanks To Henry.
Beau Brummell
Let's not panic but the MCG game had worrying reminders of the 03 World Cup semi- inability to change tactic and lack of leadership to effect a change.Blacks need to win the next two emphatically.
Griz
Grow up !
Danis (Auckland)
My thoughts aren't entirely thought through but what about something along the lines of our 5 Super 14 teams and Aussie's 4 in a home and away comp, top 4 go through to the finals.And then a 4 nations with Aussie, PI's and Argentina. The Pacific Islands, if they got strong, could be a great team and it would be good to see some of them stay with their home nation as opposed to trying to plays for the ABs. And Argentina could become a force, they are already heading that way.Let South Africa play in the Northern Hemisphere, we know they want to. It is better for them in terms of game time, travel and fan base.Again these are thoughts off the top of my head and are probably flawed.
TK - Righteousness Stands
As a spectator at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.I congratulate the Austalians for their win for taking the opportunities given to them.I commend the 'All Blacks' for their perserverence and commitment. McCaw a captain to be recognised held in high regard.I encourage the All Blacks, men with steadfast hearts are duly rewarded.
Tane
Maybe Eddie has a point. Maybe Richie should talk more and play less, which seems to be the Aussie approach to rugby. Words, not actions son, that's the way to do it.
Number 8 from Melbourne
This is rich. Richie McCaw's captaincy and playing capability being questioned by Eddie Jones.In case people have forgotten this is the bloke who was sacked as Wallaby coach and then had the dubious honour of coaching the Queensland Reds to one of their worst Super 14 performances in history. (He apparently "resigned" before being sacked again!)If Eddie spends more time looking at his form as a coach rather than worrying about the form of other teams or players, perhaps he might just become a successful under 12 coach.Until then it is best that he keeps his big mouth shut and spends time reading up on statistics as with Eddie, even if his team is beaten by 50 points he can still find statistics to prove that his was the better team.
China RWC
Eddie Jones's comments are not highly regarded. His recent coaching performances have reduced the value of his comments..although he has coached a S14 champoinship team. However... there is very little comment on the substance of his comments (play the ball..not the man).I agree with the comment from Auckland that Richie has had the easiest captaincy role ever..Crusaders and NZ Rugby Teams... I reckon I could captain those teams. McCaw needs to be more adaptable to the games flows...Graham Henry can't come on the field and make the decisions for you. All of a sudden it seems like 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003 all over again. To win a RWC you need skills, team work and the psychology. a team who fears losing will not win!
Thommo (Melbourne)
Mate, theres nothing wrong with McCaws captaincy, whats his captaincy got to do with the way he plays the game? If everyone can play like him they're all be captains. The thing is that he's to good at what he does then opposition, he's too good at what he does for the opposition coaches, in reality he's the ultimate assassin on the rugby field. The only way to stop him is to give the ref a ear full before the game on how he should control it and who should he pin everytime the opposition loses the ball. Richie McCaw is the most marked man on the international playing arena in this day and age, why? Not because he's the captain, it's because he's the player that every team want but cant have, why do you think he gets targeted in every game with cheap shots, every team is trying to physically break him but cant so now they are trying to test his mental ability by questioning is duties as a captain, all I can say about McCaw is that he is a guy that lets his rugby do the talking and his mouth be disciplined.
Kezza
I do agree that releasing South Africa from the current competition would be a great idea. In respect to having Six teams from New Zealand and four from Australia, this also sounds about right. Mind I also would like to see a combined side from the Pacific Islands being included. Also (mind this might fly straight into the face of reducing flight lengths) maybe look at the Pumas coming into the fray once they finally release themselves from the shackles of a amateur set up.
hairyangryfella
Definitely get rid of the South African teams from the Super 14. Boring play coupled with late nights just aren't worth watching. Despite living out West we went to North Harbour Stadium to watch the Blues vs Sharks and it was a terrible game. Nice stadium though and would be worth going to for an Auckland-Harbour game every now and then.
SH
Eddie Jones says a lot of things. He probably said a lot of things to his Queensland team before they were beaten a thousand-nil by the Bulls.
James B
Absolutely. Although there should definitely be a combined PI team in the mix. Perhaps pull out of the Super 12 altogether - all that seems to have happened is Australia and South Africa have been brought up to the All Blacks' level.
Frustrated fan
Is there something wrong with Ritchie or the whole leadership group. Why wasn't Byron yelling for George to put the ball in at every scrum. He didn't have to talk to the ref just make sure he was heard. Why wasn't Anton coming up from every scrum telling the ref what the aussies were doing wrong. Fitzey would not have come up quite, even on a scrum we were losing. Yeah Ritchie needs to talk (a whole lot more) but I think the leadership matter doesn't end with him. You can't tell me no one from the Aussie camp got in the refs ear at half time about the scrums and everything else the All Blacks were doing. I'm not blaming the ref alone he made the decisions he thought was right. He did however seem susceptible to a bit of player direction problem is only the Aussies took advantage of it. We still have the makings to be World Champs and Ritchie is the man to do it, but if we had a bit of gamesmanship the World Cup would be in the bag. The Refs will always listen to players, and any ref who says no is just kidding themselves.
Marn (Hamilton)
The Jury is still out about Richie but would querie how much Anton Oliver had to do with the proformence of the AB's in the first half. Do you notice that at stoppages he was always talking to the team but when he went off in the second half that stoppped. Maybe this is where Richie needs to improve.
lyric (Auckland)
There is nothing wrong with Richie's captaincy. Its a point for people who doomsday this team whenever something err's slightly.This loss to the wallabies happened due to complacency from everyone. 15-6 out leads me to believe that the r & r policy needed to be implemented more. Why not, why would we criticise a policy to help us win the world cup? When it works we love it, when it appears not to, we lamb-baste it. This is the best rugby team in the world and we really all should remember that...this is the mighty All Blacks.The World cup is ours and Richie will be holding it high for all to see. Come on NZ, these are our boys...
Alfie (Sydney)
You Kiwis are great. Funny, too. Rugby is a fairly despised sport in Australia. Well, it was until we beat you blokes on the weekend.Aussie Rules, rugby league and even soccer (yuck) rank ahead of rugby in Australia. Way ahead. In that order, too. In terms of TV viewers, Aussie Rules is one, league two, then forget it. In terms of participation, it's soccer one, Aussie Rules two, then forget it. League is just a machine to churn out elite players, it really has little support at the non-elite level. That's why Australian rugby - which produces virtually no players wanted by league clubs - has to poach so many leaguies. Same with the All Blacks; while you're great at union, no Australian league clubs want your blokes. Union players are all too slow, like bunnies in the headlights. The point is, you need to understand that while beating you blokes was a bit of fun, and while winning rugby World Cups is cool, pretty much no-one outside of Sydney cares. Rugby is dead in Queensland and Melbourne and Perth are hard core Aussie Rules towns. Do you people in NZ get that? Only Sydney gives a damn about rugby. And Sydney - while I love this town to death - is one of the least sports-loyal towns you will ever come across. So in other words rugby is on the nose, hardly loved and boring as all hell - to Australians. The so-called 'breakdown' rules - whatever they are - have killed the game in Australia. We are used to the non-stop action of league and Aussie Rules - even soccer, god help us all! So you can defend Richie McCaw all you like, but as long as rugby blokes like him keep cheating at the 'breakdown' and slowing the play, rugby will be a dying game. I understand that the views of an Australian mean nothing to you guys. Rugby is your game, and I reckon you are the world leaders in the code by a mile. But the way rugby is going, more and more countries (like Australia) are going to turn off because it is quite a dreadful spectacle these days. It has happened to rugby league in Australia, where Sydney is turning off league and Brisbane is fast becoming Australia's rugby league capital. The game has to maintain broad appeal, or the masses turn off.
>> Next