The Rebels are facing the end of their time in Super Rugby. Photo / Photosport
The Rebels are facing the end of their time in Super Rugby. Photo / Photosport
OPINION
From the Hurricanes’ under-the-radar victory to Melbourne’s controversial Super Round, Elliott Smith delves into the highs, lows, and pressing questions shaping the current rugby landscape. Smith reflects on the potential return of the Jaguares and mourns the impending loss of Newshub.
An explanation...
Our rugby journalism game will be poorer for the loss of Newshub come June. Newshub’s rugby reporters and camerapeople - most recently Ollie Richie and “Wuz” Armstrong at the World Cup in France - have told and broken superb stories, held newsmakers in the sport to account along with other outlets and more importantly, become great friends. The rugby landscape is New Zealand will not be the same for Newshub’s withdrawal.
Who doesn’t want the Jaguares back? Their possible return - if they can get their best talent back - would be a major boost for Super Rugby, which has been missing the South American flavour they brought in their all-too-short time in the competition. There remain some issues - it’s hard to justify the Pacific name when you are adding in a team from South America, for example, and the travel factor is not an easy one compared to a flight across the ditch or to the Pacific Islands - but by and large, it would be a win for the competition. The Jaguares got close to winning the competition in 2019 and their reintroduction appeals a lot more than that of a North American side.
The Jaguares' possible return - if they can get their best talent back – would be a major boost for Super Rugby Pacific, writes Elliott Smith. Photo / Photosport
An observation...
The Chiefs, Highlanders and Blues all have reasons to be pleased from a New Zealand perspective after the opening round but one that has probably gone under the radar, by being squirrelled away at midnight on opening night, is the Hurricanes. That was a very tidy win under a first-year coach, missing the returning Brad Shields while starting a rookie halfback in the promising Jordi Viljoen. Ruben Love continues to make real strides at this level. Not many were talking about the Hurricanes pre-season, given the absences of Ardie Savea and Dane Coles, but if they can find a way past the Reds on Sunday evening in Melbourne, they’ll be well set up for their return home for the Blues and Crusaders in consecutive weeks.
A prediction...
This will be the last Super Round in Melbourne. Thank God. It’s a joke it’s there this year. While not aligned with the Rebels themselves, it should have been stripped from the city when the club went into administration. At least prior to that, you could try to convince yourself (to an extent) that the weekend was for the greater good of growing rugby. Now it appears like the Rebels have decided to invite 11 of their nearest apostles for a last supper before they are crucified by Super Rugby’s powerbrokers, never to rise again. Terrible optics. Even sadder is seeing the prospect of Moana Pasifika v the Fijian Drua being held in Melbourne - that is a fixture that should either be played in Fiji or one of Samoa or Tonga. While there’s a healthy Pacific population in Melbourne, it’s hard to see them turning out and it’s doing the teams a disservice - even if they are financially compensated for taking home games out of market.
A question...
A Drua v Jaguares game has instant appeal, compared to a drab old Drua v Rebels fixture. They managed to get their big guns to return home by making it compulsory to play for the Jaguares last time; whether they have the money or ability to pull that lever remains to be seen. But through their sevens side topping the men’s game currently, it’s clear there’s some exciting young talent that could do with a Super Rugby home.
Elliott Smith is Newstalk ZB and Gold Sport’s lead rugby commentator and reporter. He’s been a sports journalist since 2010 and has travelled to three Rugby World Cups for NZME, including commentating the Rugby World Cup final in 2023.
