Shock Hawaii call in Super Rugby expansion
Expanding Super Rugby Pacific into Hawaii is the latest bold concept in a string of ideas being led by Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan
A greater emphasis on the ‘Pacific’ element of Super Rugby could see the island state join the competition with its own team in years to come.
McLennan is also open to the idea of adding Japan back into the mix.
Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season on the home of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming ad free, live and on demand
The Tokyo-based Sunwolves were part of Super Rugby between 2016 and 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic ultimately condemned the team.
Now, there’s renewed interest as well as a push for a new United States-based team.
Japan is the only top 10 country in the World Rugby men’s rankings that does not participate in a multi-national tournament. Instead, its Rugby League One competition services the domestic market.
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The United States rugby market is serviced by the Major League Rugby competition, of which 12 teams compete – each split by eastern and western conferences – but it has no Hawaiian team.
“(Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh) believes that we should be housing a team out of Hawaii, so a US-led team,” McLennan said on Newstalk ZB’s Rugby Direct.
“And Robbo (New Zealand CEO Mark Robinson) has certainly talked a lot about Japan, which we agree.
“I think if we can at least get two teams, then that would deliver us more teams, more hours, and a more robust differentiated competition.
“Collectively, we’ve got to think about expansion and how we continue to support the Drua, Moana Pasifika, our system, your system, and just make it the world’s best provincial competition.
NEW PODCAST! Sean Maloney, Stephen Hoiles and Justin Harrison are backing the Brumbies against the Chiefs and reflect on the Waratahs and Reds bowing out of the Super Rugby Pacific finals
“I tell you, the north, and the guys that I deal with at Six Nations and World Rugby, believe that that can be the case.
“So I think if we put our rivalries aside and say ‘how do we grow the pie?’, I think we’ll have a very robust code, and then all the on-field rivalry will be about the rugby.
“But we’ll get there, we’ll absolutely get there.”
Another concept McLennan has reaffirmed his support for is a player draft, not too dissimilar to the AFL.
That would open the door for some of the best players to be spread across the competition, using Damien McKenzie at the Melbourne Rebels as an example.
In McLennan’s eyes, it would benefit not only the teams by making them more competitive but give fans individuals to back.
“If we can get a draft in place and do it quickly, and put a framework round so that again it’s not overly burdensome, but that would drive viewer interest on both sides of the Tasman,” McLennan said.
“And if we want to be creative – that idea has been floating around for some time, the AFL do it, the American sports do it all the time – we can start to create new assets.
“So imagine us collectively creating a draft that we’d promote before the Super Rugby season starts. That would drive incredible interest.
“If you look at the finals, we (Australia) only have one team into the semis, but you’ll have incredible viewership on both sides of the Tasman if you’ve got players (from both countries) playing in respective teams.
“I just think that will do more for improving the value of our collective media rights than anyone thinks.”
The Super Rugby Pacific finals continue with the Crusaders hosting the Blues in Christchurch on Friday before the Brumbies take on the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.
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