The Super 15 is due to kick off in late February 2011, and will change the structure of the rugby season in the southern hemisphere dramatically.
The draw is only due to be released in October 2010.
Until the official draw for the Super 15 is actually released we can only speculate based on the information provided thus far by SANZAR.
The competition will run from late February and end in early August (as opposed to late May as with the Super 14).
In World Cup years, the tournament will start and finish earlier to ensure players have adequate preparation time for the Rugby World Cup.
The competition takes a break in June (from 2012 as there are no June Internationals in 2011 due to the 2011 Rugby World Cup).
Upon completion of the June Internationals, the Super 15 playoffs commence.
Each team will also have 2 byes, with the competition regular season to take place over 18 weeks.
Format
There will be 3 pools/conferences which are based on geography.
With the 15th side awarded to the Melbourne Rebels, each participating country has five sides.
Australia
ACT Brumbies
Melbourne Rebels
NSW Waratahs
Queensland Reds
Western Force
New Zealand
Blues
Chiefs
Crusaders
Highlanders
Hurricanes
South Africa
Bulls
Cheetahs
Lions
Sharks
Stormers
Super 15 Phase One – Local Conference
The competition will start with local derbies.
Sides will play each team in THEIR CONFERENCE ONLY.
4 Matches per team.
Super 15 Phase Two – International Conference
Teams will then play 4 of the 5 sides in each of the other 2 conferences.
Over each 5 year period sides will have missed playing each side in the other 2 conferences once in this phase.
8 matches per team played home and away as is currently the case with Super 14.
Super 15 Phase Three – Local Conference
The competition will continue with local derbies as per phase 1, but the venues will be reversed ensuring each side in the conference has played each other home and away.
4 Matches per team.
At this stage each side will have played 16 matches, and a winner from each conference will ensure Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have at least 1 side participating in the play-offs.
It is expected that Phase 3 will be interrupted by the June International season when it is not a Rugby World Cup year. The competition resumes after these Internationals.
Super 15 Phase Four – Play-offs
The 3 conference winners, and the next 3 sides with the highest TOTAL number of points will make up the top 6.
The 2 conference winners with the highest number of points will get a bye in the first round of the play offs, so that 3 plays 6 and 4 plays 5.
Presumably the winner of those matches plays 1 and 2 respectively as semi-finals and produce 2 winners to contest the final.
The competition will conclude in early August after which the Tri-Nations/4 Nations competition will commence.
This will be an extremely long and taxing competition. More injuries and the Tri-nations will be played by players who are not injured or exhausted from the Super 15. The Trinations will become inferior…basically this competition only really benefits the Aussies who have no domestic competition and don’t have the resources to put too many strong teams…South Africa will not have a problem with depth…
Hey Bhups,
I agree SA should have no problem with depth, as long as they are prepared to rest players.
It is not realistic to expect players to play all the games.
And sitting on the bench is not a rest. Players need to be allowed a week or so and go and relax. This year players such as Matfield did not train early in the week, but that is not ideal either. If we rest players, we have the depth to give youngsters a chance to shine.
Any early picks on who you think are contenders?
Sanjay…point taken. But I am really concerned about the likes of Habana who is really going off the boil lately…maybe its not a question of too much rugby for him (as he hardly sees the ball anyway during the game) but more a question of him becoming stale. If I was the Bok coach I would get him more involved in the attacking play…not just chasing kicks! He is a weapon that is not just being used properly
Bhups,
Habana is an interesting case. I think a lot of his problem is loss of confidence and form, much the same as a cricketer goes through a rough patch. I don’t think it helps that the sides he plays for don’t give him ball in space any more. There is only so much chasing and trying to make things happen a winger can do.
Also I think to a degree the opposition have worked him out. For instance the Aussies had a plan to attack down his wing and he was found wanting. Part of that is because of the defence inside him, and Habana always rushes out of the line.
I still believe so much of it depends on the coaches. Habana and co are good players, but they are being made to look ordinary. And if they are out of form, coaches much have the courage to forget about reputation and put guys in form into the side eg Gio Aplon and Jongi Nokwe.
Another guy I am disappointed with is JP Pietersen. When last did either the Boks or Sharks give him plenty of ball in space, the try he scored against Aus at Loftus aside?
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