My interest in the game is slowly waning and I think it’s due to an overload of rugby that seems to be the same old same old. The sad thing is, the rugby that is missing out is the NPC and I believe is where our passion for the game grows from.

The repetitiveness starts with the Super 12/14(/15?!) where the same old teams dominate and the Hurricanes look oh so promising but just don’t bring home the bacon.

Then it’s the Tri-nations which is great rugby… BUT we saw it all last year (and the year before).

After that there’s a lacklustre tour which inevitably has me on the couch at any hour but as you say, it’s just not the same as the epic tours of the old days.

Personally, I really like the idea of a Champions League style competition. It would mean that our top teams (aside from the national side) would be our provincial sides.

We’d still have our normal NPC but then they’d have random games against other club / regional teams from around the world which is part of a world club championship! Fantastic stuff!

This would bring back a lot of provincial pride. It’s diminished somewhat since super rugby was introduced for obvious reasons.

It would also mean players would only have to jump from club rugby level to the big time. Psychologically this would be great for players. I’d also guess that it’d also bring back alot of support and interest in the local club rugby scene which is the root for passion in the oval ball.

So if we do all of that and then at the end of it have a major All Blacks tour that involves playing numerous provincial sides and at least 3 tests all over different parts of the world each year, I’d say we can’t go wrong!

Personally, I think a NZRFU sponsored team playing in the European League is a rubbish idea… how’s it going to help rugby back here?!? In saying that, it’s definately worth a debate over a beer (or six ;-).

The ‘Oceania Cup’ is a nice idea but I still need convincing.

Bledisloe Cup? Thoughts? Maybe every two years instead of every year…?

Ps. Go the mighty Bush! ;)

I don’t really have an answer, but SuperX and tri-nations just isn’t working. I think the biggest problem is the strength of the competitions. There just aren’t enough good teams each year to make it interesting.

I have read somewhere suggesting that a NZRFU sponsored team plays in the European Leagues. That is an idea worthy of discussion over a drink some day….

An ‘Oceania Cup’ held every four years instead of the yearly Tri-nations could be interesting, if the unions took it seriously and not a marketing exercise to break into ‘new markets’ for broadcasting (USA, Japan, etc).