Jake White says it’s time for South Africa to seriously consider leaving Super Rugby for a move north.
In his latest column for AllOutRugby, White slammed the Super Rugby format and suggested that people should not let a good final blind them to the fact that the competition was flawed from the day it kicked off.
‘Though Super Rugby administrators will be cock-a-hoop after a successful final, the reality of their product is very different.
‘Sanzaar will be pleased that there was a full house at the AMI Stadium, and the final included a South African team which meant that the competition’s largest TV audience was tuned in. The administrators would also have been relieved it wasn’t a one-sided affair – I’m sure Sanzaar was right next to Lions fans shouting for the away team because they didn’t want a 50-point blowout.
‘But, as brave as the Lions were in trying to achieve a miracle, it was Mission: Impossible. That side was never going to beat a New Zealand team in New Zealand.
‘Around the world, people follow sport because they want to be there for that moment when there’s a big upset. Pundits like to talk about great upsets and great comebacks, and that gets lost in a predictable Super Rugby competition. The competition is like a train that runs on schedule – the results go according to home-ground advantage, the conference you play in and the travel factor.
‘Rugby is moving north and South Africa has to decide whether Super Rugby is something we want to leave or something we want to change. Either way, some big calls have to be made.’
Photo: Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images
