Blues CEO gets honest about saving Super Rugby's future

Andrew Hore joins SENZ's dedicated Blues show 'Blues Brothers' with Steve Devine to look at the state of Super Rugby and what needs to be done to keep the competition viable for many more years to come.
#superrugby #rugbyunion #allblacks

[@kainoizking]

Finally conversations like this are happening publicly. Bout 10 years too late but that’s fine lol. NZ is so bad at marketing and promotion when it comes to rugby, we’ve just been depending on the popularity of rugby for all these years, and the fans have been watching super rugby slowly dying.

[@kingq4113]

100% I think also how we have so much better access to American sports and how they hype up fights, bball games and nfl games is nuts. Now rugby never markets so I just can’t be bothered 🥱🥱🥱

[@jamiebloxham777]

Scrap super rugby, us kiwis need a nrl stlye type of competition it would be the top flight comp before international season. We would see a state of origin series between north and south aswell as the ranfurly shield, more all blacks playing in the smaller teams brining in cash to th3 smaller citys etc

[@NovelteeMusic]

The unions will never allow it but until its treated like genuine individual club that can recruit globally within a salary cap with equal distribution amongst the clubs like other sporting competitions it will always be viewed as a pre season to the all blacks

[@Rayzajw]

The only franchises that do that somewhat are the Crusaders, Chiefs, Blues and Brumbies

[@Samizouza]

Could help alot with all the SR teams if said unions weren't so dodgy

[@jantippet-anne4280]

Bulls fan here. Super 12/14 was the best competition. When the change moved to conferences with the Jaguars and Sunwolves I think almost everyone in SA lost interest. Wishing you guys all the best in ANZ. We sort of miss being pumped by the Kiwis every week! In my opinion rugby’s problem is WR. But that’s a bigger discussion.

[@mdjcsmith]

14 was pretty well-balanced, missed those days. Back when my Western Force team used to get some pretty awesome crowds

[@animekawaiichan9399]

It was not a decision we made ourselves. NZRU forced us to make that decision. This URC is not as intense or entertaining as we thought it would be. Super Rugby is basically dead.

[@peternicolaides7679]

@@animekawaiichan9399 URC is worldclass. Stay off the drugs

[@animekawaiichan9399]

@@peternicolaides7679 ABSOLUTELY NOOOOOTTTTT!!!!

[@peternicolaides7679]

@@animekawaiichan9399 100000% true. Stay off the cocaine

[@theodorosmoro-esperidis7035]

South Africa 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@riyaadrhoda3990]

It seems like NZ teams are missing the SA teams. Although NZ won most of the super rugby titles , it seems like they miss the hard forward battles when playing the SA teams. This is affecting them big time when olaying international rugby and facing teams like SA, Ireland, France and England. Even Wales and Scotland are no longer walk overs.

[@commentarytalk1446]

Super Rugby was exciting 10-15+ years ago. Used to love the great match ups that echoed history between the Kiwis, Aussies and Saffas. Today it's just empty stadiums and no competition between teams and no drama. Yeah still some good skills especially the Kiwis but the game in Europe is really stodgy with big kicking and grinding pods in packs and penalties just a snore fest with the odd alarmingly dangerous injury to the neck/spine... NRL today is AWESOME as he said, Dolphins have been brilliant this year and all the other teams offer something exciting to watch as well. Loads of great games. Origin just played too and that was great. I just can't watch Super Rugby anymore or Rugby Union tbh, too stodgy, too much officiation/penalties etc.

[@Mark76556]

You don't watch NH rugby do you?

[@commentarytalk1446]

@@Mark76556 Which bit of NH rugby are you talking about specifically? The bit at the end of the Heinekein Cup where a player was red carded due to a dangerous tackle on the "Jackalling" player which dicated the result and also could have caused significant injury? Or was your question more specific than that.

[@Mark76556]

@@commentarytalk1446 talking about how it's boring and poor standard according to you

[@considerthis7712]

So many issues. One is resting internationals and local's turn up, pay the same entry fee, only to see their B teams get beaten. In Australia NRL and AFL have grown with marketing and seed player development. In Australia, rugby is marketed as Wallabies, But Wallabies are 50 % native islanders , when only 0.3 % of the population! At anthem time who represents who?Further, with a lack of winning and stop / start play and confusing rules and decisions, has weakened interest as NRL and AFL are more clear to viewers.Further, club contracts internationally are restricting the wallabies, they have not had their best team available in many years. Australia has a good A team , but lacks depth unlike NZ and SA.

[@anthonyw6238]

I would love to watch the Under 20s men and women's team and Senior, Women's, and Men's Super Rugby Teams compete on the same stage and day.Imagine going to a ground and watching 4 good games. Could even include the best High Schools from each franchise area compete too. I don't know if it would be financially viable but it may bring the community together. It doesn't look good when we see half empty stadiums.

[@WalterWhite-sm2dr]

Arrogance of asking the South Africans to find another competition… viewing figures are at a all time high in URC, champions cup. Ironically the chiefs and crusaders are top 4 teams in the world… eventually u will see n.z. talent in Europe playing for domestic teams… nobody is watching Super Rugby … also currently 70 percent of Boks players for wc 23 are playing in Japan … Side note - there’s no other team then playing the All Blacks…

[@JosephJoseph-yx7ns]

S.A teams wanted to leave....more ppl live in Europe so more views duh,.....guess what football is still king up there.....and Super Rugby competes with National Rugby League and the growth of Basketball every weekend

[@wlk2408]

​@@JosephJoseph-yx7ns Since the SA teams joined the URC the URC broke all their previous viewership records two years in a row. Just to give you an example the Stormers had almost 150 000 spectators at the Cape Town Stadium in their last three games. That is more people than a full round of Super Rugby gets over a weekend.

[@dirkloots548]

Ring ring... hey guys me motor don't run so good anymore.... Oh, what happened mate? Well me exhaust fell off... So then put the exhaust back on mate... No mate, the problem seems to be with the fuel injectors... Click

[@FijianFala88]

Fijian Drua Home games are the only games filled with people in the stadium, Australia and New Zeland stadiums are empty 😂

[@henszjunior8975]

Good on the springboks for leaving super rugby theyre able to play more competitive rugby with the teams from the northern hemisphere. All year long. Which is why i believe that the northern hemisphere teams are almost slightly ahead of nz and aus rugby atm. Teams like the french and the irish and emerging teams in the italians and japanese which is gonna make this world cup more competitive. With both countries in the super rugby. It almost makes it more predictable rugby than normal.

[@naisyjohns]

This is hilarious. Only one South African team had won the Super Rugby (The Bulls). Australia and NZ teams were too good for them. The only reason the Lions made the finals 3 times was because of the conference system. That wouldn't have happened if it was still a round robin tournament. On top of that, South Africa as a country has collapsed, with major safety concerns for the players. Face it: They were booted out for not adding much to the competition.

[@wlk2408]

​@naisyjohns Yes mate, the South African teams didn't contribute anything. That is why Super Rugby is now so much better and the full stadiums is evidence of that. Let me guess you also want the Springboks out of the Rugby Championship?

[@naisyjohns]

@@wlk2408 why are you mocking our stadiums when Curry Cup stadiums can't even power themselves? lol!

[@wlk2408]

@@naisyjohns What does Curry Cup have to do with URC or Super Rugby? How is your attendance at NPC games?

[@naisyjohns]

@@wlk2408 read my comment: THE STADIUMS ARE STARTING TO RUN OUT OF POWER IN SOUTH AFRICA. The country is turning to sh*t. Thats one of the reasons they were booted out of super rugby.

[@leodibarboure7603]

Boring competition, TOP 14 and European Cup...that's good

[@Trajan2401]

The Chiefs and Crusaders would carve those NH teams up 😂

[@Mark76556]

​@kupacronk0 yeah sure. You don't realise the standard up there. Leinster is 90% of the Irish national squad and haven't won the champions cup in years. French teams have huge money and import loads of players. Maybe 10 Years ago I would agree but now that's just a ridiculous statement

[@Trajan2401]

@@Mark76556 yeah im 100% sure about it 😂

[@Mark76556]

@@Trajan2401 yeah enjoy your dying competition lol. You only watch super rugby so any opinion you have is pretty invalid

[@Mark76556]

@@Trajan2401 oh and a bunch of all blacks are leaving to Japan after this season,forgot that😂😂

[@Samizouza]

The least SR can do is mimick the Heineken Cup by playing against the Japanese League One teams, could help alot with finances and have players returning home as seen with South Africa in the URC. But then again it seems the grassroots is being overlooked here not taking games to smaller stadiums where less is more IMO.

[@liamwilliams6651]

The one where they don't rest players is France. And France is the only competition that fills out stadiums every game. Gee I wonder why?

[@animekawaiichan9399]

Maybe they should rather bring back the SA teams back. This URC is totally GARBAGE the worst part is our stadiums attendance has dropped MASSIVELY because people lost interest and it's not as entertaining as the old Super Rugby was.

[@WalterWhite-sm2dr]

Maybe bring back South Africa?? bro South Africa are making more money and producing more players and playing in a familiar time zone…. Don’t think they will be back… ask yourself - who needs who?! Only team benefiting is the islands and Australia rugby playing NZ… NZ are loosing out playing weaker teams except your once in awhile strong kiwi team….

[@luyandamazibuko3357]

URC IS FIRE ,You clearly haven't been watching

[@animekawaiichan9399]

@@luyandamazibuko3357 I DID! It's absolute BULLSHIT!!

[@animekawaiichan9399]

@@WalterWhite-sm2dr we don't care that or the Ausie teams that much but fact is we MISS playing against the Kiwi teams whether home or away.

[@peternicolaides7679]

Nah we upgraded. URC is better than your dead 3rd-rate NRL . You're talking garbage, SA stadiums are full again whilst Super Rugby stadiums are empty

[@benmeech4972]

Best competition in the world With out South Africa is make believe 😂

[@DavidSmith-yi8ou]

It was boring with them too.

[@Trajan2401]

They hardly ever won in SR 😂

[@WalterWhite-sm2dr]

Lol nobody is watching… URC have record high viewership figures in 2023… lol

[@Me-ex7qg]

​@@WalterWhite-sm2drthat's because SA has a bigger population than all the super rugby countries combined. Not much of a flex. Australia and New Zealand are also competitive at multiple sports which divides the fan base

[@dirkloots548]

The issue is simple to solve... nobody ever got up at whatever time to watch the Crusaders vs the Brumbies. If its on tell us the score mate... "Yawn" Vs the Crusaders are playing the Stormers? Big game, should win but maybe not... think I should watch.

[@VelvetRiot-hz5mp]

Let NZ do whatever it wants, Australia goes it's on way. Only meet in test matches. Solved.

[@user-oo4zo8yy5u]

League is a better game. Rugby sucks shit at the moment. NRL clubs embrace the changes while rugby risist change.

[@christianmasina9745]

Super rugby is boring and dead

[@adamfahey108]

Break Super rugby, go to two divisions to get fan interaction and people locally caring about there team again.... All heartland sides join, Player pool is broken up to allow heartland sides to have their all blacks, Draft system would be put forward out of school boy rugby where the sides also mandate further study for all players to help future proof these men and women for "after rugby" life. Super Rugby is loosing its shine because it doesn't have the localism factor. Just an idea btw haha

[@markopoloasia]

Best way to fix Super Rugby is the Blues winning? 😂

[@HannibalLekta-qg2ip]

Boring competition

[@rikimackey7984]

Super Rugby has run its course. Go back to round robin NPC with the 5 Oz teams. It would be more competitive and a larger pool of nz players would improve across the board. Maybe the crowd numbers would improve here and in Oz as their teams would all be quite hard for our NPC teams to beat.

[@robjohnwaite4504]

Well said Andrew.

[@mark8200]

Good interview, thanks senz for bringing sport and sport talk back to the air waves in nz