Crusaders boss optimistic

Cross-over matches with Aussies likely

A tweaked Super Rugby Aotearoa and cross-over fixtures with Australian sides at the back end of the season is the most likely scenario for New Zealand’s five franchises next year.

That’s Crusaders chief executive Colin Mansbridge’s tentative prediction, a week after he and the four other sides debriefed the recently completed all-Kiwi competition with New Zealand Rugby (NZR).

Covid-19 means any predictions or plans can be buried in an instant, but NZR is going to have to make some decisions sooner rather than later.

‘‘We’re pushing New Zealand Rugby to give punters an A, B and C option,’’ Mansbridge said.

Mansbridge knows he won’t get a concrete schedule anytime soon, but he wants to approach members as soon as possible with some level of detail. As it stands, he expects a competition akin to this year’s to kick off late February or early March and conclude in June.

A re-run of Super Rugby Aotearoa (SRA) and Super Rugby AU, albeit with tweaks, has appeared increasingly likely recently due to on-going border measures, but Mansbridge is hopeful cross-over matches with Australian sides will be tentatively scheduled.

‘‘We’re probably not going to be able to say we will be playing the Waratahs on such and such date, but we probably are going to be able to say it’s going to look something like this,’’ he said.

‘‘We might struggle to go out for our members with a definite campaign every single week locked in with all the right opposition, but we’re likely to be to [provide dates], and say we’ll end up with six-plus home games.

‘‘Immediately going to transTasman in 2021 would be quite difficult, but in the back end of 2021, given the progress that’s being made around vaccines and treatments, rapid progress in the last month or so, if you’re optimistic around the back end of 2021, there is potential for some kind of cross-over.’’

The recent debrief of SRA concluded it was 95 per cent ‘‘right’’, Mansbridge said, adding there wouldn’t be substantial changes if it’s repeated next year.

Players were overwhelmingly in favour of the intensity it provided, although it was made clear more opportunities to rest battered bodies was needed.

Of course, NZR has already made it clear an all-Kiwi competition isn’t sustainable and would only be repeated as a last-resort.

Hence, why they’re working with Rugby Australia towards a joint competition, one which looks set to include a Pacific Island team.

However, border uncertainty means it’s unlikely to be in place until at least 2022, which is when the Asia Pacific Dragons have bid for entry.

NZR initially made it clear it did not want all five Australian teams in a joint competition, but Stuff reported last week its stance had softened, and it was open to the possibility after strong opposition from across the ditch.

Regardless, Mansbridge is optimistic the future of Super Rugby is bright, and even envisions a more global competition down the line.

‘‘There’s probably more momentum and more flexibility in the system now because of Covid than there ever has been. My sense is there is a real possibility of something globally happening in the next two or three years, which could be replicable every two to four years after,’’ he said.

‘‘My sense is there is a real possibility of something globally happening in the next two or three years.’’ Colin Mansbridge