KISS
4Now that the NPC season for the ages is over, the Wellington Rugby Union is turning its attention to next year’s Swindale Shield. Not content with just a normal process they have come up with an options paper complete with some tables of how it COULD (sic) work.
Here it is
Draw Options – Swindale Harper Lock Shields
Someone has sat in a dark office for weeks coming up with that. The Wellington clubs now get to look at it, whilst all the time saying “Why??”. And they are even expected to reply to it.
So if you can understand any of that, you should probably run off and solve the Auckland Housing Crisis or find a cure for Ebola.
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Have reasonable knowledge of what’s going on. These options are needed because the whole comp needs to be completed in 20 weeks to finish before NPC, with the requirements that the Jubilee Cup is 8 teams and semis and finals – so 9 weeks. That leaves 11 weeks for the Swindale round and with 14 teams a full round-robin isn’t possible.
This isn’t perfect, but the criteria-based entry was what the clubs wanted, and having them involved in formulating the draw is preferable to WRFU deciding.
Its also the method used to determine the crossover games in ITM Cup, though thats who they want to play… rather than not
Sorry Scooter – its great you took the time to respond but this is a complex disaster that will last one season and be gone with as teams struggle to meet the demands and requirements of Premier Rugby. Look for more 2013 Rimutaka-like results in 2015.
Its clear that the Clubs really didn’t understand what they were voting for and when they tried to collaborate and back out it was too late and now everyone is left with this.
As is the case with Super Rugby all expansion does is dilute – a 10 team Swindale Shield comp is the only sensible idea and until clubs swallow some pride and amalgamate this mish-mash will continue.
I see your PoV, after all if you look on Clubrugby.co.nz you’ll find a piece I wrote this time last year asking what the problem with the status quo really was.
I dont agree with your assertion that the clubs ‘didnt understand’. The people who recommended this change came from the clubs, and it was the club delegates to the WRFU who formed and shaped this proposal. While some clubs havent supported this from the get go and Im aware of one that has changed its stance twice, its been a solid majority who have and Ive spoken to people in most of them on this. Clubs wanted some stability so they could plan and recruit with confidence. Unions in the pro-era are often accused of ignoring grassroots and the clubs (and after all, without clubs do you have a union?) but the WRFU in this case has listened rather than sticking status quo.
Will there be blowouts? Yes most likely. The Rimutaka experience is an unfortunate blight but there were off-field reasons that impacted that. Had they simply stuck with what got them into Premier they would have been far better off IMO.
As for reduction I look at Waikato – a few years ago they cut back from 12 to 10 in their Premier comp, a number that includes Otorohanga. In that time the two clubs that have finished bottom (Hinuera and Te Rapa) have won the grand sum of 2 games out of 72 and regularly flogged, the other clubs forced out havent gotten back in, and the general feeling is that play hasnt improved.
Guess we’re all going to find out next year
Great replay and kudos to the http://www.clubrugby.co.nz website which is excellent. Like many my interest in Rugby these days starts and stops at Grassroots.
The professional game has done a really good job of botching up its 2 key comps (Super Rugby & ITM Cup) and it would be a shame to see the same happen at the next level down.
Of course the revolution will really start if they ever start to meddle with the Jubilee Cup 😉