Football. Quade Cooper wants to revolutionize Super Rugby: Here’s what it has to offer

Off the field since early August, due to a ruptured Achilles tendon in his left leg during the Argentina-Australia Super Rugby match, the Wallabies star’s opening match, Quad Cooper (34 years, 72 selections) could return to competition within 8 months, so his participation in the 2023 World Cup in France, in a year’s time, is pending.

In the case of full rehabilitation, the former Toulon player makes use of his free time by showing ingenuity. In fact, Quad Cooper, who has been playing for the Kintetsu Liners (Japan) since 2019, provided a revolutionary idea To review the format super rugbySouthern Hemisphere Provincial Championship. by will Make way for Japanese teamswho strive to develop and progress.

Competition format based on the European model

With New Zealand and Australia currently renegotiating the terms of the renewal of their Super Rugby partnership, which expires in 2023, and they are in a standoff where the Australians threaten to walk out of the competition if the New Zealanders don’t accept an equal distribution of broadcast revenue, Quade Cooper has her say on things.

suggest European inspired shape, with national championships qualifying for a continental competition, such as the Top 14 and the European Cup. “Let’s get the two best J-League teams, Australian Super Rugby and New Zealand Super Rugby together and play the quarter-and-half and the final,” said the Wallabies flyhalf:

It will be like in Europe where we play in the national competitions and then the Champions Cup for the top 6 teams, then the others participate in the Challenge Cup. So there will be something to play for all counties. There will be 3 national winners and then the Aussie champion, so it’s an interesting concept.

‘We need cross-border competition’

Recently, Japan Rugby President Leg One, Genichi TamatsukaThe inclusion of Japanese teams, he said, would be a win-win situation, as it would improve by increasing exposure to giant Australian and New Zealand teams, while generating more broadcast revenue for the competition, as matches like this would be popular with Japanese fans. Especially as the Japanese franchises are getting stronger and stronger due to the quality of international recruits signed with lucrative contracts.

“We don’t know exactly the situation for the future of Super Rugby and what kind of decisions people will make, but the one thing that’s clear to us is that we need some kind of cross-border competition to improve our quality of the league,” he said. We are constantly talking with many other foreign unions and federations, and we are looking for an opportunity. We could have some kind of cross-border competition. These are the things we want to do, but we haven’t made a final decision yet. »

Keen to add more matches to its 5-month competitive schedule with League One, the Japan Rugby Federation is proposing to have cross-border matches when the domestic league ends at the end of May.

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