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'This is not a charity': Ian Foster's thoughts on the future of Super Rugby

New All Blacks head coach Ian Foster. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

All Blacks coach Ian Foster says future Super Rugby competitions can’t afford to carry weak links, heightening the likelihood Australia won’t be offered equal rights in New Zealand’s proposed model.

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Findings from NZ Rugby’s review into a future competition structure will be made public on Thursday, with its recommendation expected to feature all five Kiwi franchises in an eight-team competition.

Only two or three Australian sides are likely in the preferred model, with a Pacific Islands team possibly introduced.

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Rugby Australia has said it won’t accept a reduction in the number of Australian teams and has threatened to abandon an Australasian alliance and launch its own competition.

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen last week said NZ Rugby owed nothing to its trans-Tasman rivals and his successor Foster took an equally hard-nosed approach, questioning whether Australia had the player depth and financial strength to field up to five teams.

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Foster said the previous incarnations of Super Rugby had struggled to engage fans because of the succession of weaker teams added over the years.

“This is not a charity. We’ve got to actually make sure they’re feasible, they’re financially viable and the public are going to really get in behind them,” Foster told NewsHub.

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“It’s got to be competitive, it’s got to be financially viable.

“We’ve seen in the past that if you let in teams that actually can’t survive, then you’ve got to keep changing the competition around.”

Foster’s thoughts were echoed by former All Blacks greats Mils Muliaina and Sir John Kirwan.

On New Zealand’s Sky TV, the pair advocated for a nine-team competition, featuring three from Australia and one from the Pacific. Muliaina said a fourth Australian team could be added if it could be justified by player strength and a strong bottom line.

The speculation has sparked a rift in trans-Tasman relations, which have been described by RA chairman Hamish McLennan as increasingly “master-servant” in nature.

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McLennan’s description won’t have dimmed following the comments of Foster, who pointed to New Zealand’s historical dominance of Super Rugby.

“We’ve got to do whatever we can to get competitive teams against our teams,” Foster said.

“We’re pretty secure in our five so once they (Australia) get their number, I guess we sit around and have a conversation.”

– Daniel Gilhooly

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R
RedWarrior 56 minutes ago
Records show All Blacks' greatest rugby adversary is now Ireland

Foster was literally whinging about the TMO in the Ireland series in the presser AFTER the RWC final. NZs whinging about the final itself was apparently picked up by Voyager 2 which was near the asteroid belt. What about the whingefest and crybabies after O'Mahony's legendary sledge (during the match) on Sam Cane?


I often hear talk about NZ players being poisoned or similar nonsense during the 1995 final. NZ boast that they are 'superstars' and 'humble heroes' on their own website. You gave England the same treatment in 2002-2003, calling them arrogant just because they beat you. They told the rest of us then what you were like, we should have listened. I would give as much credence to a NZ supporter disliking us, as I would to Krusty the clown saying the same thing. Let's just say your judgement may not be the best.


Regarding 2016, as the referee had basically let NZ away with cheating their way to victory via filthy dangerous play and fouling he was hardly going to pull Sexton up when clearly trying to stop a grounding. NZ always leave the boot or arm in to hurt a try scorer but that seems to be invisible to you entitles lot.


BTW NZ have literally being whinging and crying about Ireland since Soldier field. You are just very bad losers. We will be delighted to be shot of you on Friday. I hope we do so with a win, so that you rethink your philosophy of mocking opponents and spectators you've just beaten.


After the match last Saturday the internet was full of Kiwi supporters basically abusing English folk. Where is your national honour? Where is your national integrity?

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