Lions Coach Eugene Eloff has criticised Sanzar for not considering the players' needs in their agreement to expand the Super Rugby Competition, while Allister Coetzee has likened the first phase of the tournament to a 'mini Currie Cup', as the fallout to the Super Rugby revamp continues.

The competition, which will run from February to August from 2011 and include three additional league games and eight additional weeks, will place a big strain on Southern Hemisphere players who have struggled even under the current structure is, with injuries piling up among all teams.

Eloff has blasted Sanzar's lack of consideration for the player's wellbeing and has implied that the decisions taken were for the benefit of the spectators, which effectively translates into benefits for the sponsors and thus Sanzar's pockets.

"That is going to be a helluva long season," Eloff told the Business Day.

"It is a lot of top-class rugby, which is good for the supporters. But it is going to be tough on the players' bodies. The guys are already suffering injuries under the current format and the season is not that long. The effects on the players were definitely not considered when the agreement was made."

The overhaul will also be tougher on international players as the inbound June Internationals will be stuck in the middle of the Super 15, while the Tri-Nations will start directly after the tournament in August.

Stormers assistant coach Allister Coetzee, while not as critical as Eloff, conceded that the load was heavier, but suggested that the coaches would have to plan accordingly and use the depths of their squads in order to survive.

"The coaches will have to prepare differently for the new competition because the programme will be drawn out," said Coetzee.

"Having the domestic tours in between the Super 15 games also means you need a solid group of players with enough depth in all positions. But the only real difference [between the Super 14 and Super 15] is the length of the competition."

"The teams will obviously have to plan better when the new structure is implemented and try to adapt," he said.

Coetzee also pointed out the increase in local derbies, with home and away legs. This structure effectively mirrors the Currie Cup, and it seems the SA Rugby bosses have missed out on one of their primary objectives - trying to protect their domestic competition from losing its lustre.

"With the competition being divided into conferences, the home leg will almost be like playing a mini Currie Cup competition since you play the domestic teams home and away," Coetzee.

According to Coetzee, however,the revamp would favour South African teams as there would be more parity in travel times, a feature which South Africa have for so long got the short end of the stick.

"The travelling will also be evenly distributed, meaning the Australasian teams will travel more than they have in the past. Now they could have four-week tours, rather than the two-week tours some of these teams have had in the past. This could suit the SA teams because we have had gruelling five-week tours in the past."

"So the teams will have a fair shot at doing well if they perform in the local derbies."

  • Can the Currie Cup and the player's bodies survive under the new Super Rugby format? Let us know...

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