D'Arcy Waldegrave: People are too quick to shoot down the new Super Rugby system

Someone always has a better idea. There is always an expert out there who knows best. Invariably it’s a detached non-stakeholder who claims to know the lay of the land better than the decision makers in the thick of the action. Such as people who understand the vagaries, the implications, the weight of the final call around key arrangements in competition structure and policy. 

Yesterday the format for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season was released from its cage to roam amongst the public and the media. 

The criticisms and ‘superior concept’ brigade sprang into action, decrying the masterplan, immediately looking for fishhooks and pulling apart the minutiae, expressing their concern and presenting what in their opinion, would be a superior competition build. 

All strength to their arm, but it’s like naming an All Black team, your side doesn’t have to play, and you don’t know the finer details of team dynamics or the mechanics around playbook philosophy.  

I’m not suggesting that people’s opinions are not valid or shouldn’t be aired. We’re all entitled to weigh into the discourse as we are the target. We’re the fans, we pay the bills, we’re particularly important. We are the why. I’m merely stating that in this situation, this fraught cobbling together of a scratchy competition, Super Rugby Pacific haven’t just pulled this structure out of a bin at the 2-dollar shop. They are in possession of every piece of a complex puzzle, so surely, they are in the best position to put it together in a manner which takes into account a gamut of requirements. 

They have the most to lose here. This isn’t tiddlywinks, this is the preeminent rugby competition of the southern hemisphere.  

People are too quick to shoot down new systems. This new format has been designed to enhance the product, not detract from it. 

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and dessert isn't served until February.  

Have a spoonful, and another, finish the dish and see how it tastes. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Wildegrave from News Talks b.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Twenty five past seven All Sport Breakfast. Someone always has
a better idea, right, There's always an expert out there
who knows best. Invariably it's a detached non stakeholder who
claims to know the lie the land better than the
decision makers and the thick of the action, such as
people who understand the vagaries and the implications and the

(00:34):
way to the final call around key arrangements in the
competition structure and policy. What am I talking about? Well,
yesterday the format for the twenty twenty five Super Rugby
Pacific season was released from its cage to rome amongst
the public and the media. The criticisms and superior concept
brigade sprang into action to crying the master plan, immediately

(00:57):
looking for fishhawks and pulling apart the manuchet, expressing their
concern and presenting what, in their opinion, would be area
competition build. I mean, all strength to their arm, but
it's like naming an all black team. Your side doesn't
have to play and you don't know the finer details
of team dynamics or the mechanics around playbook philosophy. So

(01:20):
I'm not suggesting that people's opinions are not valid, because
they are, and they should be aired. We're all entitled
to weigh into the discourses. We are the target of it.
After all, we're the fans, we pay the bills, We
are important, We are the why in Super Rugby, I'm
merely stating that in this situation, this fraught cobbling together

(01:41):
of a scratchy competition, Super Rugby Pacific haven't just pulled
this structure out of a bin at the two dollars shop.
They're in possession of every piece of the complex puzzle,
so surely they're in the best position to put it
together in a manner which takes into account a gamut
of requirements. They have the most to lose here. This

(02:03):
isn't Tiddley Wings. This is the pre iminent rugby competition
of the Southern Hemisphere. People are far too quick to
shoot down new systems. This format has been designed to
enhance the product, not deliberately detract from it. Plainly that
proof of the pudding will be in the eating, and
dessert isn't served until February. Have a spoonful, then another,

(02:27):
Finish the dish and then see how it tastes.

Speaker 1 (02:34):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk Said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio