Wallabies great Stephen Moore says Vodacom Super Rugby has begun to lose its attraction compared to the experience of northern- hemisphere competitions.
In a wide-ranging interview with ESPN, Moore said this time, with rugby in lockdown, provided an opportunity to really address some key areas where the game is struggling.
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When looking at Super Rugby, Moore said he wants Rugby Australia to closely examine its place in the competition.
‘The Super Rugby competition at the moment is not attracting viewers, supporters [or] players, it’s not something the players say, “Geez, I’m really glad I’m playing Super Rugby”,’ Moore said. ‘I’ve got mates playing in Europe and they just say the experience of playing over there is just far superior to what it’s like playing Super Rugby and that’s eroded over time.
‘So there’s multiple layers to that and I think the metrics would suggest that unless people are watching it, both live and on TV, we can’t ignore that it’s regressing. So, as I mentioned, I don’t really see the level of urgency to address that; we seem to be continuously rolling out the same format and expecting things to change.
‘And I know the people making the calls in there have to sit tight and have to toe the line, but at some point we have to do what’s best for professional rugby in Australia and for rugby generally, otherwise the game will just be amateur and it’ll continue to fade into the background like it is.’
Photo: EPA/Dean Lewins via BackpagePix
