We, the rugby mad community, have all given our impressions, solutions and cures for the fatigue factor and player burn-out suffered by players…. but would ONE GLOBAL SEASON not alleviate all these concerns?
Think about it for a while… let the concept sink in….
Is’nt this a radically different but plausible solution? Is’nt this what we should have done a long time ago, in the world?
At the moment we have two seasons world wide, a Northern Hemisphere rugby season and a Southern Hemisphere season, respectively!!
Why is this necessary… is plain stupid stubborness standing in the way of our beautiful sport?
Let’s lobby for ONE INTERNATIONAL SEASON!
It will mean 1 International window and NOT TWO (June as well as End of Year) windows.
It will also mean that the Teams are at the same levels of fatigue world wide, no Hemisphere will be at a disadvantage (European Sides are at a disadvantage in June at the end of their season, Southern Hemisphere Sides are at a disadvantage during the End of Year Tours when it’s the end of their season).
Will it ever happen?
I doubt it!!
The IRB should play a leading role here but as you know, the questions are numerous and serious… When will the season start? When will it end? Which Hemisphere will have to budge the most? What are the financial ramifications? What are the pro’s and what are the cons? How does it affect sponsorships and broadcast rights and schedules?
In a perfect world considerations like the usually foul winter weather and milder summers (generally) in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the glaring heat in summer in Africa, Australia and Argentina, it would make sense to adopt most of the Southern Hemisphere winter rugby calendar… it would also make sense considering the Festive season at the end of each year….
The year could roughly be scheduled as follows:
- The Super 14 / Heineken Cup ect [Feb – May]
- The first part of the International window – Tri-Nations / Six Nations [May, June & early July]
- The second part of the International window – Southern Hemisphere vs Northern Hemisphere Tours [July & August]. Teams could Tour every second year, meaning one year you play at home and one year away, ALTERNATELY teams could have abbreviated tours and still have their home component every year. The main aim here is that the previous International window which was split into 2 sections (June Tours by Northern Hemisphere to the South and November Tours by the Southern Hemisphere up North) will be slightly shortened and combined into one.
- The Domestic Competitions – Like the Currie Cup in SA, the New Zealand NPC, the French Top 14 and the Guiness Priemiership [Sept, Oct, till middle November]
- A 6 – 8 week enforced break where NO TEAM ACTIVITY IS PERMITTED over the Festive Season. ALTERNATIVELY, split the break into 2, a shorter break mid-year and a longer break end of year.
Would that make too much sense for people to take seriously?
anyway manne
eks weg
sien weer
Well Eskom decided to cut me out of this conversation, at about 01h00 i was ready with a great additional article i saw about this issue. I will post it now but i think the story is well discussed. The power came back on at about 8 o clock, that UPS would have been handy GBS.
Let’s be clear that rugby is played in winter because cricket is played in summer. The southern hemisphere borrowed this summer/winter tradition, simply reversing the months owing to the fact they are upside down.
It is an annoying little quirk left over from British public school traditions in the 19th century. Allowing schoolboys to play both games obviously removes the trouble of choosing favourites. It also explains why in Britain’s ancient universities, still in the 21st century, winning both rugby and cricket blues signifies the all rounder: the sort of chap who mucks in whatever the weather.
But rugby internationals are now more common. Players travel much more. The travel is not only inter-county, either, but between continents. This is great, I’m definitely not complaining. But the summer/winter splint still means it is impossible (I’m talking outside of World Cup years) to match the cycles of northern and southern hemisphere seasons. One team is always fresher and one winding down.
My table shows one factor that will influence a global season: rainfall and specifically rlative rainfall. The advantage of not looking at the absolute mm of water is more objective views of rainfall within each country relative to the other rugby-playing nations.
It includes the capital cities of nine countries: Britain, France and Italy representing the Six Nations; the southern hemisphere tri-nations of South Africa, Australia and New Zealand; plus three countries likely to become top flight rugby nations soon: Argentina, Japan and America.
Take January as an example. The UK gets 49 mm of rain in January. Wet? Actually, not that wet. It is less than half the rain in South Africa: Jo’burg gets 123 mm of rain in January. Average rainfall over 9 countries during January is 77mm. In other words, relative rainfall tells us the UK actually gets 63% of typical rugby-playing nation rainfall (49mm/77mm). South Africa gets 160% (123mm/77mm).
Northern hemisphere nations are less wet than the south. Total rainfall is only two-thirds (63%) versus 9 rugby-playing nations overall. However, the rain is unyielding. It drizzles consistently through the year. For the poor souls living in the northern hemisphere this is bad news. The good news is the northern hemisphere can be more flexible when they play rugby: it’s going to rain whenever.
Australia sees more relative rain in early months of the year: January to March. So that’s a good time to tour. Or, it’s a good time to host touring nations from rainier countries.
South African rainfall is volatile. Outside of the coastal cities it almost disappears in July and August. Bone-dry pitches appear. (At the same time, by contrast, New Zealand is bucketing, which could help to explain why the All Blacks tend to under-perform in South Africa during the Tri-Nations which is played in July/August.) In short, July and August are not good times for touring involving South Africa.
Japan is the nation with the heaviest rainfall. Most tends to be later in the year, however.
Conclusions
This is not easy. But based on rainfall above there is one obvious and fair conclusion for the IRB to give due consideration. Follow simplicity and start the global rugby season on January 1, New Years Day. It should end domestically about 30 weeks later and internationally about 40 weeks later. With this start-in-January season Australia will have to handle somewhat more rain during the Jan-Feb-Mar window. Japan and New Zealand have to handle more rain in the Apr-May-Jun period. Generally the northern hemisphere will have to handle more rain earlier in the season too. So there are swings & roundabouts.
This re-arrangement means internationals can be played in two consistent times per year (the same frequency as present). The first round will occur close to the beginning of the global season, February or March. There will have been a few first-class games but not so many to tire players.
The next round of internationals will follow the closing of the 3N and 6N. Both of these tournaments will be played at the same time of the year, around August/ September. Both will be the culmination of their respective domestic seasons. And both will be followed by the second and final bundle of internationals. This second round of internationals, like the first round which saw all the players at the beginning of the season, will see players at identical times of their season – the end and (theoretically) their strongest.
Two or three months rest will follow the end of the global season in October/November. This will be less for international-standard players. It will, however, occur at identical times in both northern and southern hemispheres. to summarise:
January: Domestic season starts
February: Domestic season + first round of internationals
March: Domestic season + first round of internationals (contd.)
April: Domestic season
May: Domestic season
June: Domestic season
July: Domestic season ending + start 6N/3N
August: End of 6N/3N
September: Start second round of internationals
October: End second round of internationals
November: (rest)
December: (rest)
Another one
After you read this one look at the date of the article.
World rugby leaders are warming to the concept of a global season, New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller
He told the New Zealand Press Association from Dublin that the International Rugby Board had the issue high on the agenda for its meeting there over the next six days.
New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have been largely united over recent years in their desire for a global season where the windows for provincial competitions, tests and tours coincide around the world. “What we’re now getting is a dialogue on this,” Moller said.
“We’re very encouraged, as are a number of other nations, that there is a strong willingness to look at this issue and see whether there’s something that can be improved in the best interests of rugby for both the northern and southern hemisphere.”
The southern hemisphere wants visits from northern hemisphere unions moved from June to August. “Doing that would create many more options for us in terms of the size and format of Super rugby.”
A global season would free up space for a return to international tours, or even a two-yearly Nine-Nations championship. That concept, first mooted last year by former Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill, would involve the teams from the Six-Nations and Tri-Nations forming a larger tournament comprising three pools of three.
IRB Warming To Global Season ?
1 April 2004
I do not think they are seriously looking towards it.
92 – Super, Yes those would be good months that you mentioned there for a global season. Only thing is we then start in Jan and it is so hot here that time of year. Then we do start now in Feb and that is our hottest month. So it wont make much of a difference.
I am all for a global season with a good rest at the end of year. When every player wants to be home enjoying the festival season. (Except the cricket players :D)
As a spectator it would be very odd watching rugby in a T-shirt!!
Rugby is cold and wet….Like Saturday!!
Ashley – Very funny today!! 😆
Even if there was a good idea here it wouldn’t matter, it’s not going to happen. SARU have to look after their own players and make the right calls, which they aren’t making. All the debating by a bunch of fans is worthless and a waste of time. There’s more to consider than just player fatigue when making decisions like these, and South Africa is the only country moaning about player fatigue… It’s an internal problem that we need to address. There are various possible solutions to the problem, I have to say however I’ve been gobsmacked by Peter de Villiers’ when we got home from the NH that the players should be cotton-wooled… Why didn’t he start to set the example? Tim Noakes warned him long before the EOYT…
94 – Puma, is a festival season somewhat like a festive season? 😉
97 – Funny didn’t even see that! 🙂
96
You obviously did not read all the comments, Graham Henry also complains.
Peter did try to give the Springboks a extra week, and no i do not blame the two losses on fatigue.
Am i the only guy giving the French and Ireland credit. The way the Boks fought till the end was also great to watch.
98 – Festival Season is outdoor concerts here, Glastonbury etc!!
No Father Christmas…… 🙂
97 – Carol, You know my posts are not the same without a error somewhere 😆
Yip, meant festive season. 😉
95 – Carol, For us rugby is about sun, braai and good weather where the sun shines most of the time.
The coldest I have ever been watching a game was at Ellis Park this year when I went to see Boks against Lions. Freezing that day. We had a cold snap for about a week.
Never want to watch rugby feeling that cold ever. Rather will just stay home and watch on the tv 😉
Puma – I have to ask, do your players really suffer from grass burn!! Not being funny but playing on rock hard ground sounds so painful, our guys sort of slide alot of the time because of the soggy conditions!!
Probably different on top class pitches where they are watered and preened a bit more but playing for the clubs must sort the men from the boys! You would tackle in a very different way in the mud……(I would assume, not having tackled much in my time) ! 😆
103 – Carol, Yes Carol, but we are tough 😀 Actually not all the time really. But see that our wingers are now wearing long black sleeves under their Bok jersey. Always see Habs wearing it. So those guys probably have had a bit of grass burn and probably wear that for protection now days.
Grass on a rugby field is longer than on a Football field. So it does protect you a bit from the hard ground. Then hard grounds make for much better rugby. Always. Just can not compare it to playing in the soft soggy fields. Also good weather makes for better rugby. Not in our very hot months from Jan to about April it is still very hot. Very tough to play in that kinda heat. Our winter months are superb for rugby. Cooler but still warm with almost always sun especially up in the highveld and Durbs. Cape Town gets rain in the winter.
Night Carol. Catch up tomorrow.
@99 – Saw Graham Henry wants to rest the All Blacks during the Super 14 again. When will he learn, that reconditioning program last time was the biggest failure for New Zealand back in 2007. Their players weren’t match fit. Best way to prepare for rugby is to play rugby.
Yeah I didn’t read all the comments, I’m sure you’re not going to read all the comments either if you come to the site and see a lot of comments. There are a lot of reasons why South Africa lost to Ireland and France, and it’s not fatigue. If a fresh Springbok team played a fresh French or Irish side I still think they would’ve lost. The Springboks have simply not been addressing the short-comings that was evident all season long.
Peter de Villiers could’ve rested the senior Boks for the year end tour and have taken a second string side. Would’ve brought in necessary new blood, would’ve been a win win situation. Maybe not on the scoreboard, but I think he should’ve emulated 2005…
Global rugby season….I havent read all the posts, but “who’s winter is it going to be in”….time of the year is a very important part of rugby. At the moment everyone plays in winter pretty much, so if it happens with rugby, it must also happen with cricket so the two sports dont clash in each individual country and if the sport wants to start pulling football watchers, that must also be considered because if the league finals etc are coming up at the same time as rugby, the vast majority of people will stick to football (soccer) jmho
Eks jammer, ek weet hierdie is heelemal van topic af, maar kan iemand my ASSEBLIEF se wat gaan aan met JF an die Stormers. Daar was so helse hoo-ha om hom van sy kontrak ontslaan te kry by die Lions, maar nou dat hy vry is om te gaan, het daar nog amper niks van gekom nie.
Ek weet die WPRU het ‘n moerse aanbod vir hom gemaak, ek weet hy en sy girl het al in die Kaap gaan kyk vir huise ens. So alle aanduidings is daar dat hy Kaap toe gaan trek. Maar die feit van die saak is, Bryan Habana het al geteken, en JF nie. Dis nou al seker 2 maande na hy “vrygelaat is”. HOe lank neem so onderhandelings proses?
Het hy al begin oefen saam met die Stormers, of kry die ouens wat vir die Baabaa’s gespeel het ‘n rus kans… Wat gaan aan??????
To all our Hurling fans – please find a short breakdown:
Hurling is a game similar to hockey, in that it is played with a small ball and a curved wooden stick. It is Europe’s oldest field game. When the Celts came to Ireland as the last ice age was receding, they brought with them a unique culture, their own language, music, script and unique pastimes. One of these pastimes was a game now called hurling. It features in Irish folklore to illustrate the deeds of heroic mystical figures and it is chronicled as a distinct Irish pastime for at least 2,000 years.
The stick, or “hurley” (called camán in Irish) is curved outwards at the end, to provide the striking surface. The ball or “sliothar” is similar in size to a hockey ball but has raised ridges.
Hurling is played on a pitch approximately 137m long and 82m wide. The goalposts are the same shape as on a rugby pitch, with the crossbar lower than a rugby one and slightly higher than a soccer one.
You may strike the ball on the ground, or in the air. Unlike hockey, you may pick up the ball with your hurley and carry it for not more than four steps in the hand. After those steps you may bounce the ball on the hurley and back to the hand, but you are forbidden to catch the ball more than twice. To get around this, one of the skills is running with the ball balanced on the hurley To score, you put the ball over the crossbar with the hurley or under the crossbar and into the net by the hurley for a goal, the latter being the equivalent of three points.
Each team consists of fifteen players, lining out as follows: 1 goalkeeper, three full-backs, three half-backs, two midfielders, three half-forwards and three full-forwards.
Hurling continued:
Players wear a jersey with their team colours and number on the back. Both teams must have different colour jerseys. The goalkeepers’ jerseys must not be similar to the jersey of any other player. Referees normally tog out in black jerseys, socks and togs.
Goalkeepers may not be physically challenged whilst inside their own small parallelogram, but players may harass them into playing a bad pass, or block an attempted pass.
Teams are allowed a maximum of three substitutes in a game. Players may switch positions on the field of play as much as they wish but this is usually on the instructions of team officials.
Officials for a game comprise of a referee, two linesmen (to indicate when the ball leaves the field of play at the side and to mark ’65” free kicks and 4 umpires (to signal scores, assist the referee in controlling the games, and to assist linesmen in positioning ”65′ frees).
A goal is signalled by raising a green flag, placed to the left of the goal. A point is signalled by raising a white flag, placed to the right of goal. A ’45’/’65’ is signalled by the umpire raising his/her outside arm. A ‘square ball’, when a player scores having arrived in the ‘square’ prior to receiving the ball, is signalled by pointing at the small parallelogram.
6:15 shower and off to work – chat a bit later.
109,
Jaque has signed with WP.
Thanks Morne…
This subject is a contentious one, and healthy debate is invigorating. However, this article’s veracity has been usurped by ASHLEY.
The curry joke had me falling outta the chair – what a cracker of a story. I’ll take the weekend to get over it!!
115 @ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney
That was a ripper, poor fellow.
A couple of reasons why the UK and Ireland might want to consider this as a good option;
1. Better weather generally.
2. Not having to compete with association Football (Soccer) for an audience.
3. Clubs who ground share with Association Football clubs would be able to prevent instances of the turf becoming overused as was recently the case for Sale.
On the other hand, summer in SA is not good for Rugby because it can be too hot. Already there is a rule that no provincial or S14 matches can kick off before 17h00 until the end of March due to the heat factor.
The whole concept seems a good one, but it’ll never happen. Too many factors at play I’m afraid.
#115 The Curry thread.
Americans should not be confused with the Currie Cup and the Curry Cup.
@The-Pill – You get a lot of South African who also confuses the Indian Premier League with the Currie Cup…
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