When the original Super12 expanded to the Super14 in 2006, Australia’s performances in the tournament dropped alarmingly and by further diluting their playing resources they’re unlikely to improve.

By Craig Ray

Despite recent poor results, the Australian Rugby Union fought hard to secure a fifth franchise in the tournament when news of expansion was mooted – even though the statistics show that they’re falling behind.

Between 1996 and 2005 the Brumbies played in five finals and the Waratahs in one.

The Brumbies have won the tournament twice since its inception in 1996 – yet have failed to make the semi-finals since the tournament grew to 14 teams.

Since the expansion to Super14, which robbed the franchise of key players such as Matt Giteau, who joined the newly formed Western Force, they’ve finished sixth, fifth, ninth, seventh and sixth.

In the previous nine seasons their log positions were fifth, second, 10th, fifth, second, first, second, fourth and first.

In five seasons of Super14 the Waratahs carried the flag for Australia, reaching the final once (2008) and the semi-finals three times while the Reds fell away spectacularly until a mini resurgence in 2010 gave them fifth spot.

The Queensland side won the pre-professionalism Super10 in 1994 and 1995 and topped the inaugural Super12 log in 1996 before losing in the semi-finals to the Sharks.

The Reds made the semis in 1999 after again topping the log but have since failed to make the play-offs.

With the formation of the Western Force the Reds and the Brumbies have only fleetingly looked like semi-final contenders and now the introduction of the Melbourne Rebels is set to further erode Australia’s playing resources.

Crowd attendances and television ratings have slipped in Australia and the introduction of a fifth team is unlikely to improve those numbers in the long run. Perhaps initial curiosity will boost crowds, but fans will stay away if they fail to reach the play-offs.

Not that you would know it from the official Super15 media release. “Australia’s depth was added to, firstly by the creation of the successful Brumbies franchise in Canberra, and more recently with the additions of the Western Force (2006) and now the Melbourne Rebels (2011),” the statement read.

The ARU’s response to “adding” to Australia’s depth is to allow the Rebels to include 10 foreign players on its playing roster in 2011. With such a high proportion of non-Australians it’s unlikely to build depth in Australian rugby and is why South Africa pushed so hard for its sixth team to be included rather than a fifth Australian team.

Nevertheless, Australia has been awarded another team and it will have to deal with the consequences. Sometimes less is more.