Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry basks in the glow of a Super Bowl victory, scenes that could potentially be emulated in New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry basks in the glow of a Super Bowl victory, scenes that could potentially be emulated in New Zealand. Photo / Getty Images
Could a Super Rugby final be played with the same sense of grandeur as America's showcase sporting exhibition - the Super Bowl?
Super Bowl LII (52) was an absolute showstopper deserving of the stage it was on.
The underdog Philadelphia Eagles upset the greatest player of all time in quarterbackTom Brady and the New England Patriots 41-33 in an instant classic, even for those not overly knowledgeable about the game.
The Eagles weren't given much of a chance considering they were missing their own star quarterback in Carson Wentz, however his deputy Nick Foles took the reins and became the first QB to start the season as a backup and win the Super Bowl as a starter.
The typical Patriots slow start was matched in type by a late comeback.
Depending on what side of the fence you reside on, a couple of dubious calls halted the Patriots' charge as the Eagles held firm and sent their home state into literal raptures.
Philadelphia fans showed their excessive obsession with their team by spilling into the streets and trashing anything they could get their hands on.
Add to that the always spectacular halftime show (this year was Timberlake with a high-octane medley of his greatest hits) and what you have is a rousing success.
It's unlikely the event would attract the star power of Justin Timberlake, but New Zealand has some incredible homegrown talent that could fill the void. Photo / Getty Images
Many New Zealanders have bought into the hype of the Super Bowl over the last few years. But would they get in behind a Kiwi copy?
Look, nothing in New Zealand really compares to the NFL. Tailgating doesn't exist here. Kiwi fans aren't in the same stratosphere in terms of being parochial and would be understandably skeptical about the quality of the product.
But we can dream here for a minute.
There needs to be a way where the Super Rugby final can be an event of grand proportions. Where the whole country unites together to either head along to a designated stadium or gathers at homes to watch the game.
Not only the game, but a halftime super show by a big local artist (Timberlake would probably be unavailable). Add some creatively done commercials heavy with cameos to the mix and you've got a bit of something for everyone.
Seeing the Chiefs take on the Crusaders at Westpac Stadium with Six60 perking up the crowd would be worth the price of admission.
Americans aren't the best example for a lot of things but in terms of putting on a show, they're hard to beat.
Everything centres around the Super Bowl in the NFL - one giant showcase of the best the sport has to offer.
It would just be awesome if rugby had the same thing here.
