NZ Rugby, Rugby Australia discuss early steps toward fan-focused improvements to Super Rugby Pacific

The Crusaders head into familiar territory as Super Rugby's defending champions in 2024. Photo / Photosport

The first steps towards a reinvigorated Super Rugby Pacific competition have been taken, with a more fan-focused product at the heart of discussions.

Interest and engagement in Super Rugby has waned, as highlighted by the New Zealand Rugby governance review released in August.

The review warned that the competition needed to be reinvented as fans of the sport struggled to engage with it in its current form; the most recent iteration of Super Rugby Pacific being described to the review panel as “a dog’s breakfast”.

Among the issues outlined in the review were a lack of clarity as to when the competition will start each year, which players would be available and how they should relate to both Super Rugby and NPC.

On Monday, New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson met with his Rugby Australia counterpart Phil Waugh and Super Rugby Pacific board chairman Kevin Malloy to begin brainstorming the pathway to a more fan-centric offering.

“We are listening, and we’re prepared to make whatever tweaks and changes to make your experience better and to engage with you better,” Malloy said.

“We will make the changes and it will move forward. I’m very positive around what we’re going to do. We’ve got a great product.”

Among the plans to improve the competition, a new Super Rugby chief executive will be appointed whose role will be solely focused on the competition.

Malloy was hopeful that the role would be filled by the start of the 2024 season but was realistic around that given the role is yet to be officially advertised, it is coming into the holiday season, and the competition starts in late February.

“This role is going to be absolutely critical,” Malloy said.

“We’ll live and die on our ability to hire a really crack CEO for this role. I think it’s a really attractive role for somebody.

“It hasn’t had this level of focus, Super Rugby, before. So having somebody in a senior role that’s going to be the face of the game and have the ability to be focused 24/7 on how to improve the competition, keep driving it forward and work with all the positives, I think that’s pretty exciting.”

The trio noted Monday’s meeting was merely a starting point on the journey towards a more alluring competition, with the group “starting to identify a whole raft of things we can do.”

While agreeing the competition needed some attention, Malloy didn’t believe it was in strife in its current state.

“I don’t think it needs fixing. We’ve got a fantastic competition, what it is we’re talking about is reigniting the flame and the passion for this competition and getting people to a point where they’re excited about the games and excited about what they’re watching in those games,” Malloy said.

“If we don’t pay it the appropriate attention, then it will decline.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.