Richard Loe: Open Super 15 up to foreigners

At first glance, it's hard to get excited about the new Super 15. One new team but otherwise it's more of the same - more games, with a three-week break that I don't know will work.

The tests against France and Italy already look insignificant - and we're going to stop Super rugby for that? Why not carry on?

You wonder sometimes about the ability of the NZRU and their Sanzar partners to understand what fans want. They seem totally focused on broadcasting money and that's all she wrote. However, we have to congratulate the NZRU and the Australians for keeping the South Africans in the equation; I thought that was essential.

There is an opportunity to build on this now. They must change the eligibility rules and go the whole hog in taking the franchises away from their provincial union roots. That means allowing players from anywhere to play for franchises in other countries - but no more than five or six from other nations.

This is necessary for two reasons - Super rugby needs to find new appeal and, secondly, I don't think New Zealand and Australia can sustain things long-term on the current basis.

I exempt South Africa from that. I have recently returned from a trip there and I was astounded at the level of enthusiasm for rugby there. We watched one Super 14 game at 9.30am and then more Super 14 and other games of rugby non-stop, from morning to night.

I don't know anyone in New Zealand who would do that but the South Africans loved it. So they are a nation apart in Sanzar.

For the rest of us, the Super 14 has settled into a bit of a hole. There is justified criticism that it and the Tri Nations have settled into a boring routine of repetitive matches, compared to the old system where key games were met with anticipation.

So allowing players from anywhere to play for a franchise will spark things up - and so will a final move away from the provinces. It is clear that the Air NZ Cup, without All Blacks, will just be a feeder competition; the new club rugby. So give that oomph by making that level of rugby about provincial pride. For Super rugby, make the franchises standalone outfits which have little to do with geography.

It's the Manchester United recipe. Few, if any, of the players actually hail from Manchester. But the brand is strong, so is the fan following and the ability to attract players from anywhere. The New Zealand franchises have only partially succeeded in gaining provincial traction, so why not go the other way completely and give the whole thing a shot in the arm?

I agree with those saying Super rugby should have a new, multi-national element. It would mean leaving behind the 'Canterbury' in the Crusaders without losing the qualities that have made this franchise successful.

We may see a bit of this with the 15th franchise, to be based in Australia. There could be five or six South African fringe players who make the journey there, plus the same number from New Zealand. Players like Carlos Spencer and Justin Marshall, who want to come back, could be employed there. The Australians reducing their squads from 33 to 28 will also free up players.

Let anyone play anywhere. That would keep players in this hemisphere, although it does get us into another situation... we'd have to allow All Blacks to be selected from foreign Super 15 franchises. Like Daniel Braid playing for the Reds this year. If he'd shown the form to be selected for the All Blacks, then why not? I see nothing wrong with that.