The Sauce with Liam Napier: The real cost of Super Rugby's ill-conceived 'super round'

A general view of AAMI Park in Melbourne during the Crusaders' clash against the Rebels. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION:

Promotional and State funding could not mask an ill-conceived decision to stage the maiden 'super round' in Melbourne.

Organisers claim 30,000 tickets were sold for the five matches over three days at AAMI Park but with the top tier of the venue blocked off, the underwhelming turnouts were a bad look for a new competition.

Comparative crowds were highlighted by Monday's near sell out attendance for the Storm's record-setting Anzac blowout against the Warriors at the same venue.

The Sauce understands a financial package stitched together by the State government and promotional company TEG, owned by US investment firm Silver Lake and with close ties to Melbourne-based NZR board member Bart Campbell, convinced the five New Zealand super teams to give up their respective home fixtures for a flat fee of $300,000 each.

Well-placed sources suggest Melbourne's package was superior to Sydney or Brisbane and that it amounted to a break-even home fixture result for the New Zealand teams.

The year one deal was, however, agreed in a Covid climate of heavily restricted crowds, making it more appealing for the struggling New Zealand franchises.

Promotion of the event wasn't helped by the rescheduled draw – the original super round was to be held on the opening weekend – but in an AFL obsessed city that does not boast a major rugby support base, many locals reported being unaware it was on.

If next year's super round is to be staged in Melbourne again, the financial incentives may have to increase given the failure to grow audiences this time around.

Fury's future

Tyson Fury swanning off into the Morecambe sunset? I can't see it. Not with a unification fight, the chance to fully entrench his legacy, on the horizon.

In the wake of his sixth-round Dillian Whyte stoppage, finished by the near-perfect right-hand upper-cut in front of 94,000 at a rocking Wembley, Fury claimed he will retire from boxing – not for the first time – as the second undefeated heavyweight in history after Rocky Marciano.

From the scripted WWE arena to a hybrid exhibition against UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, the latter standing little chance of genuinely testing the Gypsy King, a litany of easy money appearances awaits Fury whenever he relinquishes the mantle.

I have as much interest in Fury versus Ngannou as anything involving Jake Paul. If previous incarnations of Boxing-UFC crossover events are any gauge, Fury and Ngannou would be another flop.

Fury collected NZ$50 million compared to Whyte's $11m - a purse split 82/18 in Fury's favour to underline his status as boxing's greatest lure.

Yet above his ever-expanding fortune, it's prestige Fury seeks. He's a fighting man with the utmost respect for the sport's storied history.

Tyson Fury celebrates after beating Dillian Whyte. Photo / AP

Fury has been a revelation for a heavyweight division dominated for a decade by the largely immobile Ukraine Klitschko brothers – his movement for a big man on another planet to that era.

Fury's rise to world champion; the rapid mental and physical health decline as he descended into drug use and dark depression after dethroning Klitschko, and subsequent rebirth is one of sport's premier redemption stories.

As it stands, though, for all Fury's seemingly untouchable modern-day exploits and the engrossing trilogy with Deontay Wilder that confirmed his status as the best of his generation, his resume does not yet stack alongside the greatest heavyweights Ali, Louis, Johnson, Foreman, Dempsey, Frazier.

While he's outclassed challengers and champs Fury's best opponents - Klitschko, Wilder, Whyte and Dereck Chisora - do not compare favourably to the aforementioned giants.

With the Anthony Joshua-Oleksandr Usyk rematch expected in July, surely the winner of that bout will be too enticing for Fury to ignore.

Money aside, the esteem of unifying the heavyweight titles would cement Fury in the conversation of those all-time greats.

Fury's upset triumph over Wladimir Klitschko in Düsseldorf seven years ago turned the heavyweight scene on its head, but the WBC belt was missing that evening.

Claiming all the belts for the first time in his compelling career to be crowned the undisputed heavyweight champion is the only title absent from Fury's decorated collection.

Achieve that feat in front of another sold-out Wembley - now that is the drop the mic exit he craves and deserves.

On a side note, Joseph Parker and David Nyika struck gold by ensconcing themselves in Fury's presence.

Parker's progression under Irish trainer Andy Lee started to come to the fore in his last win against Chisora, and I, therefore, expect him to defeat durable Brit Joe Joyce once they agree terms for their July fight for the WBO mandatory position.

Observing Fury's dedicated attitude to camps and rubbing shoulders with legendary trainer SugarHill Steward, who transformed Fury's punching power, is hugely beneficial for Parker and cruiserweight prospect Nyika, the latter potentially eyeing his third pro fight on the George Kambosos and Devin Haney undercard in Melbourne on June 5 alongside fellow Kiwis Junior Fa and Hemi Ahio.

Betting tip:

Record: 4/10 (-$23.3)

Fury delivered last week's predicted knockout finish – the Sauce going as far to predict a 'middle rounds' stoppage against Whyte.

This week we'll tip the Fijian Drua, in their first home match in Suva, to cover 12.5 points against the 1-8 Highlanders at $1.87.

Aaron Smith and talented No 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu'u returning will help the Highlanders but Suva is never an easy place to emerge unscathed.

Question:

I've seen a number of comments suggesting the Warriors' Anzac loss was their 'worst ever humiliation' do you agree? I fell asleep at half time when it was 16-10 so need some context about just how bad that second half was. Mark, Ngaruawahia

For the pure scale of the capitulation, it doesn't get any worse. I sat through the 54-0 second half, which included 10 tries from the Storm, if only to view the full extent of the train wreck.

With Josh Curran, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Aaron Pene now sidelined through injuries and suspension, the Warriors season is officially off the rails.

The Sauce did its best to warn you this was coming.