I think we went through this a few times on this board. I love the old Super 12, but always felt it favoured NZ as they had 5 teams, SA 4 and Aus 3. They also managed to get fewer trips on the road and they broke the understanding that it would be provinces, not franchises, they also influenced the rugby rules heavily by having paddy o brien, former ref as the main person on the rugby rules panel.
A fair system would be equal matches, but now you add Australie, the Brumbies, Waratahs and Reds were some of the toughest teams to play against. It was a very difficult completion and near test quality.
I blame Australia for expansion and conference nonsense.
I'm not a fan of the URC and it is starting this week with no boks in the teams as Rassie is milking the test window.
Then, the European comp is fragmented. France is the only country with a proper domestic, cash rich competition.
Agree on woman in rugby, why make them refs, why have female commentators why invest so much in the female game when they would far rather watch the kardashians than go to a rugby game and support the ladies. This is what DEI does.
Rugby is screwed and that goth that fucked up Australian rugby.
Rugby will never make real money but it is about a core group of fans, that love the game and very knowledgable.
What world rugby should have done was to build a South American regional coipition. Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil. The US can't get fans or teams to stay around long enough to become a proper comp.
Eastern Europe had massive potential, Georgia, Romania, Serbia and Russia could form their own league.
But groups like Super rugby and URC are forcing their expansion for audience numbers and not about developing the game locally