Former All Blacks and Wales international Shane Howarth insists that Super Rugby has fallen behind the European leagues.
The southern hemisphere competition was once the standard-bearer, particularly when it had the best of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa going head-to-head.
However, with the latter departing and aligning their club game with the north, and a number of Kiwis and Aussies taking the financial riches on offer abroad, that has impacted Super Rugby.
Crusaders v Chiefs thriller
There are still plenty of thrillers on offer but much of the best quality has been delivered by the New Zealand outfits, as evidenced by the Crusaders’ victory over the Chiefs.
Many consider that the Top 14 leads the way in the north while the Investec Champions Cup remains the acid test for all top clubs, despite losing some of its lustre, but Howarth reckons that the south has even slipped behind the United Rugby Championship and PREM Rugby.
“The European leagues are stronger. The English Premiership, the United Rugby Championship are stronger than our Super Rugby,” he told The Rugby Run on Sport Nation.
“That’s got a whole bunch of South Africans playing in it, it’s got a whole bunch of Kiwis and all sorts playing in it, so that’s I think closer to Test match rugby than what Super Rugby is at the moment.
“Then again, the Crusaders-Chiefs game on Friday was a hell of a game. I don’t want to say with the Aussies, but when you get two strong New Zealand sides, it’s closer to Test match rugby.
“There are a lot of games in Super Rugby at the moment that are blowouts where teams can dominate another team.
“It’s just a matter of how we get Super Rugby back closer to Test match level with it not being all home derbies.”
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Stephen Donald controversy
Just last year, All Blacks hero Stephen Donald caused controversy by stating that the URC was of a “very, very low” standard in comparison to Super Rugby, but Howarth, who played for Sale and Newport in the north, has taken the opposite view.
“We’re a country of five-and-a-half million, it’s amazing that we’ve been able to sustain five teams as long as we have,” he added.
“I’m really sad about Moana Pasifika but that’s what happens when you haven’t got a huge population that can fund tournaments like this.
“Unfortunately, we’re just in the wrong part of the world.”
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