The Reds' Will Genia and the Waratahs' Phil Waugh chat to the media at the Super Rugby launch
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Head-to-head rivalries should escalate between Australian players as they battle for World Cup selection during an increased schedule of local derby games in the new-look Super Rugby competition next year, according to the Sydney Morning Herald's Rupert Guinness.
"In the 15-team tournament, the number of derbies will increase from six to 20 games for each of the three Australian, New Zealand and South African conferences. Teams will play the four other sides in their conferences twice for eight of 16 games.
"The other eight games will be against four of five sides in the two other conferences before playing a six-team finals series.
"Match intensity always increases in derbies but it will be even greater with teams playing each other twice - especially in a World Cup year when the scrutiny of the selectors will be highest.
''The players like matching up against players who they think are placed for higher honours,'' ARU high-performance director and selector David Nucifora said yesterday. ''The fact we are going to get 20 [derbies] rather than six is great. Everyone is a winner. There is more opportunity for them to match up and compete and that can only be a good thing."
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