Surnames on rugby are the key to commercial success.
Somehow it so happened historically that in rugby it is not particularly customary to write the names of the players on the backs. What has been commonplace in many team sports for several decades now does not take root in rugby.
Super Rugby decided to rectify the situation. Several players from the Crusaders and Blues said that having a name on a rugby can increase sales to fans.
In addition, this is practiced in the Premiership and the World Series of Rugby Sevens. The only problem is, in rugby, the number of the rugby player means the position in which the player is playing. How this will affect potential Super Rugby sales will soon be explored.
In general, it seems that we will soon witness a new fight between rugby conservatives and reformers.
Source: rugger.info