How do you fix rugby in Australia?

[thegreig]

I think part of the issue with rugby in Australia is how the expanded, when Super Rugby started instead of putting a side in ACT they should have gone straight to Melbourne then to Perth and then to the ACT if we needed a 5th side. The Rebels would have had a big following and rugby in Victoria would be a lot stronger as a result

I was a young teenager in the late 90s and everyone at school knew the Wallabies players and would watch all the games on free to air despite being AFL mad, it would have been the perfect time to put a team in Melbourne and capatlies on their popularity. Most young kids in Melbourne schools these days probably couldn't even name one player in the entier Super Rugby comp let alone one in the Wallabies squad.

 

[Seedsfan]

I was a young teenager in the late 90s and everyone at school knew the Wallabies players and would watch all the games on free to air despite being AFL mad, it would have been the perfect time to put a team in Melbourne and capatlies on their popularity. Most young kids in Melbourne schools these days probably couldn't even name one player in the entier Super Rugby comp let alone one in the Wallabies squad.

That puts me about 10 years younger than you. Growing up I always watched the Wallabies but never had any interest in the Super Rugby as I didn't have a side. There are so many fair weather fans in Melbourne who would have jumped on the Wallabies and would have stayed on the Rebels. Putting their third side in ACT really lacked vision and I think we are now paying for that mistake

 

[Freomaniac]

That puts me about 10 years younger than you. Growing up I always watched the Wallabies but never had any interest in the Super Rugby as I didn't have a side. There are so many fair weather fans in Melbourne who would have jumped on the Wallabies and would have stayed on the Rebels. Putting their third side in ACT really lacked vision and I think we are now paying for that mistake

well I am born in 1987 and born in SA. Still live in Adelaide. South Australia never had a Super Rugby side But at least we could follow the National team.

One of the biggest stuff ups was not having a Free to air game to watch an Australian each week since the late 1990s would of helped. Back in 2010 when I was driving to TAFE, I always drove past 2 of the 8 Rugby Union teams. One was Port Adelaide, the Other was Brighton.

One would wonder if Adelaide had their own RU side. 8 local teams wouldn't of been a lot but at least it would of been something to draw from.

 

[Greenstar5]

I know there was a deal done a couple years ago that the Wallabies and All Blacks will play the first 2 tests of the RC and the first test will be at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.

I just wonder if it woild be better playing either the Pumas or Boks first up? Rather than begin a series against the ABs.

 

[chibimatty]

well I am born in 1987 and born in SA. Still live in Adelaide. South Australia never had a Super Rugby side But at least we could follow the National team.

One of the biggest stuff ups was not having a Free to air game to watch an Australian each week since the late 1990s would of helped. Back in 2010 when I was driving to TAFE, I always drove past 2 of the 8 Rugby Union teams. One was Port Adelaide, the Other was Brighton.

One would wonder if Adelaide had their own RU side. 8 local teams wouldn't of been a lot but at least it would of been something to draw from.

Prior to the Rebels inception, there was a splinter group school of thought that Adelaide could have been granted a Super Rugby license instead of Melbourne. The idea being that it was an unsaturated market, unlike Melbourne with 10 AFL teams, with only one soccer team in the A-League; plus the fact that the Brumbies were successful in Canberra, which is really a country town in size. They would have played at Hindmarsh, though some thought that they should premier at Adelaide Oval, which was elongated at the time and home of the World Sevens Series' Australian leg.

 

[Greenstar5]

Surprised there isnt even an NRC team out of Adelaide.

 

[chibimatty]

Surprised there isnt even an NRC team out of Adelaide.

It shows the short-sightedness of the ARU. Yet, when Melbourne had no Super Rugby team, it was all fine and dandy to have Melbourne in the then ARC to "develop the game." I thought the inclusion of Melbourne was a great idea back then, likewise, with WA having no Super Rugby team from next year, I think the decision to cut the Perth Spirit out of the NRC is ****ing horrendous. I can't see how the "develop the game" directive is being served with that idea.

Adelaide and Perth should both be in the NRC. The Sydney sides have underwhelming support, so one of the teams could be shifted to Hindmarsh Stadium.

The excuse is the cost, or that it makes a loss. But if Cricket Australia thought that way, we wouldn't have a Sheffield Shield

 

[Scotland]

When were the Perth Spirit cut?

 

[Seedsfan]

When were the Perth Spirit cut?

They haven't surely we can have a team in Fiji but not in Perth absolute joke

 

[Scotland]

I'm not really sure what the point of the NRC is given it only covers Qld/NSW/Vic/ACT/WA and runs August to October.

 

[Seedsfan]

I'm not really sure what the point of the NRC is given it only covers Qld/NSW/Vic/ACT/WA and runs August to October.

To be the third tier comp we need

 

[Scotland]

To be the third tier comp we need

We need for what?

 

[Seedsfan]

We need for what?

We need a comp that's a step up from club rugby to bridge the gap between club rugby and super rugby

 

[Scotland]

We need a comp that's a step up from club rugby to bridge the gap between club rugby and super rugby

But we pick players for Super Rugby from club rugby.

If you're not getting a game for the Force you go back to Pindan Premier Grade, not Perth Spirit. The NRC season just started.

 

[Seedsfan]

But we pick players for Super Rugby from club rugby.

If you're not getting a game for the Force you go back to Pindan Premier Grade, not Perth Spirit. The NRC season just started.

Yeah I get that, it's like the Mitre 10 cup. It gives a chance for the best of club players to play at a higher standard

 

[chibimatty]

When were the Perth Spirit cut?

At the same time as the Force, as they were part of the same alliance agreement. Only thing was, RugbyWA assumed that they wouldn't be cut as they would now be our new highest-level rep team. Turns out two 2017 NRC fixture lists were made, one with and one without them in it. As it turns out, the reason why we are still in the comp this year, despite being the current premiers, is because of the of the ongoing legal dispute.

 

[Scotland]

At the same time as the Force, as they were part of the same alliance agreement. Only thing was, RugbyWA assumed that they wouldn't be cut as they would now be our new highest-level rep team. Turns out two 2017 NRC fixture lists were made, one with and one without them in it. As it turns out, the reason why we are still in the comp this year, despite being the current premiers, is because of the of the ongoing legal dispute.

I haven't seen this reported anywhere.

If the ARU continue the NRC (whether from 2018 or during 2017) without Perth Spirit that is just staggering.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

I haven't seen this reported anywhere.

If the ARU continue the NRC (whether from 2018 or during 2017) without Perth Spirit that is just staggering.

agreed,

would bury any hope of union being resurrected here in the near future. fans and players would be disillusioned.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Beat the All Blacks.

Start to win regularly.

Have a successful WCup campaign.

 

[Seedsfan]

You are only as good as your last game so we are the best in the world

 

[Freomaniac]

Beat the All Blacks.

Start to win regularly.

Have a successful WCup campaign.

I am more worried about the Domestic Australian Rugby union clubs

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Some of the media coverage would have you think they won the series not a dead rubber

 

[NewEra]

You start by investing money in grass roots and country football. It starts from the bottom. The problem with Rugby in this country is that the junior talent pool is heavily/solely reliant on the private school system. Now whilst there is some exceptional talent in the school systems it is a very narrow pool compared to league.
You also don't cut the Western Force, that was a huge mistake.
I would also look to televising match of the round QLD prem/shute and all NRC games especially while AFL and NRL is off.

 

[King Elvis]

SANFL players here earn good money.

Country league footy players can earn a shitload.

One of my mates captained a Premier grade Premiership team in Brisbane - he had to pay his own supps.

 

[Scotland]

SANFL players here earn good money.

Country league footy players can earn a shitload.

One of my mates captained a Premier grade Premiership team in Brisbane - he had to pay his own supps.

Footy is top down, rugby is bottom up. The ARU essentially expect juniors and social players to fund their activities.

If they actually focused on growing the game and making SR, NRC etc. popular they could have better income streams and better playing stocks.