Comments on: Super 14’s own State of Origin: Reds v Waratahs

By: sportym

sportym — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:05:15 +0000

cosmos forever is correct,

The brumbies are no longer the ACT Brumbies, they changed thier name to Brumbies. And they represent southern NSW and the Tablelands. Though the world represent does not mean much to be frank.

If you travel around rural NSW, you will infact realise that most people associate the waratahs with Sydney. In southern NSW you will find more people following the Brumbies.

By: wallythefly

wallythefly — Fri, 16 May 2008 09:46:46 +0000

I don’t know whose right or wrong, but it’s a shame we’re talking about this at all. Maybe if the Tahs played a game at the Central Coast or the Gong and the Reds played games at Townsville and the Gold Coast people would feel the sides are more representive.

By: cosmos forever

cosmos forever — Fri, 16 May 2008 06:31:43 +0000

Not wanting to be pedantic but I’m not even sure ours are completely aligned with the States, I think the Brumbies actually represent southern NSW and the Tablelands as well as the ACT (not sure if that is just marketing or an actual agreement).

BTW - “Why not try harder at the start of the year” could be LT’s personal mantra couldn’t it…

Reds by 5.

By: ulysses

ulysses — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:59:53 +0000

Andrew - not quite right either. Super 14 is neither club nor provincial. They are “franchises”. That is why it is the Crusaders and not Canterbury, the Highlanders and not Otago, the Bulls not Northern Transvaal etc etc. Using the HIghlanders as the example - that Super14 franchise “represents” the NZ provinces of Otago and Southland. Only in Australia (with fewer provinces) did we exactly align S14 franchises with our state RU’s / provinces. But they are still separate things.

Think of it this way - if the S14 stops tomorrow, the Bulls and Highlanders disappear; Nth Transvaal, Otago and Southland continue. The Waratahs S14 franchise also disappears, but the NSW RU representative team the NSW Waratahs continues.

By: chris ash

chris ash — Fri, 16 May 2008 05:59:05 +0000

bugress is from maitland (he was in my year - only reason i know) All the players are def not from sydney… the love is shared

By: Andrew B

Andrew B — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:39:21 +0000

El Capitan,

Both teams do have some country boys out there.

Tom Carter & Will Caldwell – Young, NSW
Berrick Barnes – Kingaroy, QLD
Greg Holmes – Allora, QLD

This is just off the top of my head, maybe more there.

By: El Capitan

El Capitan — Fri, 16 May 2008 03:06:17 +0000

Do they really represent the state as a whole? So is there players from Orange, Wagga Wagga ect in the team? No they are all from Sydney. Same can be said about the Reds. No players from Townsville, Mt Isa, Toowoomba that play for the Reds, with the exception of perhaps school boy reps.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:57:42 +0000

Westy, the Waratahs are NOT a club side. They are a provincial side; they represent the entire state. The Super 14 is a provincial competition, not a club one like the NRL or AFL

By: Westy

Westy — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:28:38 +0000

I find it interesting concept the super 14 waratah club side represents the state of New South Wales.

By: The Link

The Link — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:42:16 +0000

Darren, at least they’re not calling it State of the Union any more!! Comparing the game to a token speach by a US President each year pleading for passage by Congress was always an interesting analogy. I can’t recall the Union and League games being so close together in the past, should make for an interesting comparison. The Union game historically tends to get bogged down, whereas the League version is the games showpiece.