Allow foreign players to play in the Super 14
Roar Rookie By Fragglerocker, 24 Jul 2008 Fragglerocker is a Roar Rookie
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- Brumbies, Reds, Rugby Union, Super Rugby
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The possibility of foreign players being allowed to play for Australian Super 14 sides has been thrown around in recent months.
I have to say I’m strongly in favour, provided there is a strict limit in numbers (say, a two or three maximum per franchise).
I believe it would add a bit of interest and ‘variety’ to the competition.
I’d like to see Takudzwa Ngwenya (USA) or Topsy Ojo (England) at the Brumbies, but they’re both wingers.
Or maybe Marcos Ayerza (the Argentinian prop) playing for the Reds.
Which other foreign players would you like to see playing for an Australian Super 14 team?
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July 24th 2008 @ 7:58am
Longy said | July 24th 2008 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Bollocks!
Anyone going O/S stays O/S. Otherwise we’ll end up like soccer and no talent left here – no-one playing grade rugby. Let’s treat it exactly the same as when league was poaching some of our finest in the amateur days.
It’s a simple line to draw in the sand. You either play Aussie rugby or not.
July 24th 2008 @ 9:25am
Benjamin said | July 24th 2008 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Longy, nonsense, a small handful of picked players will only improve facets of Australian rugby.
July 24th 2008 @ 10:39am
mudskipper said | July 24th 2008 @ 10:39am | Report comment
If Australian Rugby is to add another Supper 14 team or perhaps even two new teams it is likely we will need some OS players, they could come from the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Japan, USA and Canada. You would think a limited number of OS players per team would have to be set in stone.
We still need to grow our own talent and encourage rugby players to commit to union and not change over to league for professional opprtunities. But really building a stronger Australian rugby pond is a ten year plan, media rights are up in 2010 and new teams need to be considered now. There aren’t enough quality Australians rugby to set up yet, currently we are struggling to keep 4 Super 14 teams competitive…
July 24th 2008 @ 10:49am
True Tah said | July 24th 2008 @ 10:49am | Report comment
Fragglerocker,
I agree definitely.
It will benefit Aussie rugby, and it will definitely help out the international game, let me explain.
If the balance of Argentinean players are playing in Southern Hemisphere comps, say for Melbourne or Waratahs, then there would be less issues with getting these guys for the Tri Nations or whatever the hell it will be called. Ditto for all the Islander blokes playing in UK and France, a lot of these guys would be out here in a second, imagine Rupeni Caucau tearing down the wing for the Brumbies.
These guys could become cult figures, like Adrian Morley was at the Roosters, or the Beast with Sharks fans….gosh can you imagine Beast doing a run like he did down the wing in the Durban test match.
Longy, you’re view sounds like Australian rugby should be a sheltered workshop.
July 24th 2008 @ 3:39pm
bradley said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
Australia needs Props. Imported Props can help the youngsters alot better than the useless guys the ARU has at the moment. also import some Props for the lower leagues as well. Did you know; John Smit served some time under Federico Mendez at the sharks, this must have had an excellent influencce on his carreer. Mendez then went on to western Province (stormers) and even assisted at the Bulls as well as the Sprinkboks under Jake White before returning to argentina. If South Africa who breeds forwards can see the benefit of an overseas player why can’t the wallabies? do not go the Chelsea route and have 15 foreigners only say 5 max in a squad and a max of 3 on the field at any given time.
July 24th 2008 @ 3:50pm
True Tah said | July 24th 2008 @ 3:50pm | Report comment
bradley,
you have a point. Interestingly Tim Lane, the current coach of Georgia reckons the ARU would be best served by getting Georgian youngsters to Australia, and reckons there are like 12 decent props available for Georgia.
Having seen the Georgian names though, I reckon Kearns and Marto would have problems with then pronunciations.
July 24th 2008 @ 8:28pm
Westy said | July 24th 2008 @ 8:28pm | Report comment
I have to tell you the numbers at both a junior and senior level for Australian rugby just do not seem to ad up or match the published figures.
July 24th 2008 @ 8:41pm
Midfielder said | July 24th 2008 @ 8:41pm | Report comment
Not trolling …..but……. you don’t have enough quality players now ……….. add a new team and you need em.
I am so sick of all this one day someone should go and look at how many players actually play I have heard its over 250, 000 when all states are added together ……….I watch a bit of club rugby …….. Eastwood the woodies …… not to many S14 types at matches say Gordon V Woodies, and I talk to the blokes on the committee at local park teams and the story I get is rugby is loosing the battle at park level big time for the quality player, choosing instead other codes.
July 24th 2008 @ 9:34pm
Benjamin said | July 24th 2008 @ 9:34pm | Report comment
I don’t see why England and Australia have never got an exchange program going, for instance Australian u20 forwards to train and live in England for a year/season, likewise with u20 English backs in Australia.
I also don’t see why Australian S14 teams have never sent their young props to England for a short while, i.e Sheperdson, Henderson etc. Scrummaging is a learning experience so they would surely learn more in one season in Britain than less than 20 games in Australia? Realistically if Australia were going to import props it would be better to pick Argentines given the climate etc. If so many go to Italy, why not Australia?
In a dream scenario I’d love to see Castrogiovanni, Parisse, Heymans, Szarzewski, Chabal and Trin-Dunhc getting a few S14 games.
July 24th 2008 @ 9:45pm
Westy said | July 24th 2008 @ 9:45pm | Report comment
Benjamin would it not be better for the ARU to pretend it does not have 190000 participants and its real “player” strength is below 25000. senior male players. Even the IRB only gives them 29100 regular players. Bluntly the ARU needs to grow the game. This means going outside its traditional audience in Australia.. It is very hesitant to do so. The ARU cannot even get all the leaguies who want to play they play in France.