Let’s have a Rugby Union State of Origin
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By Spiro Zavos, 5 Mar 2009 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
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If you can’t beat them, join them. So let’s have a Rugby Union Queensland Vs NSW State of Origin series. The notion was floated by John Connolly in his review of the upcoming Super 14 Waratahs-Reds match at the Sydney Football Stadium.
My original reaction that that Connolly was an old Queensland warhorse who was missing the “It’s great to be an Australian but even better to be a Queenslander” feeling in the days of professional rugby when players switch from one state to another at the drop of a new contract.
In Connolly’s day as a successful Queensland coach, the year was made for the Reds if they defeated NSW, even if every other game was lost.
And in the early years of Super Rugby, this tribal passion for defeating NSW was maintained with the annual clash generally being a Super Rugby match as a dour and ferocious affair.
Most of the biff was dished out by the Reds.
The sainted David Campese, for instance, was whacked in one of the early Super Rugby matches by Damien Smith, just because he was a Waratah.
But the interchange of players to the various Super Rugby franchises, which started with Nathan Grey defecting from Queensland to NSW, has taken much of the tribalism out of the contest.
We’ve now got the Reds stalwart hooker Michael Foley coaching with the Waratahs, and the High Performance manager for the Reds is Ben Whitaker, the brother of the former Waratahs captain Chris Whitaker.
The way to get the tribalism back and restore what was one of Australian rugby’s best annual events (after the Bledisloe Cup Tests) is to bring back a Rugby Union State of Origin.
The rules about eligibility should be strict: only players born in Queensland can play for the Reds, and only players born in NSW can play State of Origin for NSW.
I had a telephone chat with Tony Dempsey, the CEO of the Rugby Union Players Association, about the viability of the concept. “It’s a great concept,” he assured me, “and the main concern about it is when could it be fitted in.”
Working from the Tests dates for this season, for instance, there will be only a limited window of opportunity, he pointed out, between the end of the Super 14 and the first Tests against overseas teams.
Similarly, between the end of these Tests and the start of the Tri-Nations tournament, there is little scope for a major rugby series.
But what about after the Tri-Nations is ended?
In South Africa there is the Currie Cup and in New Zealand the National Provincial Championship for players and spectators in the couple of months before the overseas tour.
In Australia, there is really nothing on in big time rugby. So about what about the Rugby Union State of Origin then?
The series would provide some great rugby for the Australian public and for many of the Wallabies waiting for their overseas tour. And it would also gift some revenue for the ARU to distribute to the use to develop rugby at the grassroots club level.
The public could be drafted in to put forward names of players for selection. And I’ve already pencilled in the names of the first coaches: Rod Macqueen for NSW (he coached NSW in 1991 to an unbeaten season, including matches in Argentina, and then was dumped) and Tim Horan, a Reds great, an Australian selector, and a commentator of note.
The commentators pick themselves: Greg Martin for the Reds and Phil Kearns for NSW.
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Steffy said | March 5th 2009 @ 3:20am | Report comment
Brilliant idea – and play it Denver.
Joh4Canberra said | January 6th 2010 @ 8:04am | Report comment
… or Long Beach, California. Let’s not forget that in 1987 the leaguies experimented with playing State of Origin football in the US.
craig said | March 5th 2009 @ 6:55am | Report comment
Very cynical Steffy.. Do I smell a league supporter getting nervous at the idea that the ARU may go with?? I seem to remember the ARL Kangalose playing in the US a few years back, seemed like a good idea then.
I think it would make great watching. Also since it’s not in any existing contracts the ARU could sell the TV rights for less under the provision that it is shown live nationwide.
Simon said | March 5th 2009 @ 7:47am | Report comment
Why not, if there’s nothing else happening at that time?
I’ve also wondered about the simple concept of a possible v probables match at that time of the year, before the end of year tour, to determine who actually gets to go from a selectors point of view. I think a match like that would also create a lot of interest among the public. The selectors (and the public) could then see who really is deserving of an end of year tour. And the players would be playing for a Wallabies jersey – no greater motivation!
But from a tribalism point of view, Qld especially would relish a state of origin concept.
Greg said | March 5th 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment
Having a Super Rugby team from NSW & QLD, and then forming origin teams for each State seems a conflict to me. It works in RL because the origin teams only play at origin time. Why not play two further games between the present NSW & QLD Super Rugby teams at the end of the Tri Nations, making a best of 3 games series.
Terry Kidd said | March 5th 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
I Like the idea of pure state of origin but would play 2 games each year, one in Brisbane and one in Sydney initially. If the concept developed over the first couple of years games could then be exported to Melbourne, Perth and Canberra. However for development of the concept to truly occur then it would have to be on free to air tv.
Yes I would like to see Elsom, Pocock and Mumm playing against Smith, Waugh and Palu or Burgess, Beale and Giteau at 9, 10 & 12 playing against Genia, Cooper and O’Connor ….. just thinking of the possible match ups makes my mouth water.
Even looser said | March 5th 2009 @ 8:16am | Report comment
Simon’s Possibles versus Probables idea gets my vote. It would be great for Australian Rugby and really give Robbie Deans something to think about come selection time. If Deans coached the Probables who would coach the Possibles? Maybe the highest rated S14 coach should get the gigt. Now that would be great for coaching development.
The Qld V NSW could be easier to sell to the public and possibly a better money spinner. Having said that I’ve not seen much effort by the ARU or the Waratahs to promote this Friday’s game. Maybe I’ve been watching the wrong TV station, reading the wrong newspaper and listening to the wrong radio station. That can happen.
Hoy said | March 5th 2009 @ 8:39am | Report comment
I enjoy the State of Origin concept.
I must say though Terry, Gits is from ACT. Don’t think that counts as NSW does it?
You can’t have the current teams as is, because the passion just wouldn’t be there. It would be better to be state of birth.
The Force could just about play as is for QLD. We have nearly two teams in the super 14.
Kuri said | May 21st 2010 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
And Queensland could just about play as the 6th NZ franchise
oikee said | March 5th 2009 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Take a leaf out of the AFL books, they tried the concept and it does not work. First you have to have a reason for a game like this to work. Rugby league has a hundred year history of hatred between states, this is why the game is still so passionally contested even today.
You guys are bonkers if you think you can just create a game from nothing. It would be just another reds verses waratahs game to the public. The only way it might take off is if you played the game before the origin matches. At least you would get a full house to the games. A little bit of biff and it might just work.
Justin said | March 5th 2009 @ 9:12am | Report comment
If its a birth thing I dont know it would work. Too many players not born in either state or in AUS for that matter.
I like Poss v Probs, much more talent on show…
Roger said | March 5th 2009 @ 9:20am | Report comment
No no no, let League have its sole highlight and lets move rugby forwards not backwards. Its rare that I agree with Oikee but he’s right (to some extent), although he conveniently ignores the NSW v QLD Union rivalry having flourished well before league right up to Super 10s.
This may all be a moot discussion given ARU and SANZAR proposal for an Australian conference home and away series.
Also, if I were Brumbies or Force I would not accept this.
If such a game is planned, the question begs…why was the Pacific Nations Cup etc canned when a Probabales and possibles non wallaby teams could have participated, but for $$$ problems?