Super 15 just a smokescreen for Wallaby woes
Roar Guru
By gatesy, 3 Sep 2009 gatesy is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- John ONeill, News Ltd, robbie deans, Rugby Union, SANZAR, Super 15, Super Rugby, Super Rugby 2011
The Super 15 sideshow is just a diversionary tactic to take the heat off the fact that the Wallabies are not winning.
Let’s assume:
1. Robbie Deans has the full support of the ARU on the basis of the Business Plan that he has presented to them (we don’t know what it was, but we can guess!)
2. His business plan is to get a team that will be competitive in 2011 (actually, better than competitive, capable of winning it!)
3. He is going to blood the new boys. That’s no surprise, but what seems to have been the surprise is that he gave the old guard a bit of room to hang themselves, and made sure that when they went, nobody was going to argue; he leaves no prop unturned, that’s for sure!
3. The Wallabies are renowned for “sneaking up and biting people on the bum” when it comes to World Cups – remember that we almost did it last time, when nobody fancied the Wallabies even three weeks out from the RWC. Nobody expected us to get as far as we did and the boys quietly went about their business and got as far as the semis. (Anyone who doesn’t believe me should read my blog, if it goes back that far, because I wrote a piece on that at the time)
4. I read a bit tonight on a Reuters UK website that quoted John O’Neill as saying that News Limited effectively want the TV rights and will come on board in a big way if SANZAR backs the Australian bid, as the TV rights are all important. Thus, the South Africa bid is not as safe as it might seem.
5. And the Super 15 debate is not yet that urgent that it couldn’t be used as a diversion, particularly if SANZAR is likely to do what News Ltd wants.
So let’s assume that next week the new boys in the Wallabies squad stand up and we do well, which I think we will.
All the heat comes off the ARU.
The Melbourne interests will sort themselves out, because at the end of the day, we are all after the same thing. Someone will get the glory, the amateurs will accede to the pros, and normality will be restored – business as usual.
I guess the only problem left for the ARU is how are they going to make the last two Bledisloe Cup games interesting.
Now you see why they might have wanted to take our minds off those other conumdrums.
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mitzter said | September 3rd 2009 @ 8:25am | Report comment
You have me confused. We didn’t make the semis last time, and before that we made the final.
Mr Grumpy said | September 3rd 2009 @ 9:24am | Report comment
Point 3 – “Nobody expected us to get as far as we did and the boys quietly went about their business and got as far as the semis.”
The Wallabies were smashed out of the Cup in the quarter-finals. According to the Australian press, England was no chance.
Here are snippets of Wayne Smith’s preview in the Australian before Australia’s match against England –
“The simple fact is the Wallabies are a better team than England. There is now just the minor and somewhat inconvenient matter of having to go out tonight in Marseille and prove it.”
“…The poor English, bumblers that they are, have fallen short throughout this tournament on all three criteria: style, humour and most definitely good intent.”
“…The English are just not cut out to be world champions. They have so little experience of sporting success that when it happens, it leaves them drained and exhausted. Rugby World Cup 2003, Ashes 2005.
As said in many blogs on the Roar, rugby in Australia is over-reliant on how the Wallabies are performing. If they continue their slump, fans and media will be more focussed on that and what needs to be done for a turnaround instead of the merits of a Melbourne or South African team in the Super 15.
sheek said | September 3rd 2009 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Gatesy,
We didn’t make the semis last time, we were knocked out in the quarters. It was against England, & we had enough opportunities to win half a dozen games!
Look mate, I think you’re like the black knight in the Holy Grail. He has one arm cut off by King Arthur & he calls it a flesh wound. He has both arms & legs cut off, & says, “let’s call it a draw”.
Your determination to prove that all is well in the world of Australia rugby is admirable, but sooner or later reality must bite.
I take the view that pointing out the game’s faults, & where they need to improve is not being negative, Rather, it’s best to correct things before they do get worse.
Rugby union’s in a mess. Australia is a competitive market. Four successful footy codes might be one too many. One might have to go, & union is the obvious weak link.
The AFL has 16 professional teams & about 640 professional players. The NRL has 16 professional teams & about 400 professional players. The A-League has 10 professional teams & about 230 professional players. The number of teams in soccer is rising, not to mention the several hundred plying their trade overseas.
What does rugby union have? We have 4 professional teams & about 132 professional players. It’s simply not enough to compete with the other codes. Even 5 professional teams will only mean about 140 professional players. A net gain of 8 professional players.
There is an argument that the stronger codes will only get stronger, strengthening their position in the market place. Sponsors will go to the stronger codes, where they expect to get greater exposure & return on their investments.
Casual fans will gravitate towards the stronger codes so they won’t be left out when the conversation comes around at BBQs & dinner parties.
And naturally, media outlets will cover those sports the public are most interested in. So guess what, rugby union will get squeezed out.
Law of the jungle, survival of the fittest (& strongest). Lets’ stop pretending everything is rosy in the Australian rugby garden, because it ain’t!!!
onside said | September 3rd 2009 @ 10:16am | Report comment
I am not aware John O’Neill has any plausible plans for ‘rugby in Australia’.
He does however have plans for ‘Australian rugby’.There is a difference.
Australian rugby,read ,Super franchises are JONs focus. My best guess
is the reason his plans include,Japan,Argentina and a Pacific Island team,
(plus USA is on his radar) is to establish a strategic rugby alliance capable
of nullifing the disproportionate weight exerted by the Northern Hemisphere.
John O’Neill wants a Super competition that has real clout.The Super comp
will develop into a global competition.The QLD Reds for example do not play
in an Australian competition ,they play in an international competition.This
is the undenial attraction of a Super franchise in Melbourne. The financial
bonus is teams and supporters flying in from the likes of Osaka. This intime
will generate enough money to include professional players from other
countries.Forget just two elite international signings,think seven or eight.
Rugby in Australia is hoping for a trickle down effect that funds enough
teams to start a National competition.Waiting for Godot. Super Rugby and
rugby in Australia are two seperate entities.When Super rugby becomes
the international powerhouse John ONeill both wants and knows it can be,
another person will be CEO of the ARU , and Super Inc will be a totally
seperate entity.So it goes.
sheek said | September 3rd 2009 @ 10:31am | Report comment
Onside,
Do you get the impression O’Neill is building a house on stilts? Looks impressive, but sooner or later the whole shebang will come crashing down.
JON has to sell the Wallabies & super series, because Australian rugby doesn’t have much else. I think JON’s idea is that when the mirage evaporates eventually, at least it won’t be on his watch, but some other poor bugger’s.
onside said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
My problem Sheek is I continually second guess what John O’Neill is up to ,because there is
no obvious link DOWN the rugby food chain .Your analogy of a house on stilts is appropriate .
Most organisations are build from the ground UP.The house on stilts,though connected to the
ground ,has several floors missing.OK that might be a bit childish, but there are a whole heap
of rugby people on the ground floor,and way up there in carpetland are the elite.I think John
O’Neill has not the foggiest idea about how to build the structure including ofcourse the national
competition,one floor down from Super Dooper.If that does not happen Super rugby will be
short of locally produced product,and will increasingly draw on overseas players.Young
Aussie players, needing to improve their game, will try their luck in overseas competitions.
Those that make the grade will be drafted back to Super franchises or the Wallabies. Not
unlike football players plying their craft throughout Europe in several different football leagues.
Australia imports trained airline pilots from South Africa because its cheaper than training
our own.The SA pilots are offered better pay than at home,but less than what Aussie
pilots are used to. The kicker is an Aussie passport, dual citizenship.I see professional
rugby as a product,an international industry.My guess is John O’Neill harbours similar
thoughts and plans, but sure as hell cant tell anybody.To answer your question about
the house on stilts crashing down.I dont think it will. It will be an international brand for
rugby entertainment.An event.The real winner in all this will be local rugby.Sooner or
later rugby people will realise EVERYTHING they want in rugby is already there at the
local club.Pick one.The clubs will get stronger as people realise like,even though dining
at top restuarants is a wonderful experience , nothing beats a roast dinner at home.
Republican said | September 3rd 2009 @ 11:34am | Report comment
Sheek.
Couldn’t agree more, O’ Neil is a banker of mercenary repute.
The illusion of Union’s depth in this country continues on its merry way. That’s the top down way of doing the bizz these days.
The Super 14 and 15 are indeed smokescreens and given another franchise is to be thrust upon the Australian Rugby Community which in the main is sustained by Qld and NSW, where may I say are the players coming from, to make this Melbourne mob competitive. Will it be simply a matter of robbing Peter to pay Paul again, spreading an already limited talent pool even thinner?
It will all have to give eventually, since there is only so many bandaids you can put on a festering sore.
LeftArmSpinner said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
Gatesy, the real work needs to be done at grass roots. youth teams, development, grade rugby promotion, etc
Working Class Rugger said | September 3rd 2009 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
LAS
Don’t forget schools programs and regular competitions.
Justin said | September 5th 2009 @ 8:07am | Report comment
Can someone tell me the link before AFL or NRL please as I thought iwas just kids of about 17 playing against each other…