To all those who have read my initial article and to those who took the time to write a reply I think you are passionate about sport in general and the rugby specifically.
I have read all the replies and have decided to pen another article focusing on Super Rugby and the Wallabies.
To star, a quotation from the late great Jack Gibson “just like arseholes, everyone has one ie an opinion”. But isn’t it great that we all do, and hopefully the powers at be can look at these and learn from them. If need be they could take them as their own.
Clearly the issue is that rugby is trying to take on not one but two very large animals in the AFL and rugby league, so the platforms for free-to-air television coverage have to be different. Streaming and using the free-to-air channel’s second platform are both options. With regards to Foxtel, as they are the cash cow for the ARU and SANZAAR, they will crack the whip as they see fit.
It is my understanding that they are happy with the eyeballs they are getting. As one rugby person once said, if the Wallabies are going well then Australian rugby is going well, so there is plenty of work to do which will benefit all levels of the sport.
Participation and excellence both on and off-field should not be mutually exclusive.
We all know that we have five Super Super franchises and that you need a squad of around 35, plus a feeder group of about another 20 to run a franchise. The budget for each franchise is around $6 million ,and each player in the top squad gets $120K plus top up if they are a Wallaby. So if we do the maths then we need in Aus 275 players which are good enough to play at this level.
New Zealand are the same. They have many, many more players to choose from but do we think that overall their 275 are worth what our 275 are worth both in dollars and and ability?
I am advocating that we drop to either four or three franchises so that there is fierce competition for the now 165 spots.
For one example of what competition does for spots, look at the five Australian franchises openside flankers. Western Force have Matt Hodgson, ACT have David Pocock, NSW have Michael Hooper, Queensland Liam Gill and Melbourne Colby Fainga’a. Most would agree we have world-class players in this position.
Contrast this with how poor our halfbacks are. Nick Stirzaker did a stint in ITM Cup, and the younger halves should be looking at that option.
Compare the number sevens in Australia’s franchises with the fly halves in New Zealand. Barrett, Cruden, Sopoaga, West. The first three are All Blacks, so how does New Zealand create a culture to keep them and we can’t? One answer might be in what Robbie Deans explained to me; that opposed training in New Zealand at all levels were harder than many games and you were encouraged to rip in. If someone got injured so what as there was another who could seamlessly fit into the system and was trusted to complete the task.
An interesting thought here is that if the Western Force is shut down then the most important person in Australian rugby will be the owner of the Rebels. If they pull the pin then the ARU and SANZAAR will be in breach of their broadcasting contract which will bankrupt Australian rugby.
So to all the guys at the ARU be very careful about firstly what you wish for and then secondly what decision you make.
The Wallabies are in a position that they were 16 years ago effectively. We were very lucky to make the World Cup final against England. If IRE slotted the field goal in Adelaide we don’t make the quarters and then bow out in New Zealand.
In the latest one we made the final, just. The ARU has wasted all the money from these and chewed up a lot of good will from the fan-base. It has only succeeded in placing band aids over the wounds. I think it is unfair on the Wallabies to continually compare them against the All Blacks, however, I like to watch the replay and ask myself when was the game effectively over.
In Sydney, appallingly, it was over after 25 minutes, and in New Zealand about 60. The reality of the two games was that no guts in Sydney but then the lack of ability was evident in NZ.
So what are we looking for with the next six Tests? Against Argentina I think the Wallabies will get a win here and a loss over there. More important will be when the game was won and lost. Against the Springboks, hopefully it’s the same, and against New Zealand hopefully we’ll take it deeper into the contest.
If we lose all six, which is well on the cards then the 22nd October looms as a very important date, as that is when the Spring tour is selected.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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