Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O’Neill – AP Photo/Mark Baker
It was a relieved (presumably) and excited John O’Neill who told a door stop of journalists that the ARU had signed an agreement with the Harold Mitchell-led group to create Melbourne’s Super 15 franchise for the 2011 season. This has been a long and often perilous journey for O’Neill.
In his first stint as the CEO of the ARU he argued for a fourth Australian Super Rugby side. Behind this argument was the long term game plan of taking Super Rugby to a 15-team tournament with each SANZAR country having five teams.
When people talk about a leader having vision, this sort of game plan by O’Neill fulfills the true notion of the “vision thing.”
There has been continuing antagonism for a fifth Australian franchise from South African interests.
Even inside Australia there has been stiff opposition to his vision. And the negotiations to set up the Melbourne franchise have been fraught with some tough and intense bargaining between the various bidders and the ARU which has gone on for months.
To his credit, O’Neill has navigated the ARU through these storms to get an outstanding result for Super Rugby and for rugby in Australia.
In 2011, Super Rugby will have a format that will make it the best provincial rugby tournament in world rugby. Each of the SANZAR countries will have five teams. The tournament schedule calls for home and away matches inside each country that increases the local derbies from three a year to 20.
There is scope, too, within the tournament structure for teams to lure name players from Europe into Super Rugby.
My guess, for instance, is that Brian O’Driscoll will be made an offer he can’t refuse by one of the Super Rugby franchises in 2012. In time, the player drain from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere will be reversed.
But that is for the future.
Right now the Melbourne franchise has to put in place a strong and sustainable business model and a team that attracts spectators and sponsors by adding to the sporting culture of Melbourne.
This is where Harold Mitchell comes into play. Rugby is blessed that he wants to play a major role in promoting the code in Australia.
Mitchell is the owner and creator of the Mitchell Communications Group, the biggest independent communications group in Australia with billings of $1.2 billion a year.
He was described to me by someone involved with Australian rugby as a “man of substance.”
He runs a highly successful business (which has many cross -currents with the Super Rugby) which he built from scratch by mortgaging his assets as a young family man. He has wide interests in music, art and sports, outside his business ventures. His can-do, hard-working management style seems to be just right to set up a successful Melbourne franchise.
But back to John O’Neill.
In his press release announcing the ownership of the Melbourne franchise, he insisted (correctly in my opinion) that “there is a market for quality rugby in Melbourne.”
To justify this statement, O’Neill noted that in the 13 Tests in Melbourne since 1997, they have crowds averaging 49,966.
The Melbourne franchise will play out of new rectangular stadium, something that the Western Force have missed in Perth with crowds forced to watch at Subiaco Oval, an AFL stadium.
There is also a huge business community in Melbourne that is interested in rugby, as anyone who has been to the Weary Dunlop lunches will testify. These are the biggest sporting lunches in Melbourne.
Super Rugby, too, has something that will interest this business community, which is the fact that there is an international component to the tournament. This international component provides a nice counterpoint to the dominant AFL code, which is the premier game in Australia, and has virtually no presence out of Australia.
And the name of new Super 15 franchise? Here is a fearless prediction: The Melbourne Rebels.
And why Rebels?
This is a reference presumably to the rebels who set up the Eureka Stockade which challenged the Melbourne establishment. In the light of this reasoning, the Melbourne Rebels will represent a polite but determined latter-day challenge to the AFL establishment in sporting mad Melbourne.
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
And I thought black was supposed to be slimming? http://www.abrugby.fr/photos/detail.aspx?cat=43&saison=2009-2010&p=2
Macca
Guest
Roger, IRFU players would be returning to the Republic of Ireland not the U.K. You should try watching some NH competitions. It may change your opinion on who needs to improve their play.
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
yeh i was thinking that it probably wouldnt be good if the rebels were already established as it would be old ideas, but he'll probably do a good job for establishments sake, he does have some experience in that area you would think. matt hanson seems very competent for the storm as you said.
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
I posted on the other thread. Waldron's done a decent job, probably time for him to move on, and Matt Hanson is very competent, and with how the Storm need to approach the future financially, it is a good thing.that this happens now.
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
Waldron joins Melbourne's Rebels January 11, 2010 - 2:54PM AAP Melbourne Storm NRL chief executive Brian Waldron has defected to the new Super 15 rugby union franchise Melbourne Rebels. The Rebels, who are set to join an expanded competition in 2011, lured Waldron across after five years in his position with the NRL champions. The Storm staff, coaches and players were told of his departure on Monday. Waldron's position at the Storm is to be filled by the club's former chief operating officer Matt Hanson, who takes over the position, effective immediately. Hanson was a former chief financial officer of the St Kilda Football Club, and general manager finance and administration at Etihad Stadium. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ thats a pretty big pick
Pajovic
Guest
Not so sure, McKenzie experiment was a classic case of an Antipode misjudging the cultutal aspects of not being able to speak a foreign language, Connellyesque. Incredible really. Off-season signings of English duo James Haskell and Tom Palmer, France scrum-half Julien Dupuy and Scotland full-back Hugo Southwell should have had a better return. Second from bottom. Then again, SF is all about marketing too and Max. Hmm. To be honest, as regards a return to the Reds, I can't see him change the dire situation there. A fifth super team is a joke as the country just does not have the resources as was shown by the addition of the Force. Predict another heavy losing season. 4-10 perhaps? It's a pity cause I love the Suncorp, the sun and the city! McKenzie is a decent bloke though.
Sam Taulelei
Guest
Brett if that is the case then it will be at the expense of the Currie Cup and NPC competitions in SA and NZ which will not survive the increased player movement overseas. If that day arrives then Australia will have achieved a victory that seeks to serve their own benefits due to their lack of competition infrastructure and shallow depth of local talent with little care for the history and traditions of the game outside their nations boundaries. While I wished that NZ took a more forthright and proactive position in SANZAR negotiations I was gladdened at least that SA wasn't prepared to just roll over to NZ and Australia's demands. The ARU will continue to push to relax the eligibility regulations and I daresay they'll probably get their own way eventually but I for one will be pissed off.
Brett McKay
Expert
I think we're getting closer and closer to the point where a player will be able to maintain their national eligiblity while ever they play Super Rugby. South Africa sort of have it already in limited numbers, and I think it's only a matter of time before NZ and Aus follow suit, or it opens up completely. Maybe that might coincide with salary caps and/or direct funding of teams from SANZAR (rather than from SANZAR via the national Unions), which mightn't be such a bad thing in terms of evening the playing field, and securing the finances of the 15 teams...
allblackfan
Guest
It seems Melbourne is already looking to NZ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10619283 But it's unclear whether they're eying top-level (and expensive) talent or promising (but cheaper) up-and-coming talent. This is precisely why the NZRFU must maintain its ban on overseas-based NZ players' eligibility for the All Blacks (even if they are living in Melbourne).
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/rebels-looking-at-nrl-figure-for-top-job-20100109-lzus.html Rebels looking at NRL figure for top job JOSH RAKIC January 10, 2010 A HIGH-PROFILE NRL figure and a renowned Sydney businessman are the frontrunners to head the new Melbourne Rebels Super 15 franchise. The Rebels board will meet for the second time this week since winning approval for the 15th franchise licence, and will move to appoint a chief executive officer almost immediately with a view to announcing its decision within a fortnight. The Sun–Herald understands of the four candidates, those with the inside running are a well-known Sydney personality and a public face for the NRL. Rebels officials are keeping tight-lipped about the appointment but are also said to have officially offered World Cup-winning Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen the head coaching role. "The job's his if he wants it," a source told The Sun–Herald. Macqueen has been heavily involved with the Victorian Rugby Union's bid and was always certain to retain a role with the fledgling franchise. He's said to be mulling over the option of returning to full-time coaching after ending his highly successful stint with the Wallabies nine years ago. The Rebels hope to have both positions secured by week's end to begin a recruitment drive, which The Sun-Herald understands will feature attempts to lure several NRL international back-line stars to Melbourne. The ARU's decision to prevent the franchise from officially signing any Australian Super 14 players before the end of the 2010 Super 14 season will significantly hamper its recruiting ability for 2011.The decision has also frustrated other Australian Super 14 franchises, who believe it will affect them having a secure roster beyond the current season because off-contract players will wait to see if they can secure a better deal with Melbourne. Australian captain Rocky Elsom and vice-captain Berrick Barnes are two players off-contract at the end of the season, meaning the Brumbies and Waratahs won't be able to negotiate new deals officially until June should the pair wish to consider the move to Melbourne. Meanwhile, Lote Tuqiri hasn't ruled out a move to French rugby after admitting to England's Guardian newspaper that he might not return to play NRL with the Wests Tigers this year. Tuqiri, who is playing for English rugby side Leicester, admitted his interest in French rugby remains. " It's probably a bit warmer down there. More so Toulon," Tuqiri said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ looks like theyd rather import leagueys and then possibly add o/s players and a forward pack of local boys, so beyond anything it might be a decent and more australian team than most seem to think, it was never going to be a fully representative side as this is proffesional tier, not rep state, but is importing from codes rather than countries the answer?
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
Jacobs? Berne? Who did the Waratahs lose, B35P? Perhaps you're thinking of DeBartolo (possible spelling error)?
Republican
Guest
Bay35Pablo Love of the game you say, what bit? This is a good deal more extreme than a couple of irish fellas joining the AFL ranks. We are looking at a whole team of overseas players based in in Oz under the guise of the not so 'Melbourne Rebels'. That would be akin to the Tahs filling their side to the brim with O/S stock. I don't think this hypothetical would garner much devotion or passion on the part of Australian Tah fans do you? I also want to remind you that 'Super Rugby' is supposedly an international comp so if the Rebels win the final will this be promoted as a win for Australian and Victorian Rugby? I think not, more like a win for the corporate farce that continues to create tribal illusions to their extremely desperate and gullible fan base. Cheers
Crashy
Guest
come on Republican... I will use your favoured code AFL to combat your argument. I would daresay that the Swans are made up on non-NSWelshman and internationals. ( Irish, Canadian). I dont follow the game closely but I have a feeling that the Swans have a supporter base of some proportion! I agree in principal with your statement but there are more rugby supporters from other countries in Melbourne who would have no issues with foreign players. Dont forget that they can only sign 10 out of 30 pro players plus 12 academy players.
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
It depends what team you watch, Punk.
Punk Tilleus
Guest
If you watch a NH game of rugby, Wavell Wakefield, you'll often see that the backs stand around a lot waiting for the ball to emerge from scrums, rucks and lineouts, pick and gos, etcetera. It comes out eventually to the 10 or 12 who kicks it upfield and it starts over again. Occasionally the ball comes out the line and the backs get to have a go - it's fits and bursts play - as you so accurately described it. It's a bit like some of the Australian rugby during the Spring Tour, until their final match.
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
That's not how we play in the NH, Punk. The backs are always on the go, always on the ball, always searching for that angle. Bang... it's try time. Game over.
Punk Tilleus
Guest
Indeed, just as a back should play - in fits and bursts. The rest of the time, they're just standing around waiting to go.
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
In fits and bursts, punctilious.
Punk Tilleus
Guest
Nacewa plays very well for Leinster at 15 and on the wing. Don't think they would let him go.
Wavell Wakefield
Guest
For me, the best player there is SKK. He was so bad for Cardiff Blues that they've had to buy in Dan Parks. Now that is a statement of intent.