Questions for NSW Waratahs CEO Jim L'Estrange to answer on The Roar

Is there any plan to review or reform the multiple layers of unions in NSW? Why is there a need for Suburban, Country, Schools, Junior, etc unions? How much money is being wasted in duplication of administration? Why cannot these organisations all be brought within the banner of the NSWRU, each with a dedicated department or manager but sharing resoirces, and a position on the NSWRU board chosen by the relevant stakeholders in each "area" to ensure their input is not lost in their merging? How can any reform in the structure of the various unions be properly undertaken when it would involve those in power giving up their positions, which will be less likely to happen due to the conflict of interest inherent? Are there any plans to have an outside person or company undertake a review of how the NSWRU operates and propose reform from an independent position?

http://www.waratahs.com.au/MediaExtranet/News/2010/January/JuniorstoseeHSBCWaratahshomegamesforFREE.aspx Juniors to see HSBC Waratahs home games for FREE Monday, 18 January 2010 NSWRU Media Unit Tickets to the HSBC Waratahs' six home games in 2010 go on sale tomorrow, with the exciting initiative of allowing registered junior players to see the Tahs play for free. Clubs will soon receive information detailing how registered junior players can take advantage of the offer which will be redeemable on game days at the Sydney Football Stadium and ANZ Stadium. "It's really exciting to announce that in 2010 our junior players will gain free entry to HSBC Waratahs home games during the Super 14," said Jim L'Estrange, NSWRU chief executive officer. "The juniors pathway is extremely important and most of the Super 14 squad came through this system. "Not only is it an opportunity to provide a cost-effective way for families to see the HSBC Waratahs, but it is also a fantastic way to reward junior players who are the future of the sport. Some lucky junior players will also get the opportunity to represent their clubs in Walla and Mini Rugby exhibitions before each game as well as taking part in the annual Junior March Past." "Each year we try to make it as enticing as possible, and as affordable as possible to come and see the Super 14 and this initiative does just that. We have also been able to keep tickets at the same price point as in 2009. "The team is preparing extremely well on the training paddock and the lift a home crowd gives them is fantastic, so we're hoping for a great turnout from our fans in 2010 which will help make a real difference." Mr L'Estrange added that a number of initiatives were being undertaken to add value to all people attending home games this season. "We're keeping our curtain raisers going again in 2010 and will feature Schools, Golden Oldies, Tooheys New Shute Shield, Suburban v Country and the annual Junior March Past," said Mr L'Estrange. "Our first home game against the Sharks is going to be a fantastic occasion with a unique piece of Waratahs merchandise to be given to the first 10,000 people through the gate, kids will be allowed on field after the game and Tah Man will kick off the season with one of his famous entries to the ground." The second home game against the Lions will incorporate a Ladies Day function, while the final home game will traditionally remain the charity match with Cerebral Palsy again being the beneficiaries. "In the coming months we'll announce something very special we have planned for the Cerebral Palsy fundraising match against the Hurricanes which will give all fans the opportunity to join the HSBC Waratahs in helping this very worthy cause," said Mr L'Estrange. Fans can also expect an abundance of activities in the Stadium precincts, Tah Bar, North Pole and Bundy Bar and half-time activities. Season Memberships also remain open with package information available on the NSW Rugby website. 2010 HSBC WARATAHS TICKET PRICES Adult - Cat 1: $58, Cat 2: $44, Cat 3: $32, Cat 4: $20 Junior (Age 4-15) - Cat 1: $38, Cat 2: $28, Cat 3: $21, Cat 4: $13 Concession (Tertiary full time student; pensioners) - Cat 1: $46, Cat 2: $35, Cat 3: $26, Cat 4: $16 Family (2 Adult + 2 Junior OR 1 Adult + 3 Junior) Cat 1: n/a, Cat 2: $116, Cat 3: $85, Cat 4: $53 * Registered Junior Players will receive free entry on game day upon redeeming the offer. Tickets will be in the Family Zone in Category 4. Offer only available at Venue Box Offices on game day. For full details, visit: http://www.waratahs.com.au/TicketsEvents/FreeJuniorTicketOffer/FreeJuniorTicketOffer.aspx

Dear Jim, On a development issue - why not work with ARU, Brumbies Rugby, QRU, VRU, Tasmania etc to get a consistent Primary and High Schools program on the cards? Links to EdRugby, TryRugby, local clubs, S15 club, Wallabies all there for the taking. Kids do play rugby at schools (not just in capital cities), get out and get them interested. A pool system would work easily with local DO's responsible for organising the local resources (grounds, refs, clinics etc), schools play within their region, knockout format, best two teams move forward in each age group. Organise it so that schools have the opportunity to travel out of their region twice only, with one of those games coinciding with either a S15 or Wallabies match, free tickets, EdRugby Reporters covering the day, players involved, everyone wins!!!

Sheek I have raised this matter numerous times and no-one it seems cares ...

thats a great idea!

I attended the NSW vs. Qld T20 match at ANZ stadium last night. I spent longer travelling there and back than I spent at the game but that’s another story. There were just under 30,000 spectators. It was quite noticeable the number of families (mum, dad and kids) in attendance. I would guess that ~ 30% of spectators were kids. The reason - tickets were $20 and kids got in free. There is no way we will fill ANZ when the Tahs play the Brumbies. Why not engage the families by letting kids in free. In the members' section, member must nominate how many kids are attending for a 'kid's ticket'. In non members sections tickets are a flat rate, no seat allocation and kids don't require a ticket. Result - fill the stadium. Bring in atmosphere and give all the ANZ detractors (including myself) a positive ANZ/Tahs experience. The stadium gets their return through all the food the families buy. Everyone wins... including the Tahs on the scoreboard because there is a huge screaming home crowd!

Dear Jim When will the Waratahs reach the finals so we can watch Tahman jump out of a helicopter again? As Bartercard boy grows up, is he provided with a bigger bike? Will the bus services to the stadium from Chatswood, Eastwood and other areas be reinstated for the benefit of season ticket holders?

Another pertinent question, I believe, is this: Where is the demarcation line between professional & amateur? I would have thought the game can't afford for Sydney premier rugby (PR) clubs to be professional. Or Brisbane, or any others for that matter. Not for the moment, anyway. I imagine it would require diligent leadership & tight discipline in preventing the PR clubs from engaging in a potentially fatal, spiraling money war with each other for players & coaches. Which, no doubt, is already occurring. Clear guidelines need to be established, & policed.

hahahahahaha.........................random trinitarian joke could fit in here somewhere

Plenty of apples rather than oranges at half time?

All of which does bring me to a question, a very critical question: Exactly what, or how, does the NSWRU intend to do to 'save' the western Sydney clubs of Penrith & Parramatta, stabilise them, & then allow them to grow? The youth catchment area of western Sydney is too great for it to be abandoned by rugby union. You would do this at your very peril.

Why are the European leagues developing and progressing in terms of TV figures, average attendances etc, but the Super 14 (specifically Australia) is not?

Serious question Jim. Why do non-members have to put up with poisonous low-rent beer at poisonous elite prices at SFS. Don't blame the SFS. It's rugby fans they are poisoning and robbing. Somebody signed a contract that allowed the monop-ilization of beer sales at rugby games. It's immoral, unAustralian and should be illegal. What are you doing about it? This is not a joke. We go to see the best contact sport known to man. And we are forced to drink some brewery owner's slops. Does anyone care about this you care about this or are all decision makers in the rarified air around the members bar? It's your shout.

its good that they play rugby, kings, joeys, view and knox, they can all offer them scholarships, as long as they're good at music ;-)

Jim Good luck this year - but a couple of questions I have Why - with only six home games this year - did you not schedule a home game in Sydney as a warm up - we really enjoyed going to the Crusader preseason game - it was a good kick start Are the teams finances strong enough to withhold a spending spree from the Melbourne team

RL is definitely more popular ... by light years, but they can cobble enough players together to win the Sanix World Schools Rugby Tournament in 2007. The only other Australian schools team to do it in 2000 was... Kings... http://www.rugby.com.au/get_onside/newsletter/article/070510_feature_two,57495.html/newsletter/57500 I didn't say they'd beat Kings, but I'd love to watch the contest! The Hills Sports High who will represent Australia at Sanix in 2010 would also be competitive against them. Have a look at the size of some of those kids in that photo... likely to ruffle a few of the GPS boys! http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/news/local/sport/general/team-off-to-japan/1623819.aspx you never know, in the end Kings may offer them a scholarship if they repeat year 12! Way off topic... sorry Jim!

Did Knox ever get to play Stannies. Would have been a grand old time in the dressing sheds

dont they play league and league only though?

I feel more comfortable making statements. Hopefully Zac & other Roarers can form the appropriate questions from my following statements. 1. Rugby as an entertainment product is struggling big time. We don't have any control over the laws of the game, that domain is controlled by the IRB. However, it is still incumbent on the NSWRU & other unions to make the product as attractive as they can. The old adage of "a 3-0 win is better than a 30-33 loss" no longer applies. Nor is it any longer tolerable. The Waratahs & other Aussie franchises must actively seek to play an attractive brand of rugby. The benefits are bleeding obvious. Just as an aside, while poaching league players was perceived as plugging a shortfall in critical areas, these players were not used to advantage in union. In the end, their defection was very poorly managed. 2. The international (Wallabies) & professional (super rugby) base is too narrow. 130 professional players won't excite the youth of the country as a whole. The game needs to be grown at both ends - top down & bottom up. We need as a matter of priority, a national comp -ARC, of 8-10 teams. But this will require a rearranging of structures/pillars. For example, Super Rugby must be changed to a Heineken Cup style format in order to give the ARC national priority & reduce duplication of resoources. Massive efforts must be made to develop the junior active participation base. 3. Clear, well defined pathways also require quality coaching side by side. Not only are we looking at developing the quantity & quality of players, but of coaches, referees & administrators also. Rugby must be able to facilitate the needs of all these groups. From juniors to seniors, players must be supported via training, kit , equipment, grounds & the like. 4. Leading on from point three, players, coaches, supporters, volunteers are walking away from the game. Why? The NSWRU & other unions need to reconnect with their primary stakeholders - fans & players. That means seriously listening to, & acting on their reasonable concerns; getting back to grassroots sessions between juniors & leading Waratahs & Wallabies; & providing the backroom support as also identified in point three. 5. Running a rugby organisation could be perceived as perhaps being like a real estate franchise. The housing/unit sales staff are the players & coaches - they sell the game & attract the viewers & sponsors, etc; the property managers are the development officers, development coaches, referees, etc - they manage the existing assets; the principals are the executive officers, the marketing, accounting, operations managers - who set the guidelines for the direction of the game. Everyone has a role to play, & each role is important in its own special way, all interacting with each other. It will be interesting to know exactly how the NSWRU intends to separate the professional/financial/sales side of its organisation from the juniors/schools/development/day-to-day side of its organisation. Well, I don't know if any of this is satisfactory. There's so much to discuss, & i;m losing track of where I'm at. Hopefully, by throwing these thoughts into the public forum, someone else might help crystallize my thoughts.

I think Westfield Sports High would give Kings a good run...