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The Parramatta Two Blues has been in the news recently. There is concern this proud Western Sydney club may not compete in this year’s Sydney Shute Shield (Premier rugby) due to a lack of players.
Even if it does compete, it may only involve one senior and one colts (U/20) team. We haven’t even heard how fellow Western Sydney club, Penrith Emus, is faring.
The lack of penetration into the greater Western Sydney by the NSWRU is coming back to bite them.
Sydney’s Greater West contains the largest youth catchment area in Australia, with rugby league, Australian football and association football all competing against each other for the hearts and minds of these future players.
Rugby union is conspicuous by its absence in this battle out west.
Sure, the NSWRU have made intermittent attempts to penetrate this massive market, but a combination of current lack of funds and previous lack of sufficient will is seeing rugby union well and truly lose the fight.
Indeed, it’s not even in the contest at present.
Meanwhile, across town near the CBD, the Sydney University club has been given immunity for life, it seems. Sydney University doesn’t represent a suburb or district, but here it is, its place in Sydney premier rugby guaranteed in apparent perpetuity.
This is because Sydney University is universally recognised in the lore and history of Australian rugby as our first ever rugby club.
Yet, even this might be in dispute.
Originally, Sydney University RFC claimed it was first founded in 1863, then 1864. Yet, the first documented evidence doesn’t seem to appear until 1865.
Even then, there is speculation it was beaten to the punch as our first rugby club by Sydney FC, which claims to have been founded in June of 1865.
Over the years, it appears the newspapers have often become confused between Sydney FC and Sydney University FC. What is undisputed is that Sydney University can claim to be the oldest continuously existing rugby club in Australia.
On the other hand, there have been various rugby/football clubs named Sydney, with none of them surviving long-term.
When the district club system was introduced in 1900, seven of the original 8 clubs were district based, with Sydney University being given exemption. The elite society dominated rugby establishment had no problem with this obvious anomaly.
For the record, the original eight clubs forming the district competition in 1900 were: Balmain, Glebe, Newtown, North Sydney, South Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs and Sydney University.
If these teams have a familiar ring to them, with the exception of Sydney University, the other seven clubs were founding rugby league clubs in Sydney in 1908. The other two being Cumberland (later Parramatta) and Newcastle (for one season).
But getting back to Sydney University, don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating they disappear from sight. I simply believe their proper place is in the Suburban comp, freeing up their place in premier rugby for another district based team.
I know a proud and passionate Sydney University supporter like Bruce Ross will take me to task over this, but I simply can’t accept that Sydney University’s place in the Shute Shield is considered inviolate, while Parramatta and perhaps even Penrith, run the risk of disappearing beneath the waves.
The problem of Australian rugby, and NSWRU in particular, is a systemic one, or structural to be precise.
We uphold a team (Sydney University) that represents no district, suburb or region, while seemingly being willing to sacrifice a club that represents a district. Not just a district, but one of the huge youth catchment areas of both Sydney and Australia.
Let’s say both Parramatta and Penrith drop out of Shute Shield.
The westernmost club remaining in the 10 team Shute Shield would be West Harbour, or perhaps Eastwood further to its north. There would also be Sydney University, who represent no district at all, and Eastern Suburbs, whose youth catchment has contracted significantly over the past century.
If Parrmatta, and perhaps Penrith, are allowed to disappear, while Sydney University remains immune from relocation (to suburban rugby), then I can only draw the conclusion that Australian rugby is not at all serious about developing their game.
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.