Rugby should look towards the Asian riches

I am Indian, and love the game since my childhood. I am 25, and watching the game since I was in 5th standard. Its not that by watching only we can generate enthusiasm. But a lot is to be done on the physical bases. Although the Indian Rugby Football Union is doing a lot to bring more people in. But small cities like mine, Lucknow need a lot of focus and field work. We used to have Rugby matches a decade back, at La Matiniere college here. But now its out of scene. I myself wanted to be a professional player, but due to lack of knowledge, failed.

A good story about Rugby in Kansas. Still a long way to go, but they are taking to 7s http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/20/2095932/rugby-can-be-an-option-when-high.html

Dublin Dave I'm more than willing to see a world where the are 20 or so truly competitive Rugby nations. In fact I'd prefer it. Again both would benefit. The means in which I suggest don't necessarily need be if such endeavours were undertaken. I'd be perfectly happy if SANZAR as a whole chose to go on a major development push alongside the IRB. As has been put forward an increase in revenue via an increased TV contract would hopefully provide similar if not greater benefit. In the end I want Asian Rugby to grow in size and popularity. I'm an advocate of a self contained competitve Asia. One where although the may struggle to compete against their larger European opponents the game still thrives knowing that within the region there are many nations that can provide a good spectacle on a regular basis. However, for this to occur an increase in develppment efforts must occur. The IRB has been doing a reasonably good job but to really begin to accelerate the game presence the major Unions need to become involved. For a major Union to get involved they need to see some benefit to them. That's is why I used the Waratahs as an example when arguing this point. Rugby and more specifically SANZAR should be looking to vastly expand the game in Asia prior to any future TV rights neogiations to ensure that the game maximises its earning potential which in turn flows into development both locally and abroad.

"what you are trying to achieve here"? Both. Get Asia hooked onm rugby, then they'll pay big bucks for the TV rights for the best comp - S15 and 3N. Just like they do for EPL.

Completely unrealistic, not to mention, stupid. Promising players from the sub continent and china? No Asian I know of has ever made the top level of rugby ... in Super rugby or European rugby, or for that matter, Sydney Club Rugby. There was a Japanese winger a few years back, but that is it. Why waste a spot on a Super 14 team, for a player no one has ever heard of, with a low skill level, who will never play for Australia. It is simply a ridiculous proposal. If there are promising Asian players, thay can come to Sydney, play club rugby, and show their potential.

The reality is, rugby today is a business, especially for the ARU in a market currently subject to a code war. There a no tangible benefits from developing rugby in countries with barely visible rugby populations. Development is the job of the IRB .... the ARU need to focus on their own backyard. The All Blacks do have more worldwide visibility that the Wallabies .... but a lot of this comes from their history of success in Intl rugby (despite their lack or RWC´s) .. rather than from any worldwide development work the NZRU has ever done. Btw - the International Rugby Academy is a private business and nothing to do with the NZRU developing rugby. Development is the job of the IRB ....

I think one limitation on the development of rugby in South East Asia is a physical one. Generally Asian people are of a slighter build than Europeans and Pacific Islanders who dominate rugby. And this is a limitation on its potential for development, and on the ability of Asians to become top international players. Size is not everythig on rugby, but at the example of the tiny Pacific Islands shows, having a certain type of build does help the popularity of the sport and the production of top rugby players. The Japanese team is a good example of this. Japan has a professional Rugby competition, which attracts some of the top All Blacks, Wallabies and Saffers, after they quit domestic rugby, but the Japanese team, while improving, still struggles in international competition, and a primary reason for this is the lack of size of its players. There are several Pacific Islanders and New Zealanders in their national team, adding bulk to and skills to the team. Second row, back row, and fly half are positions that have for several years been dominated by non-Japanese players who have obtained residency. In terms of development ... there have been the recent "extra" Bledisloe matches .. which help the coffers of the ARU and NZRU, and Japan is going to hold the 2019 world cup .... but there is really only the possability of doing this once a year. But I dont really see what tangible benefits there are in Australia pro-activley going out to get involved in developing Asian rugby. I dont see much point in holding Super 15 matches in Asian countries, as I doubt crowd figures would be any better that home matches. Perhaps in a future Super 20 ... there could be a Japanese and a Hong Kong team .. expanding viewing audiences. But I see any other development as really the responsability of the IRB ... not the ARU or NSWRU ... the ARU needs to do all it can to keep rugby going in Australia .... not worry about other countries

PLA compete in the HK club scene. A scene dominated by qualified expats at HK Football Club and Valley (who basically exist to stuff Club). HK is doing major work to ensure that first and second grade club teams field eligible players but clubs still largely fall under an ex-pat or local flavour. My old club HKCC is working hard to be a bridge club that includes both but most clubs are one or the other.

Love it, great post Dave. Am ready for my beloved Wallabies to slide down the world rankings. Spread the game. But for the locals, spread it to Western Sydney first!

Really depends on the nation, the HK side I coached last year went to Cambodia on our end of season tour. Our 4th grade team only lost to the national side because we played under Barbarian rules of no kicking. We still competed well and lost three tries to two. Send those blokes some balls, jerseys and tackle bags and run coaching clinics. Not quite ready to train with the big boys. Japan and HK could definitely do with touring sides to play competitive rugby against.

Spot on Pablo, plenty of work to be done at home before they start racking up the air miles. I presume Japan is stronger based on the ex-Super 14 players they attract but in HK the best club teams would struggle against the Sydney Premieship sides let alone the Tahs. Just playing the national sides would get a bit of the exposure that WCR is looking for and I think is a worthy idea. If the guys are going conduct coaching clinics there is a need for it in Western Sydney that should be explored before we consider Asia.

Don't know about India but in HK and Sing and across alot of SE Asia we have the Australia Network as free channel once you buy a pay TV subscription. Shows Super 14, Tri Nations, League and AFL. Pretty much only the ex-pats (like me) watch it. Completely ignored by the local populace. We had a few local guys in our club in HK and they would watch 6 Nations but had very little interest in Super 14 and Tri. HK maintains a massive connection to the UK so I think that explains it. Heading to a pub in Singapore to watch this arvo's game and I know it will just be Aussies, Kiwis and Saffas in attendance. Big ask to grow an Aussie club presence in these markets.

WCR, what a brilliant idea - spread the game as a game. Once the enthusiasm is there the rest will follow as a natural consequence. Ignore the doom sayers and negative drongos that have posted, it's a brilliant idea to post. Something that the ARU should do, maybe along with the fuddy duddies at the IRB. But then that maybe asking too much of them. They seem to want immediate results, and can't be bothered to go the slower and more productive hard yards.

kovana PLA - People Liberation Army Well, that's the hope. They actually run two national teams at the moment. One a primarily University based squad while the other is entirely Military. They sent their Military squad to Delhi recently for the Asian 5 Nations and were promptly dispatched with by the hosts in the first game. Didn't get any better from there. Many were left wondering what happened to the team that narrowing lost out to Thailand in a promotion battle last year. Simple. That squad stayed at home.

kovana Not a great deal. However, as I have already established both the IRB and the Chinese Ministry of Sport are working on a nationde development program that will see Rugby entering the state school systems in all 31 provinces. So while the numbers are small, expect that to grow over the next couple of years. You should also take into account that the PLA also plays and don't publish their participation numbers.

Dublin Dave, enjoyed your dissertation . Realistic and global. The trouble is that a lot of administrators talk global but think local.Travel and education are the key. For many Americans the world starts and ends with them. For the British it is about past glory( don't fret,its only a sledge) and for Australia it is the tyranny of distance and isolation. Badly handled Australia becomes myopic but with a modicum of lateral thinking it can become visionary and embracing.

Don't wish too hard, guys. You might get what you're asking for! First of all, it's not clear what you are trying to achieve here. Is it growth in the popularity of rugby for the sake of the game itself, or growth in the popularity of the Waratahs brand for the sake of increased cash and prestige? If the former, then look no further than your former colonial master the Brits/Poms/Soutpiels (select derogatory term according to taste) for an unsurpassable blueprint on how to evangelise their sports, and to your American cousins for an object lesson in how to remain a piece of marginal exotica. Using the former method, you have a better chance of spreading the game but losing influence. In the latter, you will keep all your power and influence but you won't succeed in spreading the game any more than the Americans have ever done with their sports. Say what you like about the British but boy could they get people to play their games. Especially their colonial subjects. They did this by spreading the games themselves, encouraging the subject peoples to play and, crucially, offering them the possibility of becoming better than the mother county at whichever sport. Most importantly, the colonies were offered the opportunity to prove this at frequent intervals. Whether by accident or design, this was a brilliant stratagem, mimicing the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia (which we call Christmas nowadays) during which roles between slaves and masters were temporarily reversed. Slaves were served their meals by their masters, they were allowed to gamble and they could not be punished. There was also much festivities and merry making. There's nothing like giving the underdog a regular taste of power, however contrived, to keep his loyalty. Which cricket test series do Australians most look forward to winning? I would guess the Ashes. Regardless of how pants the English cricket team may be, regardless of the disparity between their team and the Australians, regardless of how many other test sides could give Australia a closer match, beating the Poms is still that most delicious of experiences. The English take this animosity with a shrug of their shoulders; no one likes us? We don't care. Now contrast this with the Americans. Sensitive little souls that they are, they don't like the thought that people might want to duff them up at their own games, so they don't encourage others to play. On the contrary, they say "Well, if you want to watch football, why not watch the Cowboys play the Patriots? Why on earth would you want your own teams? Hell we'll even bring the Cowboys and Patriots to play each other at a stadium near you. What more could you want?" They just don't get it. They just don't understand that however vicarious the pursuit of watching a sport and forming an attachment to one of the teams there is still a need to feel some belonging, some empathy, something that makes the team "yours". If you take the American approach of trying to spread the team (or franchise) rather than the game itself, you will meet with as much success as the Americans have done in spreading their games. I challenge any average Aussie (or Kiwi or European for that matter) to name ten famous baseball players. It's just not on our radar. It's not part of our lives. We have no stake in it. Then again, if you spread the game itself and the Indians take it up successfully, be prepared to lose your pre-eminence in years to come. Are you ready for that? Because it seems to me from reading other posts on this site that the Aussies don't like the fact that the commercial muscle of the game of cricket is shifting towards India. They don't like the fact that their best players travel overseas to play in the 20-20 leagues. They don't like the fact that there is resistance to John Howard being appointed to a position of international prestige in the game's administration. You have to take that on the chin, build up your own teams' strengths and compete on the new playing field. That's great for the game, great for the increased prizes in the game, great for the opportunities it affords to travel and experience new competitions in different places. But it's not necessarily good for the Waratahs' "brand". Spread the game, not the brand. This is something wonderful. It's sport. It's rugby. It's not Coca bleeding Cola.

therealalekid THat may the man I read about. Pity.

Pete Thanks for that. Wasn't too sure.

JohnB Yes, the overall objective of such a move would be to hopefully cultivate a new market. I'm not going to apologise for this. Whether you like it or not money is a motivator and if you have to actively hunt these opportunites then so be it. I use the Waratahs as an example as they will soon have to pay a licencing fee to the NSWRU. This fee will filter back into gthe various organisations they fund. Now from what I can draw from the information I have been able to gather this fee will fluxuate on a season by season basis. Looking at an option such as this would hopefully help build not only the teams revenue but bolster the fee paid to the NSWRU and therefore filter increased funds back to the areas that really need them. So there is all be it an apparently far removed local development link. However, and I realise I didn't go into alot of detail on this but the way they would 'cultivate' these markets is via similar methods that you have suggested. People are looking at this to one dimensionally. If executed correctly all should be far richer for the experience.