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Tigers Benji Marshall (centre) gets a pass away during the NRL Rugby League, Round 16, Penrith Panthers V Wests Tigers game in Sydney, Saturday, June 24, 2006. AAP Image/Action Photographics/Jonathan Ng
Benjamin Quentin Marshall and rugby union should join forces as soon as possible. This is an uncanny and rare situation where each party’s need is matched by the other party’s ability to meet that need.
It will be a wonderful experience for both parties, on and off the field.
According to the IRB’s Regulation 8: Eligibility to play for national representative teams, clause 8.1 says:
“A player may only play for the senior fifteen-aside national representative team, the next senior fifteen-a-side national representative team and the senior national representative Sevens team of the union of the country in which: (a) he was born; or (b) one parent or grandparent was born; or (c) he has completed thirty six consecutive months of residence immediately preceding the time of playing.”
Benji is therefore eligible to play for either the All Blacks or the Wallabies.
Rugby union’s need:
It became clear in the New Zealand versus Australia semi-final that both lack world class playmakers at fly half and will do so for the foreseeable future and certainly the next four years.
Slade and Cruden are neither the real thing as attackers nor playmakers and so will not dominate a game in this position. Dan Carter’s body has been breaking down for several years already, after years of intense work and pounding.
Quade Cooper is mercurial. Defined as either changeable, volatile, fickle, flighty, erratic or animated, lively, sprightly, quick-witted, this is a backhanded compliment at best.
Cooper has had a poor RWC 2011. He lacks the consistency required of a fly half in the long term. He will single-handedly win and lose games in the future. He will thrill and enrage us in equal measure.
Berrick Barnes, with a history of chronic brain issues, is sadly, an accident waiting to happen in such a physical game as rugby.
Beale and O’Connor do not have the passing game or vision to be as effective play makers as they are as world class, open field runners.
A national team and a nation cannot build their quadrennial Rugby World Cup programme on such unstable playmaker foundations.
The European rugby audience is also in need of playmakers.
Benji redesigned and redefined the sidestep. Not since Campo and his goosestep, has anyone of either code done this.
Benji is an awesome ball runner, a great playmaker for others and an excellent goal kicker.
Benji is a seasoned footballer who can assist Robbie Deans on the shop floor to bring a much tougher and more consistent performance to the Wallabies.
Benji is a courageous footballer. He has suffered and come back from many debilitating injuries that tested his commitment and courage.
He is a passionate and tireless community worker who will promote the game widely and into other markets.
Benji’s need:
Benji has given great service to rugby league and the Wests Tigers. He has earned one premiership and a World Cup from 155 games in nine seasons, and 18 games for New Zealand. There is nothing left for him to do in league. Rugby league has nothing to offer him other than more of the same for the next five to seven years.
Benji is currently an attractive but small brand. He has the ability and now the opportunity to take that brand to the next level and create a global brand.
This will greatly enhance his earning capacity and assist his community efforts now and once he finishes playing. SBW has created a global brand despite poor and short term advice from his manager, Khoder Nasser. Jonah has created a global brand despite a severely curtailed career due to injury.
Carefully managed, Benji could significantly exceed their benchmarks.
Australia offers more commercial opportunities and his life and personal relationships are Sydney based. To maximise the benefits to both parties, he would need to choose to join Australia and the Waratahs.
Conversely, Benji would suffer less from the goldfish bowl syndrome in union and yet have a higher and more valuable public profile.
Everyone wins. The code of rugby union has the stage and the need for a playmaker. Benji needs the stage and has the playmaker skills.
The ARU and an Australian Super Rugby franchise gets a great marketing asset into the working class and country kids that possess the physical and mental toughness that the current Wallabies don’t have consistently.
Cooper gains a first hand mentor to help him develop the consistency that he currently lacks. The Wallabies add to the mental toughness that is required at Super Rugby and Test match level and add depth in a crucial position.
Questions remain. Can the ARU see past the previous experiences of Tuqiri and Sailor and learn from them? Can Benji accept the challenge and risk that crossing codes entails? The barrier to entry for a playmaker will never be lower that it is today. Could Benji choose between Australia and New Zealand?
Today, I announce the bands of marriage for the first time for Benjamin Quentin Marshall and rugby union.
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.