Remember the bad old days when rugby league pillaged the then defenceless amateur rugby code of its best players on a regular basis?
You had better, because there’s every chance rugby is in for a repeat dose with rugby league clubs about to be cashed up under the code’s new TV deal.
Not that too many current Wallabies will be targetted the way they are playing.
Most should be sacked.
But in many ways, those same Wallabies are playing for the 15-man code’s future.
What self-respecting teenager would want to be part of an easy-beat and frail Wallaby structure?
This must be an uppercut wake-up call to the ARU and all five Australian Super Rugby franchises to get off their respective butts and lock away talented schoolboys before the league swoops.
And league will; rugby can count on it.
And league’s potential plundering will be made easier with growing dissent within Wallaby ranks against Robbie Deans’ coaching methods and that of his support staff.
A weak cop-out when those at fault are the Wallabies themselves: their pride and passion for the jersey down the toilet.
Ignore all the media hype that this All Black side is one of the greatest in New Zealand’s illustrious rugby history. The image is bollocks.
There have been many great All Black sides over the years, that’s why the men-in-black have won 369 of their 489 internationals, or 76%.
Only the Wallabies, with 41 wins from 145 (28%), the Boks with 34 wins from 83 (41%), France with 12 from 51 (24%), the Lions with six from 38 (16%), England six from 34 (18%), and Wales three from 28 (11%), have ever beaten the All Blacks in history.
They are just far better than any other country at the moment and therefore not vulnerable to league raids.
Not so with the Wallabies.
To remind the older Roarers of those bad old days and tell the younger Roarers had bad it was:
Since World War 11: Trevor Allan, Ken Kearney, Rex Mossop, Arthur Summons, Mike Cleary, Jimmy Lisle, Dick Thornett, Kevin Ryan, Bob Honan, Phil Hawthorne, John Brass, Stephen Knight, Geoff Richardson, Ray Price, Michael O’Connor, Ricky Stuart, Scott Gourley, and Andrew Walker.
Other notable Wallabies to switch who didn’t become dual internationals like the above:
Wallaby captain Peter Sullivan, Tony Melrose, Brett Papworth, Russell Fairfax, Andrew Leeds, Mitchell Cox, Barry Stumbles, Tony D’Arcy, John Ryan, James Grant, and Darren Junee.
Carnage.
Since rugby turned pro in 1996 and could retaliate, just four Kangaroos won Wallaby selection: Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers, Lote Tuqiri, and Timana Tahu.
One-way traffic.
So ARU, and the five Australian franchises, make sure that doesn’t happen again.
The ball is entirely in your respective courts for survival.
Leo
Guest
And you know that because your close friends with all the NRL ceo's. lol
Leo
Guest
Your not suggesting the Warriors have the same fans as those who watch the grand final game on tv in NZ last year? Do you know the different between bandwagon fans and real fans? Well the game between St Kent's and Auckland Grammar got more crowds than the Warriors last game but don't compare school rugby crowds to an NRL game its like comparing apples with oranges. All I'm saying is college rugby is now outrating NRL on NZ sky tv.
Leo
Guest
They were all poach anyone who was asked to leave their sport with money dangling in front of them were poach.
Leo
Guest
Matt_S, thanks for taking an interest in NZ but please try and do some homework and find the different between Auckland in league and Auckland in rugby.
David Heidelberg
Guest
It is the reason Wally Lewis quit union, and how often do players like him come along? He toured with the Australians schoolboys side that included the Ellas as well as the great dual-international MIchael O'Connor.
David Heidelberg
Guest
"Enjoy your Sydney and your South Auckland game George and I will enjoy RIO, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Durban and Perth." If that is how you feel why not follow soccer, and enjoy every corner of the earth?
JVGO
Guest
I'd say most of the Wallabies backline would be good NRL club players but probably not worth the money they are getting in Union as Wallabies so they would be better off staying in Union. I'm not sure that any of them would be origin standard which is where they would have to be to start earning the money the get as internationals in Union.
JVGO
Guest
Those guys were hardly League greats, they were four pretty good players but were all wingers in league, probably the least important position
DB1999
Guest
I'm James, I was using a library computer for my initial comment as "James", my real name
JP
Guest
The wording of the ban was quite specific - and for 100 years anybody who played rugby league was banned from union because they were deemed to be professional rugby players. There were some attempts to get round the ban - in the UK the British Amateur Rugby League Association was set up as distinct from the Rugby Football League so union players could also play Rugby League (and vice versa). It just amuses me that prople claim rugby was first played professionaly in the mid 1990s when it isn't the case at all - according to the IRB it has been played professionaly since 1895.
DB1999
Guest
Yes I am aware that GB has been average for the last 3 decades but I'm just stating a fact that Australia hasn't dominated rugby league historically as they've made out to have done. Just saying.
DB1999
Guest
Maybe if they had the opportunity to have a full-scale tour of South Africa and win a test series, which is the pinncale of All Black rugby. Unfortunately they don't get that opportunity so it's hard to compare All Blacks sides from '97 onwards to those pre '97 when rugby tours were the norm. The All Blacks side of '96 who finally won a test series in SA is regarded as the best side of all time by a lot of people
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Here, you have spun the story. Further down the page I notice comments reel your "thoughts" back into line Obviously you are biased against league. And thats not the thing. Thats ok. But your opinion must stand up to the weight of the public. The 900 million (thats left, according to you - not much - soon to be wasted..) will be increased with the foreign tv deals such as NZ, internet streaming, and radio rights.....naming rights sponsor... Thats another 100 million+ __ Its a fantastic deal the ARLC have done. If I were you, I would be talking it down too, its going to put you into the shade - forever. Just like you tried to do to us.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
On the one hand I believe as I say, that we won't need to. Its a bit rich, though, don't you think that after saying you would "bury us", "decimate our ranks" and that "league will be dead in 5 years".....after the year 2000, John Oneil, ect. Its so hypocritical. I knew Union sewed its own fate in this country back then. You took our players, we watched for a year or two, bledisloe got big, you had the rugby world cup and 20k would turn up to see Namibia play Fiji. Then it died. Former League players returned to league, they said they were bored. And league did not die. I think this time, you will see, like some have said, Union players knocking on our door, off their own backs. __ I don't have any sympathy for Rugby Union. You sewed this. Live it.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
No, it was referring to league as played back in 1908 – i.e. rugby with 15 players etc, but professional. Although the French were banned en mass in between the wars because the payers were being played.
Sluggy
Roar Guru
Deleted double post.
JP
Guest
"Since rugby turned pro in 1996 and could retaliate" The IRB had a rule prior to the mid 1990s which stated anybody who played rugby professionally or played for a club belonging to a governing body which also oversaw professional rugby was to be banned sine die from playing rugby union. Your statement seems to suggest that any ban handed out under that rule was fraudulent given you believe there was no professional rugby until the mid 1990s.
Indio
Guest
The Worriers will win a premiership and Ireland will beat the ABs before that happens.
peeeko
Roar Guru
GB has not beat Australia in a league series since 1970
jus de couchon
Guest
Any chance of a one off match of the Wallaroo s playing the KiwiBlacks . It would be an Interesting exercise just to agree on what format it would take. If it ever happened it might make a great spectacle.