It is hoped that the new Australian Rugby Union CEO doesn’t come from a banking background, where everything is viewed as a cost centre and the focus is almost solely on how overheads can be reduced.
Where the strategy is based around user pays, where kids and coaches have to pay for every activity. A focus that does not consider promoting the game to the uninitiated but one that seeks to relentlessly cash in on the faithful.
There are times when it is required to spend money to make money, and now is the time.
It is time to build the rugby infrastructure in Australia with a bottom up strategy that invests in the grassroots and builds from there (rather than this top Super Rugby development nonsense that has gone nowhere – even the Waratahs are using the ITM Cup to develop their players).
Australia now has five franchises, and it would be easy to expand the five from the current 1st XV and add a 2nd XV, say a under-23 side for games within Australia.
The teams could travel together, stay together and share the same venues. This would double the product for viewers both live and TV.
This would also deliver a pool of around 60 players per franchise and bolster Australia’s depth of players. Player utilisation would need to change from running paid training sessions to grassroot school engagement.
Each region in Australia could have a dedicated current Super Rugby player/players, where the player works with locals to promote the game in primary and high schools. In time that player’s name becomes a household name in that region.
In NSW there are some eight country zones and some 12 Shute Shield clubs, providing a total of 20 major rugby organisations, all with a substantial junior investment (with the exception of Sydney Uni).
The 60 NSW players could be divided amongst the 20 and each organisation could have a senior player, a mid-range player and a under-23 to help promote rugby in that area. Kids want to see their stars; it is time the stars went out and met them!
Australian rugby may have a fifth franchise but the game underneath has been spinning its wheels.
It is going nowhere, quickly. In the past five years the game at junior and senior levels has, at best, marked time.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Well well well here is Pakistan doing now what Australian Rugby should have done a long time ago -IT'S TIME GENTLEMEN!!! Let's get a vote of NO CONFIDENCE in anyone /regime that is committed to the status quo -we've all had a gutfull of it and it's TIME TO CHANGE !!!! JUSTICE TRANSPARENCY EQUITY !!!!!
Rock
Guest
Cracker of analogy, and totally agree. The exit of O'Neill has been long overdue, I would like to see a fresh approach and outlook instead of the Boy's Club the ARU has become.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Rock - the ARU has been behaving like a bank - screwing the client on behalf of the shareholders and keeping its risk exposure to an absolute minimum. The last thing that has been on its mind is taking the game to new markets.
Rock
Guest
The ARU sure think it is!
30 mm tags
Guest
What is a fair figure for the cost of running a comp equivalent to the ARC of a few years ago. I heard stories of gross greediness in terms of coaching staff, extendedb stays hotel accommodation, multiple team officials, expensive kit etc. Apart from reducing the cosy luxuries either a 2 conference system of 6 teams in each or 8 teams in each. The top 2 in each conference go into a knockout final series. One of many solutions could have the 16 team comp and would have 2 teams from Sydney,1 from the much spoken about Western Sydney,Brisbane 2,QLD Country, North Qld ,Gold Coast ,Newcastle , Southern NSW ( say xvGoulburn), Central New South Wales Country( Bathurst or Mudgee),New England and North Coast NSW providing one team,ACT, Adelaide,Melbourne and Perth. The Northern Conference would have possibly Bris 1 and 2, North Qld, Qld Country, Gold Coast,North Coast NSW and New England , Newcastle and Central NSW Country. The Southern Conference could have Sydney 1 and 2, Western Sydney, Southern NSW, ACT, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth. Could it work? Is that grass roots?
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Definitely not rocket science is it ....
ThelmaWrites
Guest
Makes sense, sittingbison, to get us started.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
I won't be holding my breath either.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
A valid point s/b - I too would enjoy watching the Jonah Placids (Australian Schools fullback) of this world come through - it is the best way of a creating a tribal culture.
sittingbison
Guest
And often the second XV type games are far more entertaining and fun than the S15 games. How good would it be for the younger and less experienced players to play at a proper stadium in front of thousands of fans. And I am certain the fans would turn up, we all love seeing what the next best can bring to the table as we debate the abilities and failing of the starters. Surely sticking another 20 players on the plane isn't going to kill the bank, given all the infrastructure and support crew is already going?
Cattledog
Roar Guru
One of the reasons I have little faith in the ARU getting it right this time as well.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Totally agree - the lack foresight displayed by the ARU at times has been stunning. All we have ever heard was that the ARC was to expensive, but rather than fix the problem they just abandoned a wonderful player production line straight into Super Rugby.
redsnut
Guest
"The teams could travel together, stay together and share the same venues. This would double the product for viewers both live and TV" That could, and should, have been done when each franchise had it's own academy
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Got to agree with you, Rickety. Now's the time to develop the right, sustainable structure. Why is it, however, I get the feeling the ARU will once again botch this opportunity. I hope I'm wrong.
Sledgeandhammer
Guest
How's this on today's IRB site - Pakistan is about to launch a 20 team domestic competition. Ha ha.. even Pakistan has beat us to the punch! Meanwhile here's a clip of one of my favourite Pakistani player, Nanu Niazi, he's a beast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUX_G9f9EhY
Johnno
Guest
Going forwad in 2012 and beyond. JON will be leaving the building or the Ivory towers very soon. There is a board meeting on October 22nd that will be interesting no question. But to me JON's proposal of keeping the 3rd tier around shut shield and hospitals cup and Canberra seemed confusing and Vague. Making it a national championship without going into detail about the draw. Saying Matt Carroll is reviewing it. Admits some blame for the no 3rd tier. He says the brands are strong and yes he is right to a degree, they have some established base. But in reality they are broke the clubs , poor infrastructure. He says money will go in sure okay, but really a small ARC would be better not he east coast like the Balmain rugby club were talking about. They the Balmain rugby club seemed to of gone quiet..And this thing JON said about under-20 comp is that randwick, clubs or new clubs. Or his ARC model just randwick under 20's in other words under-20 clubs only. The way JON has talked since he has left is more of the same. he admits some blame for the neglect of the 3rd tier but he is basically saying the 3rd tier will be in the small internal market of local comps, and a bit of wishy washy national championship. The ARU seemed as lost as ever on a 3rd tier. Can;t they afford it why don't they fight hard to fond a sponsor int he old boys network. No talk also of any schoolboy rugby GPS being on tv, a shame there to. Imports have to be looked at too for super rugby . Cut the protectionism or Xenophobia or stubborn attitudes and double standard rugby fans and hypocrisy. Your all happy and in support of imports in the A-league eg sydney fc del pier, and low all the imports in both he A-league and NRL and T20 big bash, and think all the imports are good for rugby league in OZ all the kiwis, and english man. Suuths have 7 imports now. You have to embrace improts in super rugby. Del Piero is brining int he crowds, well a johnny wilkinson type could do the same for rugby. I am bored of watching Dean Mumm or Daneil Halandghu type in super rugby teams in OZ. So 5 improts like the A-league allow 5 per team would be astart. And NRL is unlimited which has helped aussy league a lot. Means kiwis have now got better and australia in league is not all alone. I mean who would you rather watch Del Piero, Tendulkar in the T2o if he came out for big bash, Benji Marshall , or Sam Burgess, or some average local. So impors will help the ARU get more revenue in super rugby and be good for player welfare and squad rotation. Also I agree with Qaude Cooper about the need for a high performance centre. Brumbies are building theres to eb complete next year. Wallabies and all national teams could benefit form a high performance centre at Ballymore, updated one. Canada and England have just built one they are great. . And the next ARU head has to spend more money on development officers like the AFL spend big with Auskick development officers. Ulitmiatley it would be good to create 2 elite national ARC divisions with promotion/relegations it would really get the fans in and spice up the games too, would be great to watch. SO teams like gelling,canberra,hobart,west sydney, townsville could all put teams into an elite 2 division ARC. -So heroes the pyramid -Wallaby and play 1 regional test a year eg Townsville was big success new markets to be found -Super rugby with 5 imports per team will help player welfare a lot and rotate and rest wallaby stars with compromising quality. -3RD tier ARU 2 divisions national domestic comp promotion/relegation comp and get pay tv deal for the 2 divsions -under-20's -Schoolboys with state and national championships, and 7evens tournaments And high performance development officers employed right around the country developing the sport.