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Over the past months there have been many differing opinions and articles on how to ensure the future of Australian rugby. The common theme has been to look outside Australia for answers.
Whether it is to join the ITM Cup with a number of Australian-based teams, or with universities being the answer, or through a rehash of the ARC. The worst one by far in my humble opinion has been suggestion of an expanded Super Rugby.
Now if that isn’t putting the cart before the horse then nothing is.
How can one even consider the increase in number of Super Rugby teams in a country when it has to compete with the two nations that have the most comprehensive rugby development systems in the world while its domestic development has little to be desired for?
It is high time that Australians and the ARU begin an introspective look into their systems and development paths to feed talented players with the correct type of experience in their Super Rugby teams.
Every grade of rugby union you step up, two things happen. The game becomes faster, in essence players have less time to read the situation, less time to make decisions and there for less space to do it in.
The second aspect of taking the grade up is physicality. The players are bigger, stronger and more ruthless.
When I compare the quality of coaching in some South African clubs it is scary to think a prop must make that step up to an Australian franchise and not get seriously injured.
Stepping up to the Super Rugby level and being mauled by bigger and faster players without the necessary experience and technique can break a player physically and mentally. No matter how much promise he shows at the lower level, the question remains whether he can just step up when this gap is too big.
So forget about more Super Rugby teams.
Let’s come back to the internal assessment that needs to be made by the ARU. But rather than looking at the ARU, rather look at each of these five Super Rugby Franchises. Don’t look at how to grow Australian rugby from a national perspective. Look at how each region, state, or team can improve their situation.
Sydney and Melbourne are the two biggest cities. Each of them has a totally different requirement to let’s say Canberra who is much smaller in population.
Why do you think Jake White has come up with the idea that the University in Canberra must give bursaries to top young SA rugby players to study and eventually represent the Brumbies?
It is because he realises with such a small population it is near impossible to have the same quality or number of rugby clubs in Canberra. What Jake White has done unnoticeably is looking at his area of responsibility and how to improve the Brumbies.
Sydney and Melbourne should look at having a high quality club competition each. Travel will be limited because it is still held within the city limits and does not need to go outside to find competitive games.
The Reds in Brisbane will most likely have to follow the model that Jake White is looking at in Canberra and the Western Force in Perth could look at something similar to Sydney and Melbourne.
There are a number of reasons why I suggest this. Travel is probably the biggest factor in Australia, it makes little sense to have an amateur club from Perth travel to Sydney for a round robin match.
The cost will be astronomical. The politics involved in Australian rugby also seems more like a deterrent than a positive asset at times.
I know this is not ultimately the aim, eventually Australia will want to have an ITM/Currie Cup system in place, but for the short to medium term this is the best solution I can think of and it allows politics between unions to step aside and focus internally on how to best solve their own conundrum without paying much heed to what is happening outside their realm.
Most importantly get the children to play rugby, if not at the schools then have rugby clinics, let the players get involved in fun days. Find a sponsor (it doesn’t need that much money) and hold cub’s rugby, similar to how you would have mini cricket, it really isn’t that hard.
The future of Australian rugby lies in its communities, let each Franchise take the responsibility to get their six-year-olds to play rugby, have festivals where families can come spend the day and their kids are put into groups.
Alternatively, follow the model of little league, but get something going.
Ultimately the development of Australian rugby will come from their regions, and because of the uniqueness of Australia’s demographics, a search for a national solution might not be the answer.
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.