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.
Sam
Guest
Who the hell are the ACT Griffins then? I am confused.
Bakkiesour kids' rugby season startsdirectly after the athletics season which is in about 2 weeks time. They have training every afternoon after school, we have festival days where we would take our kids to schools in other provinces and they would play at least two games on the saturday. Their league has about 12 matches for the season. Then if they qualify they go into another league where they will play another two moths of rugby, no matter whether they are 8 years old or 12 years old.
Bakkies
Guest
Exactly. Clubs in a pro provincial/regional set up are there to feed in to it. For players not up to pro level it's a good enough standard for them to play the game that they love. It shouldn't be any more then that. They had their place in the amateur era when teams like the Waratahs were a representative team and there wasn't a six month test season. It was similar here in Ireland more people watched club Rugby then the provinces.
Bakkies
Guest
When was the last time Malo watched club Rugby? It was pretty awful last time I saw it. Do they teach players how to tackle and kick at 1st Grade level in Sydney these days? Randwick were even sticking it up the jumper! ''Bakkies go back to your academies and beep tests and live in your ridiculous “so called profesional world and believe you have successfully bridged the gap between super 12 and the next level thru your academies.'' Do you understand the purpose of academies? When you do, get back to me. ''You obviously have never played rugby and have no idea of the minute difference in stepping up from club level to S12. '' Rubbish. My opinion is the exactly the same as Clyde Rathbone's. Since you are living in a time warp. Rathbone played SA under 21s, Currie Cup, Super Rugby, Shute Shield and Test Rugby. So does he not know what he is talking about? ''Give club rugby a chance unless you are going to pay for the professional clubs you tosser. Get real. Where is this money coming from.'' Sponsors, Uncle Rupert and the Saffers. Who is paying for these marvellous pretend ''professional'' clubs in Sydney who can't afford to pay council rates let alone players? Well.....
p.Tah
Guest
Super 12? When was the last time you watch the competition ;)
garmos
Roar Rookie
Keep ice skating up hill Malo. Interesting to note that Pulver said that the third tier comp is back on the agenda using existing academies. Look,the clubs will have their place and my suggestion about the Waratahs being the Sydney Tahs is just that. A suggestion! Sorry if I offended your sense of traditionalism!
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Sheek, would you agree the step up from Super Rugby to the National team is a smaller step than club rugby to Super? My read on your comment would indicate you see it as about the same. I believe club to super is a huge step whereas super to National would be akin to a third tier to super. Whilst I agree its a large step, I don't think it's in the same boat as club to super is. I've only gleened this from discussions with players rather than first hand experience ;)
Cattledog
Roar Guru
Malo. Your comments are now becoming just a ramble. 'Only big, muscle bound, rich private school types may apply'. Such comments only show your inadequacy in clearly articulating your point. Your churlish posts were apparent earlier but you've now let petty jealousy and apparent hate of a facet of our education system cloud your thoughts. You should also attempt to either put forth another option, perhaps being that there is no requirement for a third tier and the reasons why to back up your opinion rather than denegrating the opinions of those who may have a different perspective than yourself.
Johnno
Guest
Malo my teams are not provinces, like you said above, they are areas. I don't want a provincial/state comp last thing i want. But i want an area comp, or a franchise comp. I hope you enjoy watching Eastwood VS Randwick, I'm sure those 2 teams which are just suburbs of sydney appeal to a broader , wider Australian audience, not. Malo you probably thought the Balmain Tigers should of been saved in rugby league.
soapit`
Guest
in that case then dont use the waratahs in an arc. simple
Malo
Guest
Lets go the academies. Only big, muscle bound, rich private school types may apply
Malo
Guest
This is really going to work, come on guys I know you are intelligent but???
Malo
Guest
The most ridiculous thing I have heard since Jonno said sometheing.
Malo
Guest
So easy to say but really if you think about it so ludicrous, it is pie in the sky stuff, dreams really. Johnno you are the new Seinfield.
Malo
Guest
You guys are in Alice in wonderland land, this massive gulf between club rugby and S12 is an illusion. This creation of a third tier is ludicrious. Bakkies go back to your academies and beep tests and live in your ridiculous "so called profesional world and believe you have successfully bridged the gap between super 12 and the next level thru your academies. You obviously have never played rugby and have no idea of the minute difference in stepping up from club level to S12. Mc Kibbon was a club player who will kill the S12 this year. Give club rugby a chance unless you are going to pay for the professional clubs you tosser. Get real. Where is this money coming from.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Bakkies, They can happily survive as semi-pro, which is to say most of the players are paid less than plumbers are. But its the wage bill thats the issue, not the allegedly astronomical travel bill. Again, you wrote "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." I would rather say "Once you've decided to pay players, travel and accomodation costs can be managed. Especially if you sign up an airline and a hotel chain as sponsors, the cost of flying an amateur club from Perth to Sydney will be less than paying those people to turn up to training on tuesday, wednesday and friday afternoons". Again, flying people around is the cheap bit. The expensive bit is paying them to play footy for a living.
garmos
Roar Rookie
For ARC to work I think we have to work beyond State and territorial boundaries Soapits!
Bakkies
Guest
''I just can’t understand why kids can’t start weekly rugby earlier, pair it down to golden oldies scrums, (still teaching technique). Then as he progresses he will have basic skills before learning to tackle and scrum.'' They can. Not much you can do if your club doesn't have the resources to field teams down to under 7s. Maybe they can't find the coaches and/or don't have enough for insurance.
Wal
Roar Guru
Which Club RK, From what I can see Kariong starts at under 11's. Its just to late, by under 11 my team had been together for 5 years and were fundraising for a tour of Australia. My little fella is playing u7 Soccer this year and it looks like he has 4 more years until he can play competitive rugby you can't tell me is he shows any sort of sporting talent the club will not be doing everything to ensure he stays playing soccer. He is bloody hopeless at soccer and has the perfect build for a prop or lock the in laws are all giants shelas included I fell like a midget at 5'11", I just can't understand why kids can't start weekly rugby earlier, pair it down to golden oldies scrums, (still teaching technique). Then as he progresses he will have basic skills before learning to tackle and scrum. As long as the next Dan Carter and Richie McCaw are running around in a paddock in Canterbury tackling sheep and playing competitive rugby from 5 years old, we are always going to struggle for depth in Australia particular scrums etc. This is the setup from my cousins club. Under 7`s Rippa Rugby this is the start of their rugby training where the basic skills are introduced, however it is more about having and don’t be surprised to see your child playing in the mud Under 8 .5 The first year of tackle rugby, 10 a side coaches on the pitch Under 10`s 10 a side coaches on the sideline Under 11.5 15 a side
Johnno
Guest
Garmos I agree. You need new clubs that can appeal to a broader and wider audience. And clubs that cover a larger Geographical Zone.