Why is it that the Blues and the Waratahs, hailing from the biggest cities in their respective countries, have been struggling for the past decade to fulfil their enormous potential?
Sure, the Blues have won three titles (1996, 1997 and 2003) and the Waratahs have made the final twice (2005 and 2008).
Outside of those years however, both teams have been decidedly mediocre.
Is this good enough from two teams with collective populations of circa six million people and arguably the biggest talent pools of any of the teams in Super Rugby?
Throw into that mix the struggles of the Lions from South Africa’s largest city of Johannesburg, who this year aren’t even in the competition, and the big city quandary becomes even more strange.
Why is it so? Is it because big city teams don’t feel as represented by their cities? Take the Waratahs for example.
Sydney has eight NRL teams, two from the A-League as well as two AFL sides and as a result the Waratahs are constantly battling a congested sporting market and for a spot in their supporters’ hearts.
I would go as far as saying that a great deal of the population of Sydney would not even recognise a Waratahs player if they bumped into them in the street or in a cafe.
Contrast this with a smaller city like Canberra which has only the Brumbies and Raiders representing the city and you get my point.
Brisbane, which has the Reds, Broncos, Lions and the Roar is another example. The Reds just aren’t competing with so many other teams for the attention of their citizens.
Does this have a knock on effect to the attitude of the players? Do they not play with the same pride, passion and desperation to win for their city as other sides?
Why is it that players who have originated in Auckland or Sydney who have either failed to perform in their own city, or worse still, have simply been let slip from the system, and are subsequently drafted to another side, perform and make a national side once they are gone?
The Blues have ample examples, players like Ron Cribb, Hosea and Rico Gear, Nick Evans, Norm Maxwell and Mike Harris have all been let go and then thrived and earned national call ups away from the Blues.
The same can be applied to Chris Latham, Owen Finegan, George Smith and Stirling Mortlock for the Waratahs. Does this tell us something again?
It’s not all doom and gloom though, change can and will happen under the right leadership. The resurgence of the Brumbies under Jake White is a great example of this.
Both the Blues and Waratahs will win a campaign again but 2013 probably won’t be the year.
This all adds up to what will be a huge game at Allianz Stadium this Sunday as both teams look to build on starts that have proved vastly different to what was predicted at the start of the season.
The Blues head into the game on the back of the bye round and a loss to the Bulls preceding that.
In the two first rounds however, they secured two massive victories over the Hurricanes and Crusaders, and they head into this match with two wins from three and some confidence in their ability.
More was expected of the Waratahs for the 2013 season, as although they did have a woeful 2012 , their side was still Wallaby-laden and big improvements were expected.
The Waratahs have stayed true to form thus far in the campaign, winning one and losing three of their opening games.
Both sides have new coaches in John Kirwan and Michael Cheika, both returning from stints overseas, and each on paths to return their sides to past glories.
Kirwan and Cheika have spoken about an overhaul of their respective franchises and about how they will need time to get things right.
Given both sides’ fans are notoriously fickle, I am sure that the boards of the Blues and the Waratahs, privately at least, will be hoping that change and success comes sooner rather than later.
The teams will sense the importance of the points on offer going into this match. We may only be at round six, but it is these games that can make or break a team’s campaign.
I have a feeling that it will be a cracker of a match. The Waratahs will be desperate to get a home victory while the Blues will be looking for their first outside of New Zealand under Kirwan.
The Blues have made it clear that their intent is to move the ball this season, if the Waratahs also play ball we could be in for a hell of a game.
Big city strugglers or sides on the up? Only time will tell.
richard
Guest
touche!
atlas
Guest
a rugby-playing Hobbit would be perfection then?
richard
Guest
I hear you,buddy.It seems to be a recurring theme around the world.Whenever NZ comes up,it's the AB's ( and that LOTR bollocks) that we seem to be known for,and little else.A scary thought! Auf Wiedersehen.
RugbyRene
Roar Rookie
The Waratahs do not represent Sydney. They represent NSW. They are simply based in Sydney.
mania
Guest
pogo - u know that your compartmentilising yourself as well with your comments? i'm assuiming that you played rugby and u must've sucked at set pieces but had a natural running game? so u never trained and practised and solely relied on your genetic ruuning advantage? your making islanders sound lazy and the type to not get get involved in trainings. unfortunately being part any race doesnt preclude u from having preconceptions of any race.
mania
Guest
wow. yes this is the common held myth that islanders arent good at set pieces. this may have been true 20-30 years ago when islanders where just beginning to play rugby but now its complete rubbish now.
Onor
Guest
In Frankfurt the irish bars I came across were packed out for the six nations final, but apart from that, Rugby isnt on the Radar here in Germany!! Nobody cares, its all football and then handball comes in a distant second! Germany just doesn't care for rugby. They don't put money into Rugby. The people when I mention Rugby know who the allblacks are when I say I'm from n.z and they know rugby is popular in France, but I wouldnt wish it on them to try figure out how the game works, it's just too complicated and exhausting to try teach anybody the rules!!!!
richard
Guest
Also,interesting views on the German attitude to sport.People there,and all through Europe have far more passion towards their sport,particularly football.In NZ we have nothing like this passion,and the closest I can think of in Oz would be their AFL supporters. I don't know what the interest in RU is in Germany,but they have both the intelligence and the application to excel if they put their minds to it.Although having said that,I don't know if even the Germans could get their heads around the convoluted laws that make up the game.
richard
Guest
I envy you living in Germany.Hope to go there someday.Cool people,great culture.And of course the best movie makers in the world IMHO.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
I quite agree with what you say onor. To me it's not just about sports, but everything else too; euros are more passionate than Aussies/kiwis and more demonstrative and exuberant about their support. As BBB says below, we are blessed with great weather, beaches and parks that most euros can only dream of. We have a low unemployment rate, in oz, and life is just pretty easy. That's why I/ we love it here tbh. Of course a bit more passion and interest would be nice but you can't have it all can you. I think the German bundesliga averages 50k in attendance and top Europe crowds. French top 14 and even football ligue 1 is far from that but the 10-20k supporters who go to stadiums do love their teams. It's more parochial / small town.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Chris - so the Dent improves while the Shute regresses and the average standard of both is lower than the previous standard of the Shute. It means the gap between Super and Club rugby widens. Extrapolate it and assume that the Force and Rebels get the same control - the Perth and Melbourne comps will lift but the overall standard of club rugby in Australia will drop further. I could handle it if these comps were all played earlier and finished at the same time Super Rugby did - then the best of the club players nationally and the non-Wallaby Super players could combine for a tournament that ran in parrallel to the RC. As it stands if the Force, Rebels and Brumbies withdraw their NSW players from the Sydney comp it means the back end of the season when things should be humming, instead we have about 50 of the best players or 3.3 starting teams withdrawn from the competition that produced them in the first place. Great for Canberra, Melbourne and Perth rugby but bad for Aussie rugby as the average standard of club play across the nation is reduced. The only silver lining is if in 15-20 years the local comps in those other regions start producing their fair share of players and Aussie rugby no longer relies on more than half the comp coming from NSW.
Chris
Guest
It's a damn good rule. Australia's best club rugby comp (the John I Dent Cup) has never been in better shape. If the NSWRU can't sort it's talent identification out then that is it's problem. The players are far better off in a functional rugby system in Canberra than they are wallowing in the NSWRU pit of mediocrity.
mania
Guest
i support the canes. as my nephew said to me "canes are great at making u believe and then ripping out your heart" still i'll never support another team.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen
Guest
82 million eh? I wonder how many Germans, moving to Auckland or Sydney, would continue to follow Soccer once they discovered the other activities that cities with better weather and less population can offer. But I do really like that they're passionate about their team whether win, lose or draw. Something for us all to think about.
Riccardo
Guest
That may be the case Cam but watch the resurgent groundswell of support with the new Coaches and improved culture. In fact, even during their decline in recent years Eden Park has till done some good numbers. As the future continues to brighten so too their ownership by the Aucjkland populace will escalate again.
mania
Guest
finally the tah's will get properly tested
Onor
Guest
Change the laws and the fans will come running back to the game! I cant imagaine any intrest in ping pong kicking games because certain teams cant retain posession!! as for the blues, and myself being a huge supporter of the blues, I think it will take more than a few wins to bring back the fans. Currently I am in Germany.. and when I am in the underground after soccer matches I notice one major difference between rugby in NZ and soccer in Germany!! and yes. This is a stupid comparison, almost a waste of time, and disregard the near sellout matches in the first division, Germany is a population of near 82 million, but one thing you cant ignore is the people here love their teams to bits. We kiwis.. we dont love our teams so much!! I think we just like our winning teams and thats probably as far as we go. Here they love there teams if they are winning or losing!! Its almost embarresing showing my room mates a super rugby match and there is an empty stadium, especially when I tell them n.z... s.a.. and oz have the best competition in the world!! they say "where are all the people" and I get a headache trying to explain what happened to all the fans with the changing of the rules and how the nzru killed the NPC.. I'd rather show them a top 14 game.. at least the french love their teams.
Bakkies
Guest
It's not all about the Sydney competition. My point is that with all that outstanding talent available in NSW they don't need Brumbies contracted players.
Bakkies
Guest
Why? Jake White is able to monitor is players all season long rather then send them off to Sydney. Andy Friend raised this idea when he was coaching and White has pulled it off. They are Brumbies contracted players and part of that is to develop ACT Rugby.
DCNZ
Guest
i think there are a lot of people scattered around Sydney who know that rugby is THE game, as an All Black supporter who has seen many a Bledisloe contest it amazes me how many gold scarves turn up..lots of blokes from all over, young guys, north shore types, and i even saw some chinese and indian lads there. so the interest is HUGE, but the state team is rubbish...and their marketing is non-existent...