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I’ve got a mate who bleeds green and gold, year after year when the Bledisloe Cup campaign arrives, our back and forth banter begins.
After the Wallabies first loss to the All Blacks here in Sydney last weekend I let the scoreline do the talking, however after Saturday nights second defeat, I sent him the following text:
“I don’t think Aussie will win the Bledisloe again. Ever” to which he replied “That’s an outrageous statement”.
Sure I was winding him up, poor bloke hasn’t celebrated a Bledisloe win for over a decade. Then there was that whole Lions debacle. Yet the more I thought about it, the more I started to believe in my own jibe.
Now it’s not something I ever like to admit and at times I struggle with it – I’m half Australian. All Dad’s fault you see, couldn’t fall for his own type so conceived this author to an Aussie.
This by no means gives me any reason to defend, care or want to see the Wallabies get better. Except I do.
2007 the ARU kicked off a long overdue third tier comp, the Australian Rugby Championship. The ARC consisted of eight domestic teams across Australia, similar to New Zealand’s ITM Cup.
Why this induction took so long is for a start unfathomable, it’s demise after its first year more so.
This was a competition that had Wallabies and up and comers getting valuable game time after the Super season had finished or more importantly, a reason to stay in Australia.
Imagine that you my friend are now a 23-year old union player slugging it out in NSW’s Shute Shield or Queensland’s Barber Cup.
If you are fortunate you may have a Super Rugby contract.
But it’s July now and Super Rugby has finished for the year so it’s back to park footy where you risk injury by some lad who wouldn’t look out of place in third grade.
Right now that Wallabies jersey is looking pretty far away.
The ARU bought another league player you say? Ring ring! What’s that? Your manager says he can get you a contract in France for triple the cash here? Enjoy a croissant for me.
This is the conundrum of rugby union in Australia.
You need a third tier comp. Yes it costs money, perhaps no one will watch and yes I’m well aware Kiwi’s don’t have to compete with AFL and NRL, however I don’t cite this as an excuse.
There are boys out there, young men who have never seen the Wallabies hold the Bledisloe Cup kinda like a unicorn; nothing more than magical folklore.
Some argue you don’t have the depth of talent. I disagree, I believe you can build a larger pool of Wallabies in waiting.
Now I’m the enemy remember, I shouldn’t care but now you’ve just annoyed me.
I believe in you Australia. I really do. You are the one making it hard on yourself.
This isn’t about who’s coach, crap penalties or if anyone will pass Izzy the ball (in the end, well, we had to).
Simply put, it’s a plea to the ARU to sort it out from the bottom up, give these up and comers another competition to aim for, thus strengthening the overall depth of Australian Rugby.
Until then the Wallabies will never be a contender. Same old comments year in year out “we’ll get better”.
When Australia? Give us a game son. For the love of your remaining fans you own them that much.
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.