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.
kelefua
Guest
Farside are you giving up on league & cricket too? I also watch league supporting the Kiwis & we almost always get thrashed by you Aussies. But I know the Aussies are just too good & I'm a massive fan of some of their stars. Besides we have won the odd game:) Yes its good to want your team to beat the ABs but to abandon them when they don't?
kelefua
Guest
Nah no true blue AB fan want to see Wallabies beat their team. But Hayley given your dad is Aussie it'll be a win win in your family lounge room. Yep Wallabies do have a team that can do the job but I rekon they just don't have the guts collectively to put in the hard yards when it gets tough. If any fellow kiwis are currently feeling blue for Wallabies & would like to see them beat ABs then just watch a replay of Kearnsies finger salute or Gregans 4year sentence or Quades shove on RM at fulltime or... well list goes on doesn't it:)
DilzfromHtown
Guest
To be honest I live in Brisbane and most people I talk to are really into rugby, obviously they have a passion for afl or league but they still go to reds games
frisky
Guest
Hayley, I do not believe you. You are just a tease.
Far Side
Guest
Bledisloe Cup, if the All Blecks want it so much and are determined to kill the contest, they can keep it NZ, Im over it. Life's too short, I'm into the blues, rugby can go to hell. just remember, no opposition means no game. Now back to Burnside.....
sheek
Roar Guru
AndyS/Gazbe, I had quite forgotten that part of Pulver's B comp structure was 50 minute games, which is the height of absurdity. Why bother with the proposal at all if you're going to promote this kind of nonsense.
richard
Guest
You could look at it another way.Australians are quick to play the numbers game,and how rugby is only the 4th ranked sport in Aus.But,funnily enough,you don't get kiwis doing the same when cricket or league are mentioned,and Australia has an overwhelming advantage in playing numbers and resources.And,you can be sure Aussies won't mention it!
richard
Guest
+1
Wardad
Guest
O"connor said that ?? Jeezum crow where is the pride in your playing for your country ? Every AB has reverence for that jumper that he is only the caretaker of ,hammered into him .It represents pride in all thats good about our greatest of games and all who have made it so and for some little pratt to put himself before Team and Country and all that jumper represents ?
Rob9
Guest
The Reds have had larger averages than the Broncos over the last couple of years, does that mean Rugby is bigger than Rugby League in Brisbane??? I don’t think so...
Rob9
Guest
“I said extreme pressure in the greater Auckland market”….. “where a third of NZ’s population lives”. You’re putting the dots down to be connected. So you’re trying to build an argument that rugby is on shaky foundations in Auckland based on the Blues home crowds now?? You’re clutching at straws champ… but seeing as you asked this year’s average attendance 19,661. 4,500 more than the Warriors.
Glenn Innes
Guest
IN 2012 the Auckland Blues average crowd was 17921 the Warriors 13892 they ain't far away now,
Glenn Innes
Guest
I said extreme pressure in the greater Auckland market, the Warriors have been sclerotic formost of those eighteen years, by the way what is the Auckland Blues average roll up at super 15 games
Rob9
Guest
Hold up, rugby supposedly has a cheer squad that pumps up the game more than really is; meanwhile you’re speculating that the Warriors after 18 years of existence are set to put ‘extreme pressure’ on New Zealand’s national game if they can win a premiership or two and hold their spot at the pointy end of the comp for a while.... bud that fresh Celtic country air has gone to your head.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Liam - I agree - but I wasn't referring to the global participation rate but global spectator appeal and on the world stage Rugby is a non event, it wouldn't even qualify as boutique despite what it's cheer squad keep telling everyone.
Liam Ovenden
Roar Pro
Rugby is not a game for everyone. It is incredibly violent, requires serious courage to even consider stepping foot on a field, and has a law book as thick as the yellow pages. There would not be a country in the world that would be able to say that rugby is its number 1 participation sport. The Pacific Island nations might be the exception to this rule...
Elijah Weightman
Roar Guru
When will the Kiwi's in League give Australia a game son? I kid, they turn it on once every three or four years for the "important" games. It's just funny how Kiwi's are so eager to talk Rugby all the time but when it comes to cricket and League they all go quiet. Oh well. Your the best in the world at something and that isn't something to throw away. Things would be more competitive if the Wobblies were better though. At least in State of Origin NSW's are no where near as inept as the Wobblies and it makes beating them in close games so much more satisfying.
Liam Ovenden
Roar Pro
Scott Allen did a detailed analysis of the ARU financial reports in contrast to those of NZ on Greenandgoldrugby earlier this year. You will find it illuminating. Headlines: we spent a huge amount on executive salaries in relation to NZ, and a fraction of the amount on grassroots. My recollection was that the overall income was very similar.
Glenn Innes
Guest
If the Warriors can get their act together and win a comp and have a few seasons up around the top of the NRL ladder Rugby might find itself under extreme pressure in that Auckland market where a third of New Zealands population live. My gut feeling is Leagues day will come over the Tasman - it's not if but when?
gazbe2
Guest
Can I summarise Bill Pulver’s article Point 1: We are going to train our elite to play 50 minutes of footy, (that’s about as long as they last now) and infringe without fear of penalty. Point 2: We (ARU) lost 19.1 million last two years: how and on what is not detailed and how does that compare to New Zealand and South Africa I would be interested in knowing as a benchmark exercise. But the statement was this will get more air time, is he negotiating something outside the Sanzar deal with channel 10 or fox?, if not how does he know anyone would be interested in an abreviated version of the game. I could go on but why isnt Lord or Spiro writing an article on this type of topic rather than the ambushing of the new coach. This has far more repercussions and is worthy of a topic.