The Australian Rugby Union will next year resurrect the national club competition model thrown on the scrapheap after just one season last decade.
Seven years after the Australian Rugby Championship was canned by ARU boss John O’Neill for being too expensive to run, his successor, Bill Pulver, has dusted off the third-tier plans.
Speaking in Edinburgh, Pulver has revealed an eight to 10-team National Rugby Championship would involve teams from Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and possibly regional country areas.
Australia’s answer to New Zealand’s ITM Cup, it would run for two months from mid-August, after Super Rugby, and be played on a round robin basis before a two-week finals format.
The ARU board has already signed off on the project, and key broadcast negotiations – which would make it financially viable – are almost finalised.
Pulver, who hopes to lock in a broadcaster next week, is “hellbent” on making the competition work to boost player depth and ultimately raise ARU revenue after slashing expenditure this year.
He has met resistance from the powerful Sydney clubs, who also staunchly opposed the ARC, but will continue to preach the need for the rebranded competition on meeting with club presidents early next month.
“Change is difficult to get people to come to terms with but I am hellbent on getting this through,” he said. “I am so convinced this is right, strategically, for the future of Australian rugby.
“From the perspective of accelerating player development and revenue for the game this is the right thing to do.”
Pulver argued Australian rugby would be in a far healthier state today if the ARU had shown faith in the ARC – containing three amalgamated Sydney teams, two from Brisbane, ACT, Perth and Melbourne – after its one brief season in 2007.
Costs rocketed largely through the set-up of the Melbourne Rebels with Sydney and Brisbane players moving and living interstate to train and play.
But Pulver said costs would have reduced over time and eventually the concept would have broke even.
“I am very confident that (NRC) would be a different outcome to ARC,” he said. “I actually think that in so many ways ARC could have been a runaway success.
“I suspect that the core concepts they had with ARC were absolutely spot on and it’s quite possible we terminated that too soon.
“If we were sitting here today with the ARC in its eighth season, I can tell you that as a game for Australia we would be way ahead of where we are now.”
Pulver said the concept had been endorsed by Australia’s five Super Rugby franchises and their players would be involved.
Also taking an AFL approach, he underlined the importance of growing the game around the country, including Western Sydney, to develop better talent pathways.
Jacko
Guest
Marlins Tragic Syd Uni has won 4 under age state Championships,there are approx.15 to 20 playing colts or grade colts and one junior has just signed for the Tahs. Will Skelton is not a junior.
In Brief
Guest
They didnt' get it wrong last time. That's Pulver's point. Here's a conspiracy for you. Anyone who attended of the Sydney fleet matches at North Sydney Oval will tell you that the crowd numbers were grossly under reported. I wonder if any club rugby people were working the turnstiles and perhaps fiddled with the counters on the night? Wouldn't suprise me.
Craig waters
Guest
Fully supportive. Great understanding of the route players need to feed the top level competition. Congratulations for your determination.
Marlins Tragic
Guest
Sydney Uni only have three village clubs in their catchment area - Canterbury, Petersham & Balmain. However, Canterbury & Petersham play as a collective in juniors, I assume they operate independently for minis U6-9's. Will Skelton is a Jnr from one of the above & more than likely the only one in the whole club.
Marlins Tragic
Guest
Here here, well said that man.
CrusABs
Guest
Excellent news, indeed. Well done, Mr. Pulver!
Spikhaza
Guest
Gee wouldn't it be nice if we got the support from the government SBS gives association football.. cheers
Bakkies
Guest
The Irish provinces have big squads and are only allowed 4 non Irish players. Connacht get a bit more leeway. I wouldn't call it taking it to far and they can't always draw on their Irish squad members due to player management so they need the experience to help the younger players.
Johnno
Guest
Jacko I played for Sydney Uni in my early 20's, and only played 2nd grade, and the coach didn't give me a look in in 1sts, so to say I was bitter, is a nice way of putting it. I was good enough but didn't get picked for 1sts the coach thought s 3 other wingers at the rugby club were better than me. In a huff and a puff of 2 years grinding in 2nd's I quit and that was that. And have only played the occasional game of social rugby since, was not happy with the coach and should have had a run in 1sts, but annoyingly it wasn't meant to be, silly coach. And I saw how the rugby club was run, and not the way i wanted a rugby club run, and on top of not making 1sts I quit never to walk through the hallowed sydney uni turf again. Like a big door slam , And that was that, Jacko.
Jacko
Guest
Johnoo Please explain why the hatred for Sydney Uni, Is their anything wrong with players having the best of both worlds, Education, jobs and sport that has the advantage of good coaching. Johnoo please explain to all roar followers what scholarships are given and who if any players in the Uni 1st grade winning grand final team where paid players and of these players who has come from other clubs. Do Uni have any juniors and if so how many have gone on to colts and grade. How many Johnoo sounds like you are a very frustrated rugby player
Westie
Guest
Concord isn't western Sydney
2ndRowLegal
Guest
Love it. Love it. Love it.
jeznez
Roar Guru
fully agree p.Tah - this really will save club rugby for mine - there will be disappointment from those clubs who hoped their side would be one of the special ones lifted into a national competition to bridge the gap but for the rest it is going to bring club footy back to what it should be. - the broad based feeder system into the representative levels. I really like the structure that is coming together: * Schoolboy and Junior Gold Cup to bring the juniors on * Subbies for those who just love a run around with their mates * Premier Rugby/Shute Shield/Dent Cup etc as the strongst club tournaments in their regions * NRC to take the best club players and the non-Wallaby Super players into a concentrated elite national competition * Super Rugby the fully professional comp * Wallabies the pinnacle of the Aussie game
Spaldo
Guest
Great news Just don't have tuggeranong Vikings as the Canberra team. They can run it, sure, but revive the mighty Canberra kookaburras name - who beat wales, tonga and Fiji back in the day
wixsy
Guest
Johan, short sighted. There is a sound interest in rugby in SA, Just no investment from the east coast private school boys. Anytime the Wallabies throw SA a rugby bone it is well an truly supported. The Rugby Sevens went well in Adelaide with excellent attendance. Ex-pat populations, particularly in the South of Adelaide are of rugby background - British, Saffers etc. If there is talk of being a success and building loyalty for teams based on geography then an Adelaide team would have the competitive advantage of not being an area/region/town of divided loyalties and political agendas that dog NSW.
Jorji Costava - The Guru's Guru
Guest
"would rate better than NBL..." it would, in NSW and QLD, but not everywhere else.
Jorji Costava - The Guru's Guru
Guest
Bring back the original name of "Perth Pelicans".
p.Tah
Guest
Squirrel, I played club rugby and subbies rugby. I also played league. I have no interest what so ever in wanting to see club rugby destroyed. I see it as a very critical pathway in rugby development, but it's not the stepping stone to Super Rugby. I recall training and playing against the Super rugby players when they returned to club rugby. It highlighted to me the gulf between club rugby and the fully professional players. That is still evident when the Super rugby players return to the Shute Shield during the final rounds and help their team romp it in. It's been 7 years since the ARC was canned, unfortunately club rugby, in my opinion, hasn't stepped up to fill the void required. Not a criticism of the clubs per se but a reflection of the number of clubs. In some cases the talent is spread too thin, in other situations some clubs have an abundance of top players. The last thing we need to do is reduce the number of clubs or set up a two tier system at club level (relegation/promotion), that will reduce the pool of players. Keep club rugby in its entirety, 1- 4th and colts. Promote club rugby as the community game where families can enjoy a low cost afternoon out. Let’s not try to make it a pseudo professional outfit. Bring in the NRC so that the top Club players have the opportunity to play against teams who have similarly talents players across the park. On occasions a decent player can look great at club level, but not so flash when they come up against better attacking/defensive systems in the Super rugby environment. Ben Volavola is a player that springs to mind. He is the type of person that could thrive in the NRC and develop into the player he can be if exposed to the right level of coaching and plays consistently. 15 minutes here and there off the bench for the Waratahs will develop him but at a slower rate. There are only a few bench and EPS spots but there are more players out there who could benefit. I would hope club rugby would work to see how the NRC could benefit them and their players. Surely by assisting to develop players and coaches it will have a flow on effect to improve the standard of the club rugby as well.
dane
Guest
If Sydney Uni joined the NRC, Shute Shield would be revitalised with their absence and they could become the club that everyone loves to hate in the NRC, like Manly Sea Eagels in the NRL.
Harry
Guest
This is excellent excellent news and all power to Bill Pulver to make it happen.