Just where is rugby at in Australia, currently? There’s been so much talk and commentary and opinion over the last 12 months about how perilous the situation is for the game in this country.
As a fan, you seriously have to wonder sometimes if there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
READ MORE:
» ARU CEO Bill Pulver answers your burning questions
» Live Q&A session with Bill Pulver
» SPIRO: The ARU Gospel according to Pulver
Bill Pulver answers your burning questions.
Bill Pulver live Q&A session.
For all the doom and gloom – and there’s obviously been a lot if some of the states were so worried about the impact on their marketing of the game that they asked that it cease – I do like that ARU CEO Bill Pulver is speaking in sensible tones. Rugby in Australian needs to be smarter about how it operates, Pulver tells us, and that means that nothing is out of scope when it comes to potential cost savings.
In many ways, Pulver is on hiding to nothing. Rugby simply could not continue in the manner it had been prior to his arrival or the professional game would go belly up. There were numerous reports late last year that the game was close to insolvency. Maybe it still is. It’s a scary thought.
However, Pulver also needs a flourishing game for the code to remain a viable professional option. And that’s difficult if there’s no money to spend in the important areas.
So if I could put some questions to the ARU boss, what would they be?
Well, I’m glad you asked. I have four.
Is all the cost-cutting having a positive effect on the game’s finances?
The States have had their budgets slashed. HQ at St.Leonards in Sydney was downsized last year from two floors to one. Staff numbers have been drastically cut, and the big one, every club in the country has been hit with a $200 levy.
But is it all working? And how long, or what will it take for rugby’s finances to look healthy again?
What is Australia’s preferred model for Super Rugby from 2016, and how close will that be to what eventuates?
We know we’re already looking at 17 teams, and talk continues about an 18th team from Asia being invited into the fold.
But how will it all work? Are we looking at four conferences and two divisions as has widely been reported, or is one full home-and-away round still a possibility?
Now that it’s likely the National Rugby Championship will go ahead this year, can we expect a flood of major announcements?
When the NRC concept was announced, Expressions of Interest were going to close mid-January, with announcements on the number and location of teams a month later. It’s nearly six weeks beyond that point, but only now do we know that the NRC will more than likely go ahead.
Is rugby doing enough to promote and market itself in Australia?
Any Super Rugby promotion seems to be localised and dependent on the game. The Super Rugby television ad is sighted as often as the thylacine, and I honestly can’t say if I’ve seen it on free-to-air television at all.
Is the concept of rugby, let alone actual games, getting in front of enough eyes in Australia?
The best part of asking these questions? We’re very fortunate that The Roar‘s positive ongoing relationship with the ARU means these questions will be answered in the coming week, by Bill Pulver himself.
And that’s not all. This article today is not just about my questions, but a call for you Roarers to submit your questions as well. Anything that’s on your mind as far as Australian rugby goes, submit your questions here today in the comments section.
Wallabies, Super Rugby, National Rugby Championship, club, school, grassroots, Sevens, they’re all in our scope. Finances, marketing, television and media coverage are too.
Your questions, my questions, along with questions from my expert colleagues including Clyde Rathbone and Spiro Zavos will be collated and sifted, with the best questions forwarded to the ARU this week.
Bill Pulver’s answers to these questions will appear on the site next Monday, 31 March.
In addition to scoring the exclusive of the ARU CEO’s answers, The Roar will conduct a Live Q&A session with Bill Pulver on Wednesday, 2 April between 12-1pm.
It’s extraordinary access we’ve been given to the head of the game in Australia, and we’re very appreciative to the Australian Rugby Union for the opportunity.
So start with the tough questions today, and mark April 2 down in your diaries. Everything you’ve wanted to ask Bill Pulver could be knocked off over the next week and a half.
The Roar asked our experts to get the ball rolling.
Spiro Zavos asks:
1. What are you doing about the loss of influence with John O’Neill’s resignation from the Rugby World Cup organising comittee? O’Neill had a huge influence on the laws committee, the payment of SANZAR countries for RWC year losses, and the politics of the IRB, such as the RWC 2003 in Australia and 2011 in New Zealand.2. What about the poor attitude SANZAR takes to supporters with the local referee system, the clashing jerseys, the lack of promotion of big matches and players and the general way SANZAR keeps everyone out of the loop? SANZAR needs reform – are you going to lead the charge?
Clyde Rathbone asks:
What do you consider the single greatest risk to the future of Australian Rugby?
Scott Allen asks:
You’ve made significant cuts to the overheads in head office expenditure since you started – how do Australia’s overheads now compare to other top nations?
READ MORE:
» ARU CEO Bill Pulver answers your burning questions
Jagman
Guest
They've won a bledisloe in my lifetime and Pulver is a lot older than me.
Jagman
Guest
Surely the "heartland" fans of Oz rugby would care about OZ rugby beyond the Wallabies and Super Rugby teams. Shute shield? Brisbane premier grade? Aus School boys? Aus u20s? All get very little exposure here. Don't get me wrong I love the Roar but "heartland" is club rugby.
chris
Guest
Bill how about wiping the slate clean and starting again. Play all Waratahs games at Concord and all internationals in Sydney at SFS. Have your own Touch comp. Don't ripe off the fans with tickets/jerseys/food and drink...sort out a deal. Make all stewards at games volunteers from social rugby clubs and not the rent a cop thugs. Stop the ARC and just make the Shute Sheild and also the Brisbane/Qld comps a semi pro comp and keep and revive tradition. Push SANZAR for a Trans Tasman Super comp.
Marlins Tragic
Guest
Toby, Thats easy answered mate. What they are doing about is allowing them to team up with a subbies club for forms sake, giving Sydney Uni the ability to pretend to be a different team in the NRC called the Sydney Stars, hog all the Waratahs they have under contract & then bully the ARU into stop players like Izzy from being allowed to "Represent" teams like the GWS Rams. At least two old enemies can put aside there differences for this comp to play as a proper region up at the Rays, as a Marlins fan I for one will have no problem travelling down to Rattyland to see the Rays belt the Stars, assuming they use rat Park as a Ray home ground, although i hear the Brooky Oval & NS Oval are to be the two HG's. And FYI - The Rays major sponsor is rumoured to be Macquarie Uni, so maybe a few degrees flying around our way as well!
Toby from Narrabeen
Guest
What is the ARU doing to ensure more equality in the Shute Shield? Sydney Uni gets all the marquee players because they get free degrees for playing half a dozen games a year, as a result they dominate almost all divisions, this is not a healthy situation & doesn't generate the interest at a suburban level. I live close to Rat Park but hardly ever go to games because they can't recruit enough decent talent. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Rugby is Life
Guest
I have seen many arguments for free to air coverage within this thread. I see Bob Mansfield is taking an innovative approach with new Media. http://www.brw.com.au/p/entrepreneurs/why_bob_mansfield_is_backing_kings_Fqcz0cv3T2QEq23BSIP8aM If FTA is not an option what is the new media strategy of the ARU? will you be approaching Mansielt et al?
Marlins Tragic
Guest
Bill, Junior GC is PRIMARALLY aimed at suburban clubs teams, not schools. Schools can ask to have a boy added to the squads though & from what I hear the coaching staff have almost always opted to give the club boys the go over the GPS & ISA schoolboys, they have a development pathway, JGC is the pathway for the non GPS & ISA kids.
Thunderguts
Guest
Fatty, why dont you buy the ARU and at every board meeting you can have a mufti day where everybody can dress up and play at being executives who have no idea about what they are doing -- which is basically what they do every day!!
DMac
Guest
I dunno man, I was totally surrounded by hot chicks at the Tahs game on Friday. Truthfully.
DMac
Guest
Add me to the list. Without fta coverage rugby will continue to wither and die. No one hears anything about it. Oh, and ask him if he can promise to never let channel 9 near the wallabies again please.
Bakkies
Guest
Another question to Bill. Why is merchandise so expensive in Australia? $159 for Wallabies and Super Rugby jerseys. That 's ridiculous pricing fans out from supporting their team.
Bakkies
Guest
Well that needs to change Ireland also has schools cup coverage on tv and look how far the game has grown here.
Bakkies
Guest
Saracens have opened up their own global network of clubs. The club still has several flaws particularly game day experience and a small fan base. I have said it several times that the Waratahs should take lessons off European clubs in how to fill big stadia particularly with M Cheika in charge as he has worked for Leinster and SF who have been there done that. Aussie fans need to realise that there is more to Saracens then their pro team. London clubs have their own amateur and mini Rugby comps and sections. London Irish would have the biggest in England.
RobC
Roar Guru
Four parts: 1. wrt Clubs - In general, what is the current situation of clubs? - Does ARU tabulate what % of talent & revenue are clubs contributing to total Australian Rugby economy (pls note Oz Rugby is not ARU) TODAY? If so, what is it? - What % of talent & revenue do you plan they will contribute in 3 years, 5 years? 2. FINANCIAL: What is the $ model that underpins Australian Rugby institutions, in particular between clubs their state RUs and the ARU - ie to what extent are the Wallabies revenue funding ARU vs state vs club vs school - ie to what extend are club, schools, state funding other stakeholders - what are the policies / formula that decide how much money each stakeholder obtains? Or is it decided at committee level based on circumstance? 3. In 2012 governance review was made and was apparently generally adopted: http://www.rugby.com.au/ARUHQ/GovernanceReview.aspx: - Who are the ARU board members. Doesnt seem to be in the website - Was the board selection based on the guidelines recommended agreed by the board in 2012/3? - fyi IRB shows its board members, its strategy plan, and their staff list in their website: http://www.irb.com/aboutirb/organisation/structure/ Where is ARUs? 4. What is the ARU strategy and plan? When will the plan be shared? - Without a clear plan, various stakeholders are at best confused. At worst suspicious and disenfranchised. - Instead of announcing a clear plan, stakeholders have received a series of policy changes and programmes via announcements and press releases. - Here is IRBs: http://www.irb.com/aboutirb/organisation/strategic/index.html. See page 9 of this doc: http://www.irb.com/mm/document/aboutirb/irborganisation/02/04/18/08/2041808_pdf.pdf
Bakkies
Guest
My question would be what are the ARU going to do to address the under 20s program. As it is I am sure the Australian team has no real competitive warm up fixtures unlike the Europeans who have the under 20s Six Nations and competitive academy and A game fixtures throughout the season. Ireland, Wales and England have stepped up measurably in their skills department. Argentina who have beaten us recently at this level play a three match test series against the Junior Boks. Could Sanzar as a collective organise a competitive under 20s comp to rival the under 20s Six Nations? The under 20s team over the past two years like recent Wallaby sides have been stuffed up front.
sheek
Roar Guru
Hi Runit, Basically rugby in general is stuffed. There was an amusing article on Fox News today - 'the dumbest rules in sport.' They said this about rugby union - " We started to list the rugby rules that even the players barely understood, but we quickly realised that mentioning them all would crash the internet." Boom, boom. All good fun but a lot of truth in mirth.
Rohan
Guest
Why does super rugby not have a presence on free to air. I would think if you want to grow the game that would be the quickest route. The average Australian would have access to perhaps 8 rugby (wallabies) games at a viewer friendly time over the year. When rugby league and AFL have nearly that between themselves each week, why are we not doing more to make the game more accessible to more Australians?
Mst
Guest
Could we also have the Term "x factor" banned!
Rugby stu
Guest
My understanding has always been the schools are what keep the game narrow and elitist and the clubs do a fair bit too bring it down to earth (as in everyday people), its an odd dichotomy.
runit
Guest
Sheek Whilst I normally agree with you, your comment "Super rugby comp is the best standard in the world" is a bit wide of the mark, the Heinekin cup games and some of this weekends games in the English premiership were of a much higher standard than some of the super 15 games played on the weekend. If we are talking about growing rugby in Oz then we need to have a wider view and look at what is working in rugby (and other sports) elsewhere, Toulon are no longer supported financially by Mourad Boudjellel because he has developed a financial formula using the celebrity of his superstars to sustain the business, by contrast most English premiership clubs lose millions every year and the RFU make around £10 million profit each year, just saying.