I’m sure a number of Roarers have read the book or watched the documentary called The Secret. For those that haven’t, the gist of it is that an individual’s thoughts and beliefs create, or at least influence, reality.
This may seem a little far-fetched for some, but I believe the theories presented in The Secret have some merit, and on that basis I refuse to buy into the hyperbole surrounding the Wallabies and the apparent demise of Australian rugby.
On the contrary, I think Australian rugby is in a good place. Clearly things aren’t rosy, but it’s nowhere near as bad as the average punter seems to think.
The biggest problem facing Australian rugby is not the ARU Board, Bill Pulver, Ewen McKenzie, Hooper, Di Patston, Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper, Robbie Deans or whoever else we like to blame – it’s us. It is us, the so-called ‘supporters’ and the dismal rugby journalists that cover the game.
The only decent article I’ve read in the last few weeks has been from part-timer Peter FitzSimons. The rest have been click-bait rubbish that has done nothing but stir negative and polarising views toward almost every element of the Wallaby set-up.
Causing mass hysteria by spreading out of context quotes and pointing fingers has done more damage to Australian rugby than any text message, selection decision, game plan, management structure or whatever else we collectively believe is the cause of the Wallabies’ precarious situation.
So rather than further exacerbate the problem, I’d like to offer my thoughts on the positives for rugby in Australia.
Short Term
The skeletons are out of the closet – it wasn’t pretty, and has already cost Australia a very good coach and most likely a decent Super Rugby player in Kurtley Beale. However, it’s better this whole fiasco occurred now rather than later in the year, or worse, next year before the World Cup.
Whatever was said in the “truth session” clearly did the trick. The fallout was of course the resignation of Ewen McKenzie, whether this was as a result of revelations in the truth session is purely speculation. I admire the man for stepping down as soon as he realised he didn’t have the player support he needed.
On the whole, I don’t think Link’s tenure was as bad as his record shows. Aside from the blip against Argentina (understandable under the circumstances), he finally delivered consistency in defeating lower ranked teams.
Although he didn’t manage that elusive win against the All Blacks, he was certainly improving the team towards that goal. Last year the men in black walked all over us, this year we were two silly decisions away from breaking the 12-year Bledisloe drought – not taking easy points in game one and a brain-fart decision to kick away possession in the dying minutes of game three.
Anyway, this isn’t about ‘what ifs’, it’s about the positives. The big positive I’ve seen in the last few performances (Argentina aside – still haven’t seen that game so I can’t comment) is that this team is capable of beating the best. All they really need is a little attitude adjustment and a coach that can galvanise the team.
To that end, I’m also pleased to see the ARU reach out to Stephen Moore to help devise a better structure to support the coach and improve team culture. I think this is the right way forward.
I’d also implement a complete ban on players discussing anything other than on-field matters with the media. That includes comments on Twitter, Facebook and so on.
Thirdly, I’d invest in a good motivational/sales speaker to restore some pride in the Wallabies jersey. I’m thinking of someone like Jordan ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ Belfort.
He’s hanging out in New Zealand these days and can’t be that expensive for a few hours. Give him some background on the state of rugby in Australia and get him to sell the notion that this current group of Wallabies need to save the game in Australia by lifting their standards on and off the field, by becoming role models that inspire people and by winning the World Cup.
The quicker these guys start honouring the jersey by getting behind the coach regardless of their personal agendas the better.
Fourth, there should be an extended Wallabies (46 players) pre-season training camp during the first month of pre-season, where the chosen players are united for an intense month of team-building, fitness, speed, skills, conditioning and ‘systems’ training, before returning to their respective clubs for the last 1-2 months of pre-season.
Medium Term
Contrary to what seems to be popular opinion, I think we’re looking pretty good for the World Cup. We may have the toughest pool, but there’s no reason we shouldn’t come out on top.
According to the draw, England play Wales first up, and that will be a brutal contest with both teams desperate to draw first blood.
Should England get up, they’ll find it tough to back it up with another big match against a relatively fresh Wallabies side a week later. We should expect to win (at least I do), just as I expect the Wallabies to claw back the #3 ranking on the EOYT – by beating England at home.
That’ll leave Wales, who I think may be our real banana peel. We’ve won so many against them in recent times that it’s almost unfair that such a quality side hasn’t stolen a win or two and I’d hate for that elusive victory to happen at the World Cup.
Maybe we can get that loss out of the way on this year’s EOYT?
Provided we do top the ‘Pool of Death’, our run to the final is then much more favourable than New Zealand, South Africa and England/Wales who will all have to play each other during the knock-out stages just to make it to the final.
That’s a brutal road to the final. I’ll concede that if we do end up on that side of the draw, we’ll struggle, but the point is that we’ve got a real and achievable chance of avoiding the “knock-out stages of death” that’ll give us a real shot at glory.
Long Term
Regardless of what happens in the World Cup, I think there are a number of external factors at play that present great opportunities for Australian rugby to re-emerge as a ‘relevant’ sport in Australia, and even take over league as the premier rugby code.
League appears to be holding all the cards at the moment but union have an ace that, if played well, can change the game.
That ace is the growth of rugby in Europe and America.
How is that relevant? Quite simply, money talks.
While everyone is worried about a post-World Cup exodus, I see this as a great opportunity for rugby to showcase it’s genuine international appeal and most importantly, it’s more attractive upside.
Sam Burgess has already made the switch and if he’s followed by Israel Folau after the World Cup, then that’ll be two very high-profile ex-leaguies who have moved to greener pastures. More will follow, I have absolutely no doubt about it.
What’s needed from the ARU is a little vision to maximise the potential benefits this could have for Australian rugby.
That definitely needs to start with a better media team and rugby journalists that put the welfare of the game ahead of their personal agendas.
Second is already in place with the NRC – a national competition to provide more opportunities for future talent to have a crack at union.
Third is a re-think on the policy for overseas players to represent Australia. The best solution in my opinion is to make all players with more than 50 Test caps eligible for the Wallabies, regardless of where they play their club rugby.
This would ensure they’ve played sufficient rugby in Australia to adopt the systems and culture of the national team.
This would need to be coupled with an annual off-season training camp for the extended national squad where Wallabies from around the world are brought together to work on combinations and tactics for the Test season ahead.
Finally, the ARU need to develop the aforementioned systems and culture of the national team, and it needs to be as rock solid as it is at the All Blacks.
hog
Guest
"The domestic game will be rubbish", as opposed to the magnificent strides it is taking now against the other codes. try again please.
Justin3
Guest
A reliance on picking OS players means the domestic game will be rubbish and will slide further down the toilet... try again please.
Justin3
Guest
The Shute Shield hasnt gone anywhere....
hog
Guest
Sadly no one is listening.
Stray Gator
Roar Rookie
Ah, sorry, misunderstood. NOT cut, them, just demote them to another comp that may or may not survive. Masterful spin. Consider signing on with the ARU as chief flack. ;)
SandBox
Roar Guru
Hawking goes further than Harris and says physics is in control of our thinking
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
didn't want to cut them - just make them dominant teams in the NRC rather than weaker teams in Super Rugby (cue comments re: Force being well ahead of the Reds this year).
Magic Sponge
Guest
I am a mad rugby supporter but have no interest in the NRC. It will be gone next year as no one watches it. Have not seen a game because you cant nor care about it. No rugby fan I know gives a rats about it. Bring back the shute shield, strengthen the mighty easts beasts
chucked
Guest
so rugby has no chance against the world game. ???? just because it has more participants than rugby any other sport doesn't make it the best..it simply means that 10 %. of the world populations are raving pooftas and Hollywood artists. I watched bugger all world cup soccer but I enjoyed the highlights package of TWO hours of interrupted hollywoods....2 hours from 64games. soccer is farcical and an embarrassment..send off the actors...let them okay a real sportsuch a rugby...
Justin Mahon
Guest
I would hazard a guess that the number of young Aussie kids following all foreign rugby clubs combined would not add up to the number following Manchester United and Liberpool alone. Just think about that. Rugby ain't going to win the kids with Euro hero's. As to the U.S, the MLS with 18 professional teams, 20 years and massive grass roots have only just done a truely national TV deal and the number of Aussie kids closely following the MLS which is broadcast here is probably still tiny. The ideas that US rugby will have any impact of Australian rugby in the next 49 years is laughable at best. Rugby won't be saved by the 'world' - football has that market covered well and truely. Rugby will be saved by what rugby does.
Justin Mahon
Guest
In football the "world stage" is literally that and even ranked 90th in the world he Scceroo's can generate tens of millions of dollars in revenues for football and huge TV ratings at World Cups and against leading Asian nations and traditional Australian opposition. That I'll informed dig aside, I literally have a list of over 50 significant national reforms football has made in the past decade to get to its strong position today - itself just the start of converting huge scale to commercial and elite pathway scope (for Christs sake the FFA Can make a lazy couple of million form an annual shity 'all stars' game against one of the endless line of huge global clubs cuing up to take your cash). The ARU haven't even decided it has a problem yet. While you take shots at the Socceroo's from the comfort of a global rugby oligopoly - Rome HAS burnt. Just think about this for one moment - virtually no on plays, understands or cares about rugby unless the Wallabies are playing repetitive fixtures against the usual suspects and even that has become a debilitating chore as in the oligopoly wins are EXPECTED wins. This, my friend, is not dissimilar to the the nightmare situation football found itself in in the mid 90's - but we at least had the participation base and globalisation headed our way. Tell me again about how the non coverage of elite Europen rugby is driving droves of Aussie kids to your game? Sticking your fingers in your ears won't fit the games malaise. Only courageous, far sighted national leadership will.
sheek
Roar Guru
The Bush for President. (Another one can't hurt!)
Eddard
Roar Guru
Chan Wee, rugby has been booming at the grassroots level in the US for the last 5 years or so. Next step is to become more of a commercial sport with significant crowds and better coverage. This is starting to happen at the national team level. The Las Vegas sevens gets good crowds as have recent test matches against Scotland, Ireland and Italy, as well as the game against the Maori. The All Blacks test will be another step up again. How long it will take for a viable professional rugby competition to emerge in the US is anyone's guess but I think it will happen. Or they'll become part of super rugby in some way.
sheek
Roar Guru
It's all hypothetical anyway. There won't be any NRC in 2015. ;-)
somer
Guest
There is a correlation between super and RC for the obvious reason that a strong rugby nation is more likely to dominate both comps. But there are other factors that skew this correlation and using super results as a good indicator of RC results is flawed. Through using various means of assessment I think it was pretty clear the Wallabies were still weak regardless of the Waratahs success. - Very poor 2013 RC performances (things don't change that quickly). - On paper the Wallabies lack the world-class players of NZ and SA. - The Aussie conference lacks the physicality of the NZ and SA conferences. Physicality isn't as critical in super rugby but it becomes more so in international rugby. - The Waratahs won because they had a home final. They had a home final because they amassed points in a relatively weak conference.
Suzy Poison
Guest
I believe there is a mathematical correlation, but other factors come into it too. I am kinda sad to see Ewen exit the way he did, but to be honest not that surprised. I think he was perhaps idealistic in his approach to the whole game. Actually I believe his worst defeat was against the Boks at Brisbane. At the spiritual home ground of Australian rugby, he believed he could run the Boks ragged. But he was incredibly naive when it came to the breakdown and turns overs. That game made he doubt his own coaching ability and I don't believe he ever recovered. Cheika is the kinda bloke that will make Australian rugby strong again. He will rule with an iron fist which is exactly what this group of players need. He has the passion like Meyer. I like that. People go into battle for that kind of passion. Good on you Niwdeyaj. Stay positive. Wallabies are still only 4th in the world and could fly under the radar at the 2015 WC
Stray Gator
Roar Rookie
Aren't you the bloke who not long ago advocated cutting the Force and the Rebels? Quitting the two fastest growing rugby states? Long term vision, eh?
Chan Wee
Guest
@ Eddard : depends on ur target market. most US people prefer "their" games - though of late footy has taken a hold due to the competitiveness in the 4 other games and the relative safety. after the recent class action against the NFL , everyone is concerned of the safety factor. in that sense rugger cannot say much to make a concerned mom feel happy her son is not in danger. also one issue i see for rugger in USA is the comparatively lower level of "exciles" from rugger backgrounds. one reason for the spread of footy is the influx of Latinos (Mexcico) . less people go to usa from nations that play rugger ina big way. chinese indians mexicans know more about football than rugger. simillarly the black population from nearby islands are more into athletics and b ball. infact one issue WINDIES cricket has is that their tall athletic boys go on schols to usa to play bb or for athletics. u need more than once in a blue moon party to build a game or sport in a country as big as USA - 50 states 320mio people almost 10mio squire killometers !!!
Eddard
Roar Guru
I don't understand this logic. If the USA Basketball team came to Australia to play a match against the Boomers do you think it would kill basketball in Australia after the Boomers lost by 30 points? No way! It would give the sport a big shot in the arm. People in America realise their team of mostly semi-pro's is playing the best team in the world. They won't expect to get close. The fact is it's the biggest single event in American rugby history. Perhaps a catalyst for many more in future. The result is secondary.
Chan Wee
Guest
not at all. first of all dont be misled by the term "WORLD". everything in america is WORLD becoz they think USA is the world !! their NFL is called world final, basbeball call it world series , even WWE calls it world championship :) secondly, it is a fun tournament among business schools in usa. isf u check the list of partcipants it will be only us universities. there is world university olympics. there is world university cricket championships. but they are open to other nations. uni olympics is a bit serious sports :) most of the peeps who play for such a team (MBA rugger) may not be playing university rugger. just play for this tournament. and again, most of them are international students, not Americans. the us MBA is so expensive one cannot take a chance of breaking a leg playing rugger. fyi, last week there was a tournament in Dubai for "exciles" from Sri Lanka England Australia etc. it was a serious one with matches from kids as young as 11 to those over 40s. it is a fun tournament , just to make merry when ur away from home.