Wallabies stars' disconnect with fans is disappointing

Following the post-game performance of the Wallabies’ Bledisloe Cup game in Brisbane, I would say the team are not even on the same page as their supporters.

The aftermath of this game and the resignation of Ewen McKenzie has created much media attention and has taken away from the great match that was played by both teams on the night.

The events leading up to this game would have been distracting for players with the ongoing Kurtley Beale saga leading into that match. It would have been a very trying week for the players and been difficult to focus on playing a Bledisloe Cup game.

A last minute loss in the circumstances would also have been a bitter result as well.

There seems a myriad of excuses that could be attributed to the Wallabies’ failure to connect or thank their fans at Lang Park that evening. Realistically, there should be no excuses. Perhaps this is part of the issue with this current team, there is an excuse rather than accountability.

The post-match performance of the Wallabies, as a fan and as a consumer of the rugby product, was inadequate. The only player to make an effort to connect with the fans was Scott Fardy. Congratulations all round to Scott for showing the humility and gratitude to walk to the fence, sign autographs and pose for photos.

After 100 Tests, I would have thought Adam Ashley-Cooper may have wished to thank the public and fans at the stadium on such a momentous occasion. Obviously this was not the case.

These are professional sportsmen who should be able to make some effort to do a walk around of the stadium and thank the fans who have spent their hard earned to attend. What makes this look even more shameful, is when you read what is written under the Fan Zone section of the Wallabies website.

“During the 2014 Wallabies Test season we’re aiming to give fans as much access to their heroes as possible when they visit your town. To find out about Fan Events happening in your city check out the below calendar of events, the guys can’t wait to see you there!”

Of the two fandays held in Brisbane in the week leading up to the Test, the Monday one was held at Ballymore between 3.30pm and 5pm. For working parents to arrange to leave work early enough to pick up school kids, drive to Ballymore, where there is restricted parking, for this timeframe is unachievable for anyone who does not live in the immediate vicinity.

The Thursday fanday held in the Queen Street Mall, was held between 1pm and 3pm, so school-age fans were then unable to attend. Adult fans who don’t work in the city also missed this opportunity to attend.

So with two fan days held at times not conducive for fans to attend, you would hope that following the match on the Saturday night the players would make an effort to connect with the fans.

The fact that only one player out of the 23 kitted-up players can make the effort to go and connect with the fans after the game is extremely disappointing. Much commentary in various media sources continues to question the culture of the Wallabies. While I don’t subscribe to the theories and ideas of the team culture ideology, the players are out of touch with their fan-base and the Wallabies management needs to arrest this issue quickly, or the slide from popularity will not abate.

More importantly, players should not need management to remind them of these things. Surely the players should be able to recognise that without the fans they would be playing in empty stadiums and their pay-cheques may not even exist. Even more to the point, surely they can remember their childhood and their heroes and how much joy getting to meet a big-time sports player is for any fan.

The big kick in the teeth over all this is the cost of tickets to attend the game, followed up with the apparent disregard for the fans who had attended the match.

As a family of four to sit in the silver section, the cost was $134 per ticket. That is more than $500 for an 80-minute performance. There was of course the NRC curtain raiser, but that is where the entertainment ends.

Wallaby fans attend the game to see their favourite players competing, support our national team and have an overall experience. Is it too much to expect that the players walk a lap of the field to connect with the fans?

In a sporting landscape where rugby is struggling to maintain the foothold, let alone gain momentum on other sports and entertainment options, the players need to understand who and what they are representing. The disappointment of waiting more than 40 minutes after the conclusion of play, thinking that the players will soon come to see the fans and then they don’t was extremely poor.

As a rugby fan, I hope the Wallabies are successful on the spring tour and leading into next year they can build some momentum with the upcoming Rugby World Cup. What I hope for even more, is that the players realise that their supporters pay big money to attend matches to support them and what meeting one of them means to a fan.

Scott Fardy, you stood head and shoulders above your teammates in this regard, congratulations and here’s wishing you a speedy and trouble free recovery following your surgery.