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This article continues Rob C and El Gamba’s National Rugby Championship dissection (Part 1) from last week.
In our previous post we started putting forward arguments as to why the NRC is one of the best things in rugby union, and how its first year has gone.
We pointed to what a great job the clubs have done in getting the competition off the ground, the emerging talent coming through and the community support that is gradually growing for NRC clubs.
1. El Gamba says: Training Room or playing rugby? Take your pick
“Too much weights, not enough speed work” – Jake the Muss.
The NRC helps make a fully rounded player. Weights are no replacement for match fitness, with many players using the NRC to build confidence. Kyle Godwin is a great example. He bounced back from a serious knee operation and earned another Wallaby chance. This is due to the NRC.
Quade Cooper made the third Bledisloe team, also due to the NRC. He quickly displayed fine form in his first NRC game, both in attack and defence. Making your first match tackle after a shoulder injury is as exciting and reassuring as the first kiss of a hot date. He then backed it up with a classy 80-minute performance.
Will Genia, Matt Hodgson, Ben McCalman… the list goes on. Those who have done a massive pre-season will know that your first game is a huge level up.
But it can be a double-edged sword. A few players have arguably gone backwards after being exposed with the pace and power. Will Skelton struggled at times and Paddy Ryan lost some fans. It can be a healthy reality check which also drives a competitive edge. Then, there is also injury risk for established players.
RobC says: I’m a huge Paddy Ryan fan. But his scrum disappointed during the Waratahs and Wallabies. I think the Stars’ forwards coach turned things around since. His scrums against Queensland Country and Rays were great! And his match interviews are starting to rival ‘the Badger’.
2. El Gamba says: Quality competition
Initially there was some concern about mismatches in the competition. This has changed quite significantly as the NRC has gone on with the unbeaten Rising losing in the semi-final. Is this up and down nature a good thing? Certainly not for tippers, but it does add excitement.
Teams developing combinations and getting used to travel and new structures is important to this and can only happen over time.
The hybrid Sydney teams will settle in as time goes on. The Stars, at the bottom of the table, for example, showed in their last game that they have potential and there is no doubt more time will assist. Have Sydney University bitten off more than they can chew? Not for long is my bet.
RobC says: Shute Shield is great. Hospital, Pindar Cup etc are nice. But cross-country games are a million times better! I love watching Queensland teams belt the crap out of NSW. Now, who wouldn’t pay good money for that?
3. RobC Says: Media silence is not nolden
New Zealand and South African media covers their third tier throughly. Australian mainstream media, on the other hand, is instead thoroughly looking for mobile messages and CVs. They are also pulling out tribunal notes. They should instead pull their finger out and watch actual games like the NRC.
I wonder if they ever touched a rugby ball or had a run on the field. They should have a full appreciation of the joy of the game, and benefits of the NRC for their community, the players, coaches, officials, support staff, ecosystem and the rugby economy.
The lack of passion and vision from many in the media is deeply disappointing and quite disturbing. But it is not just the media. No one is arming them with the right stories that get people interested.
Come on ARU, at least get a newsletter out and showcase big plays, big hits, player features and useful statistics.
The good news is we have Brett McKay, leading the NRC charge like a Viking. The Roar and Green and Gold Rugby have picked up and ran with the ball. Media managers in Queensland rugby union are doing a fine job, along with the Rams and Bar TV folks. Fox Sports has literally breathed life into the NRC.
But the NRC needs more, especially for 2015. Even people from UK are asking for more NRC coverage.
El Gamba says: This is perhaps the most disappointing thing about the NRC, and the ARU at present. So much smoke obscuring the important things that so much great rugby is being missed. Not just good to watch, but great for the game in Australia, the game we love.
4. RobC says: NRC is the championship for the future
NRC will help drive rugby into the mainstream, but not without improvements.
Firstly, it is too short and it should start earlier. I don’t know the impact on club rugby. It is like herding cats! But I prefer a high quality national game, over state competitions.
Tribalism
The competition is still in its honeymoon period, so teams are still playing nice. Wait until next year, where teams will want revenge. Also, it takes a bit of time for teams to breed rabid supporters. Look how A-League teams built their tribes over time.
Structure
No one will be ever be satisfied with NSW team composition, no matter what is chosen. Nature of the beast. But this composition is self-determined, which is as Australian as it can ever be. The next question is when Adelaide will be joining us.
Rules
They look good and they work well. Two thumbs up. There are more scrums, and more running. There is faster action, and a lot of collisions. They could look at more referees though, just like Varsity Cup from South Africa.
Final wrap by El Gamba
Paul Kelly sang “from little things big things grow”, and Australian rugby needs this to be true in the case of the NRC.
RobC mentions Folau. Is the NRC bigger than Folau? Maybe not today but it has to be over the coming years for rugby to keep a toehold in Australian sport. European rugby, the NRL and even the voracious AFL are here to steal our talent, and we need to be able to develop and compete.
One year of the Australian Rugby Championship in 2007 gave players such as Quade Cooper, Will Genia and David Pocock an insight into the professional environment. It gave them contacts and relationships. Most importance it gave them confidence that they could make it – and make it they did.
I still maintain that it was a shame that it was binned at a time when three rugby league converts cost around the same as the first year’s operating cost. The NRC needs ARU and State Union support and involvement in terms of priority and marketing. This will drive community support and the rest will follow.
This weekend was the fairytale final, at one of the spiritual homes of Australian rugby. It harked back to the ‘good old days’ of rugby, which with some astute marketing, is what will give this competition an identity and vision for the future.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.