For 30 long years from 1949-1979, New Zealand held the Bledisloe Cup, regularly dismantling an Australian side that for all intents and purposes just wasn’t at the level of the All Blacks.
Sound familiar? New Zealander dominance in the Bedisloe Cup’s 83-year history is nothing new for the Wallabies. Everyone knows that rugby in Australia just isn’t as big in comparison to New Zealand. They knew it then and they know it now.
Yet, that 30-year drought ended at one point and there were periods where the Wallabies dominated New Zealand. No one will ever forget moments like John Eales slotting an 86th minute penalty to win the Cup back in 2000.
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So how then, did Wallaby rugby go from being a passing interest that had little relevance to the national psyche, to the stadium-filling, ratings-killing product that existed at the turn of the century?
The answer lies in the cleverness of the New Zealand Rugby Union. In 1979, they empathetically scheduled a one match series in Sydney. Australia won 12-6, and rugby in Australia was back on the map.
Without a doubt, this decision has benefitted New Zealand rugby. For years, the All Blacks never had any decent opposition. Playing a one-game series in Australia might not have given Australia the Bledisloe Cup, but it gave them a fighting chance.
In the years that followed 1979 the Bledisloe grew into the machine we now know. Of course, the 1979 win gave the Wallabies hope. Over the following few years, thousands of young boys would watch teams lift aloft the famous trophy and dream of playing for the Wallabies.
The rivalry developed in New Zealand too. Attendances steadily grew and before long it was the most important game on the calendar. The All Blacks had credible opposition.
Yet in recent years, the Wallabies standards have fallen back. Rugby has again fallen out of favour with Australians, both at the box office and on TV. Much has been made of the ARU’s predicament, but the New Zealand Rugby Union stands to lose too. Already revenues have been hit from the low attendance at Bledisloe 3, which is split between the two nations on a yearly basis.
If the Wallabies fail to perform continuously, soon ratings in New Zealand will start to decline too – and that’s no good for rugby.
The answer, in my view, is to do it all again. Instead of the usual two or three-game series, make the Bledisloe Cup of 2016 a single match, held at ANZ stadium. This gives the Wallabies a fighting chance of legitimately taking the Cup, and reigniting interest in what is at times a forgotten rivalry.
In the short term, both organisations may need to forgo a little bit of revenue. But the prizes of Australia winning back the Bledisloe Cup would provide the game with prosperity and interest for years to come.
Under the current schedule, there is little likelihood Australia will win back the Bledisloe Cup. In 2015 the trophy will be contested via a two-match series, one game of which will be held at Eden Park. Realistically, Australia doesn’t have a hope in hell of winning – and it’s bad for rugby in both countries.
In 2016, two games will be held in New Zealand out of three. That means Australia has to win in New Zealand to take the Cup. Australia hasn’t won in New Zealand since 2001, so we might as well not show up.
That’s already 2017 until you can say that Australia has a legitimate shot at winning the Bledisloe Cup, and all it takes is one key injury or one wrong call to lock it away for another year.
Giving the Wallabies a legitimate chance at winning the Bledisloe Cup by making it a one-game ‘series’ for a year could be a priceless decision for both the finances and interest of the game. It’s a thought definitely worth considering on both sides of the Tasman.
Junior
Guest
Don't remember the last time Rugby has been sold out at ANZ...couldn't sell out the first Super Rugby grand final in Sydney...or the Bledisloe...thats saying something...
woodart
Guest
not enough concrete in aussie breakfast's.
piru
Guest
what on earth makes you think changing an international game to make it 'appealing' to one small market will help build a global fan base? Rugby is great, leave it alone please
piru
Guest
the game is as open or closed as you play it. Changing the laws to 'open it up' is buying a new car because you don't like the radio station on your old one. Actually it's more like selling everyone's car and buying new ones because you don't like the radio station in yours
piru
Guest
I have some suggestions, well just one Leave the game the way it is and get better at it instead of trying to change it. Actually I guess that's two
piru
Guest
So get better
The Bush
Roar Guru
From 2008 to 2010 it was a 4 game series, so it was simply never, ever, going to happen. In 2011 it was a 2 game series and we won one game, but they retained it on a 1-1. The really depressing thing is since it's gone back to 3 games in 2012, 2013 and 2014, Australia has still not been able to send it to a decider in the 3rd - frankly, that's pathetic.
piru
Guest
I don't think so no (but maybe I'm just overly optimistic). No, the super teams aren't doing particularly well as a whole at the moment, but a little perspective. With the exception of once over the last 5 years the Australian conference has had two teams in the top 5 when the dust settled. The Force had their best ever season with a largely unchanged side to this year. No one could accuse any side in the Aussie conference of being easybeats. Kiwi teams have a bad year the NZD drops 5 pts, the country goes into depression for a week and it's all forgotten by the time the tests start SA teams have a bad year they blame the ref, cook a braai and it's all forgotten about by the time the tests start Aussie teams have a bad year and it's suddenly armageddon, the end of all things, the world has moved on and there will never be an answer. I don't know why there's always such melodrama!
piru
Guest
Good point Birdy, and you are of course right. My point is more that the rankings don't really show you what's going on. NZ for example have no chance of extending their lead, due to the way the points system rewards you for beating sides above you, I don't think they ever anticipated one side being on top for such a long period. When Aussie were in 3rd place and winning regularly against SA, and jagging the odd one against NZ, it was almost as if there were two conferences (if you will) in world rugby - the tri nations and the 6 nations, and they effectively shared points (and rankings) between them with no real chance of the 6n guys catching the top 3. Give it a bad few years though, Aussie aren't getting the high value wins against NZ and SA, eventually the cumulative lower value wins in the 6n start to put teams ahead of Aussie, and it gets interesting. We Kiwis have a tendency to just point to number 1 go 'it's working' and not think anymore about it, but I still don't think they are all that indicative of what's really happening, useful though they are.
Objective
Guest
Rapturous applause, Piru. Never ceases to amaze me how much negativity is spewed forth on this site. Everyone thinks they are an expert - and that's half the problem. And in answer to Piru's comments about marketing - whilst you are correct, it's pretty hard to get a decent amount of coverage & promotion when the mainstream media depend on NRL and AFL for sales, and vice versa. Rugby can barely get a look in. I'm not suggesting we duplicate BBL exactly, but that is a great example of how a sport has partially reinvented itself and created a new market. It CAN be done - but as Piru says, let's focus on what makes Rugby great, rather than walking round with massive chips on our shoulders.
Good Game
Guest
It appears so CS - no argument there. But does that mean we shouldn't try to open the game up a bit more to enhance it as a spectacle?
Good Game
Guest
Yes. Make the game appealing to Australian sports fans - a by product of a view on the bigger picture. The primary focus should be building a bigger global fan base.
Kane
Guest
These are just suggestions that need refining. Anyone else out there have anything that enhance the game as a spectacle? Maybe leaving the rules as it is and hiring a scrum coach for the Wallabies?
melbourneterrace
Guest
Three Games is stupid when we only play each other twice in the RC, people are sick of constantly playing the All Blacks and getting Thumped. Playing each other twice would be fine if we used points difference over two games as a tie breaker instead of just giving the trophy to the holder. It would mean you could still lose the away game as long as you are significantly stronger at home.
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
The only country where rugby is regressing is Australia.
Birdy
Guest
Simon, who, in your opinion, is currently playing abroad that would significantly improve the Wallabies in 2015 if the rules changed? I'm struggling to think of any. If you're talking about the future than, presumably, you're only losing players that have consistently failed to win the Bledisloe in the past. It may make you weaker, I'm struggling to see how changing the selection rules makes you stronger than you are now.
Birdy
Guest
Not sure I agree, Piru. England have beaten the Wallabies 4 times out of the last 5 they've met, and the last 3 times they've met in World Cups ('95, '03, '07) and Ireland in the last 5 are 2-2 with one draw and beat them in the 2011 World Cup. Wales seem to have a weird mental block about the Wallabies that no-one can understand, but I think both England and Ireland consider SA, and obviously, NZ as much bigger scalps and challenges. However, I'd swap all those previous four victories to beat them next time - that 2015 World Cup pool game makes me very nervous.
winston
Guest
Globally the game is doing well. When you say "the masses" are you really just saying "Australian sports fans"
Good Game
Guest
Make the game more appealing to the masses. More entertainment for those new to the game and then can pick up the more technical aspects along the way. Viewing pleasure should be priority. - Tries to 6 points and penalties/drop goals 2 points. - If a side infringes twice inside their own 22 during the same attacking sequence, yellow card. No exceptions. - Two refs. On monitors the ruck/maul area and the other watches the offside line. - A specialist scrum ref (ideally one of the assistant refs), mentored by specialist scrum coaches to end these resets. - Time wasting cautions. A blight on the during the 35 to 40min and 70 to 80min mark of most game. After a break down in play, if a player is down, he 60 secs to sort himself out. If not he is cautioned. 3 consecutive cautions in 3 consecutive games results in a one game suspension. (This one needs work, or maybe just better wording) These are just suggestions that need refining. Anyone else out there have anything that enhance the game as a spectacle?
Birdy
Guest
Andy; Ireland are currently ranked 2 places above the Wallabies in the World Rugby rankings. Australia's population is 4 times the size of Ireland. Irish rugby also has to compete with Hurling; Gaelic football and Football (soccer). There is absolutely no structural reason why rugby in Australia can't thrive.