Since the 2014 Spring Tour, the worst on record, things haven’t become much better for Australian rugby.
Australia has fallen to its worst IRB ranking in history – sixth, low-lying Portugal trumped the Australian men’s sevens side earlier this month – and controversy surrounded NSW Waratahs and Wallabies coach Michael Cheika after he engaged in half-time conversation with referee Jaco Peyper during a Super Rugby game in March.
Additionally, having just passed the halfway point of the 2015 Super Rugby season, Australian teams hold three of the five bottom spots in the competition.
More specifically, Australia holds the lowest two, the Western Force and the Queensland Reds on 10 and 11 points respectively.
The Blues from Auckland sit in third last spot, but are unlucky to be sitting there, having lost six of their ten games by ten points or less and acquiring their only win over an Australian side, the Brumbies.
One of the issues being detrimental to the success of Australian rugby, significantly highlighted this year in Super Rugby, is inconsistency.
The Waratahs have yet to consistently show that they’ve reached the same heights as last year, the Brumbies seem to be lost in some games but alert in others, the Reds have been thoroughly disappointing, so too the Force, while the real surprise packet has been the Rebels – defeating some of the best sides in the competition. Yet, no Australian team has been able to assert any dominance or build upon momentum so far this season.
If you watched two Waratahs games back-to-back this season for the first time, you’d be entitled to think they were not defending champions. Only once has a team from Australia, the Brumbies (2000-02), been a part of back-to-back Super Rugby finals.
Similarly, since Super Rugby began in 1996, there has never been an all-Australian final, whereas New Zealand have had four (1998, 1999, 2003, 2006), and South Africa two (2007, 2010).
It shows that we struggle to back-up a quality season with another, which is what the All-Blacks and New Zealand (and to some extent South Africa) Conference sides do on a regular basis.
It seems even the implementation of the new ARU laws revolving around Australian player eligibility has arguably been used to address Australia’s inconsistencies.
It will be interesting to see if we decide to select a player, like Matt Giteau, into our World Cup squad for 2015, even though he hasn’t played a Test match since 2011. Test match rugby is a considerable step up from domestic rugby, and although he was selected as the best player in the French Top 14 this year, it is unlikely that he will be able to replicate the same form when he returns to the international scene.
Is the expansion of Super Rugby partly to blame for our national inconsistencies, with competition for spots in Australian squads virtually non-existent? And has it contributed to Australian rugby officials to start implementing new strategies like the one above?
It’s evident to both New Zealand and South Africa that Australia is a nation that produces only three truly competitive teams on a regular basis, the Brumbies, Waratahs and Reds – proceeding to suggest that Australia would have been better off sticking with only three teams in the competition.
This point further reflects in the selection of the national team. The squad for the Spring Tour of 2014 included nine from both the Waratahs and Brumbies, seven from the Reds and only four each from the Force and Rebels.
Australia even showcases its regularity in playing individuals out of position. Adam Ashley-Cooper has now migrated from outside centre to the wing, Kurtley Beale established at centre and Matt Toomua plays fly half for the Brumbies, but inside centre for the Wallabies, virtually for no reason at all.
Compare this to New Zealand, where Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith to name a few have rarely, if at all, swapped or been forced to switch positions throughout their careers, which can obviously be attributed to some of their dominance.
One can only hope that Australia will curb these inconsistencies and show up for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, which is set to be an absolute cracker.
Birdy
Guest
It's OK, Mike, I'm in a good mood so I'll help Taylorman out. I think 'Ali' might give you a slap if he met you, Taylorman (or considering it's Williams we're talking about probably stamp repeatedly on your head). Would the Blues team that is operating at a pace way beyond Williams's current capabilities be the same one I watched last week that had Cowan and Bowden as the starting half backs, two players who left England because neither could get a starting place in their Aviva Premiership sides; and is captained from lock by an Englishman no-one in England had ever heard of?
Common Sense
Guest
Classic Ali.
Common Sense
Guest
I'd rest key players for the South African trip and possibly a few for the Sydney test. Play the full strength team in Auckland. I've already written off this years Joburg test as a loss. The potential semi final between the two teams is more important.
Bakkies
Guest
That was pre RDS, Leinster were playing at 4,000 seat Donnybrook. RDS is being refurbished from 18,500 to 25,000 to accommodate more Rugby support. Thomond, Musgrave and Ravenhill have been refurbished since then. Ireland is now in a position to bid on a RWC on its own with the GAA assisting. Sows how times have changed.
Connor33
Guest
Jedinak.. I do not recall who he plays for, but it is some English team. Though I do not think it in the Premier League. But, really, the only reason why I remembered his name was because Australia just won the Asia Cup in Australia.
Connor33
Guest
Australian really isn't the best analogue because it runs 4th behind the other three codes. If we factor in populations, coupled with a country that has 4 codes, I think you'd find Ireland to be a better be a better comparison with New Zealand -- a team that has never beaten the ABs, but perhaps if their national sport was rugby, they would have as Wales has and beaten the ABs. This is not from the best source and a little dated, but it provides a good snapshot for comparative purposes: "Gaelic football is the most popular sport in Ireland in terms of match attendance, and in 2003 accounted for 34% of total sports attendances at events in the Republic of Ireland, followed by hurling at 23%, soccer at 16% and rugby at 8%." I anticipate rugby in NZ would be in excess of 60%, perhaps 70%. When you have that critical mass, then the advertising dollars flow, money is invested back into the game at the youth level. Depth is created. We just don't have that in Oz re rugby despite the population size.
Shane D
Roar Rookie
Not sure Connor, by the way who is the captain of the Socceroos & what club does he play for?
Shane D
Roar Rookie
So can you explain why junior rugby in Auckland is constantly being scouted by NRL teams? No doubt rugby is a major sport in NZ but it's not as dominant as a lot of people tend to think.
World in Union
Guest
Tell us something we don't know Mr Farebrother .... another doom & gloom article bemoaning Aust rugby. Fact is, we don't have the strength & depth of other nations and generally we punch above our weight, to the extent that 'fans' think we should be up there with the best of 'em year in year out ... it ain't happening, so let's collectively get over it. Imagine what a champion side Australia would produce if there was no such thing as AFL ? All those AFL sportsmen would likely be playing either code of rugby and the Wallabies would be firing! Of course, that's just a pipedream.
blob
Guest
New Zealand and south Africa regularly have at least one bad performing team a season south Africa is usually two cheetahs and lions come to mind over the last 5 seasons combined. Every keeps saying Australia does not have the depth for five teams, you really think going back to 3 teams is going to help grow depth? there is always going to be a poor performing team in any conference that is how it works.
Bakkies
Guest
Bizarre post. There are 5 small squads in Australia when you narrow it down to specific positions particularly in the pack it's even lower the amount of squad opportunities. The money on offer is far less hence the amount of forwards that have left including players that may have got an offer to replace the Super squad players that have gone. If the choice is between playing in front of a man and a dog or 15-20,000 passionate supporters on far better money I know what I will choose. How many more Nathan Hines' are there in the system or stuck in club Rugby due to limited opportunities or narrowing recruiting down to certain schools. Re schools the amount of big schools playing quality Rugby is getting smaller. I wonder if this is what is affecting the under 20s JWC results.
Bakkies
Guest
People need to stop referring a particular sport as a product.
Wii
Guest
So the fact Australia also has nearly 5 times the population should not be factored in either........ Australia is far better placed than New Zealand to have this "code war".
Wii
Guest
I'm not so sure Hugo as the Kiwis and South Africans have both openly stated they wil, rest players during the RC like they are doing in Super rugby this year as they did in 2011. Australia went on to win both titles that year but were spanked in the WC semi final.
Connor33
Guest
I don't mean to be smart, but who's the captain of the NZ soccer team? Which club team does he play for? And if you did a survey of 100 Nzers, how many could answer these questions? Cricket, perhaps. But soccer (aka football), I'm not quite sure. There's just no comparison between the dilution of the football codes in Australia relative to any other country. It's the key reason why we have had inconsistency for the past decade.
JJ
Guest
Kind of agree. I've played rugby all my life and quite frankly am bored with the sport. Rugby is a very poor product and will without any question continue in a downwards trajectory ... in this country at least. If I was to be blessed with a son one day it will be cricket and soccer.
bill
Guest
Of course these other countries have other sports but I'm referring to a dominant sport. In NZ & SA its clearly union, in Australia that's not the case. The NZ league players in Oz are playing here because there is only 1 NRL team in NZ and in most instances they have been resident in Oz for many years.
bill
Guest
No problems at all Nathan. Your article was quite interesting and I agree with your follow up comments.A number of the school boys stars are on league scholarships but are under no requirement to play league when they finish. Mind you the league club has 6 years to influence them while they are at school.For union that will always be a challenge but not all of these boys make it in the NRLand I would be targeting the ones that don't make it beyond U 20's firstly and then the younger guys who are struggling to get a run in the U20's.Likewise the young aussie rules players who don't look like they will get picked up I would target them as well. Look forward to your next article
Jake
Guest
Agree with Taylorman. The French comp is a retirement home for faded SH players or journeymen who wont make a SXV side. There are guys who play first grade for Manly in the Sydney comp who start in the Top 14 ffs. quality.
Steve
Guest
Most sports Sheek. Very rarely are sporting teams with any meaningful competition consistent. How boring it would be if they were. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.