Is Australian rugby that bad? Over the past few weeks countless debates have been fought about the state of the game.
Last November we were the joke of the rugby world with no money, no coach and no expectation. We had our worst European tour in eight years, lost the Bledisloe Cup again and had been out scrummaged against every team.
However, fast forward seven months and for the first time ever an all-Australian Super Rugby final was a possibility. For the first time since John Connolly we have a world class coach and even have depth something inconceivable for rugby fans in Australia.
We have world-class players in David Pocock and Michael Hooper, both world-class flankers, and Israel Folau is the undisputed poster boy for Australian rugby. Not to mention emerging talent such as Nick Stirzaker, Jonah Placid and Jack Debreczeni coming through the ranks. The future looks bright for the Wallabies.
So what can the ARU do to increase the game’s popularity even more?
Well, to start with they need to increase funding for country rugby. Over the past week I have been a spectator at two thrilling games of country footy both watched on by passionate supporters who follow the game like a religion.
Country players make up the bulk of our junior representative teams. They need to take Super Rugby games to regional Australia places like Orange, Wagga Wagga or Toowoomba, whose populations would love to have a game of world-class rugby played in their own backyard.
Secondly, the ARU needs to get behind the Melbourne Rebels. Melbourne is the undisputed sports capital of Australia and is also home to the most open-minded sports fans in the country. If the Melbourne Rebels keep on growing into a formidable team, thus becoming more successful, the flow-on effect will create a greater awareness for the game.
Lastly the ARU has to forget about the north shore and eastern suburbs of Sydney and focus on the wonderful west. Since the dawn of time rugby union has been seen as the code for the posh, however it is time to shrug off this tag.
How do we do this? Increase funding for western Sydney clubs and school rugby programs. Last weekend Penrith Emus were smashed 129-0 against Eastwood, this score line is astonishing and should not be happening in Sydney first-grade rugby union.
No person in Penrith wants to support a team that gets a cricket score against then every week. The other western Sydney team, Parramatta, are also coming second last this season with their only win coming against Penrith.
Lots of young talented football players would thrive playing rugby union, however are too embarrassed to play it instead of AFL or rugby league.
Even though we head into this World Cup with no expectations and a team that might not even get through the pool stages, there is a bright future ahead for the code. The ARU needs to work hard to make sure rugby union can stay great for a long time.
WALLABY THRASHER
Guest
More Australian sporting hubris before another Australian sporting fall!
Steve
Guest
I've got to say Andy you hit the nail on the head. Why such a focus on School rugby? It should be run hand in hand with a club competition. Solely relying on School competitions is not the way forward
The Saint
Roar Guru
Baggge from 91-2003? Being a bit generous there...91-94, 98-99, 2001-2003. 95, 96 and 97 belonged to the ABs
Mike Julz
Guest
Is Australian rugby that bad? Well, at least they did better than South Africa in this years Super Rugby. Against New Zealand? Yup, it's that bad. But then you ask yourself this question- Is New Zealand rugby that good?
Kiwi
Guest
That doesn't make a lot of sense. Its a bit like saying the Blues have a 1 in 15 chance of winning the comp.
Hayley
Guest
I would argue that Wallabies are paid more then New Zealand cricketers. You could compare the wages of the Wallabies and the All Blacks but you couldn't compare the Blackcaps and the Australian team (what are they even called, we in NZ have a name for them but its not fit for a public forum ;) ) because you could probably combine all the contracted Blackcaps wages and it would be equal to that of one of the Aussies, it would probably be less then the top paid one. Dont even get me started on the difference in funding and quality of training facilities and opportunities with the opposition because their is the big three and NZ isn't part of that lot so playing 'big teams' doesnt happen often. When you dont play big teams its harder to get better. @Andy that semifinal win was a pretty big win. Most (even me) though South Africa would win that game. Neither team had ever made it past that stage. In a way I really believe that was truly our final and the game against Aus was just a game where all of NZ went oh well we made it to the final. The one thing I will always take from that final is that Dan Vettori deserved a better send of for his final international one day game.
conor
Guest
Thanks Bakkies. Didn't know that.
Marlins Tragic
Guest
I agree, hey should put that 500k towards junior rugby pathways outside the school system, the schools don't even pay a registration fee to any union, so why should they be getting handouts. Has anyone seen the size of the stadium that Shore has in Sydney, they hardly need the ARU's cash.
sheek
Roar Guru
Ryanno, Unfortunately that wasn't the intent of my comment. Too bad you don't see it the way it was offered.
sheek
Roar Guru
Sluggy, I was at the Paddo RSL several weeks ago to see a workmate fight. He won the main gig! Pity we didn't cross paths.
soapit
Guest
reminds me of the type of player that would think you were doing something dirty if you tackled them /cleaned them out too hard
Ryanno
Guest
Sheek, Of course it was better in your day, everything was. The sky was bluer and the beer was colder too. My other passion is surfing and you remind me of the classic older timers who surf. The waves were always better in their day, better banks, better swell, warmer water, less sharks, hotter chicks, e.t.c e.t.c. Don't go changing me. Have Penrith ever not struggled? I can't remember a time when they didn't. Should they not be playing in subbies and at least get a few wins. It must be heartbreaking to play for that club.
hog
Guest
Content & Visibility, something that rugby union both lack here.
Bakkies
Guest
ACT schools are in it this year. Marist and Daramalan have forfeited games.
Bakkies
Guest
Sheek, that it's exactly what's been asked for. No one is suggesting that the GPS comp should be done with.
Bakkies
Guest
ACT schools were chucked out. I think they're back in now.
Birdy
Guest
It sounds attractive to reduce the points for penalties and drop goals; but always beware the law of unintended consequences. I would have thought the bigger the points differential in favour of tries, the more teams will infringe and risk giving a penalty away to kill a move. You could increase the use of Yellow cards, but given the likely moaning about the game being 'ruined' with 14 against 13 etc I'm not sure it's a recipe for more harmony and 'open' rugby.
LukeR
Guest
I'm going to go ahead and say that Robbie Deans (perhaps Ewen McKensie too), was a world class coach. Apart from the ABs, we had a great record under Deans. And which coach has a good record against the ABs? I'm hopeful the Wallabies can get back to the top -- as usual --, but the idea that Cheika is going to deliver something Deans couldn't because he is "world class". No.
conor
Guest
St Edmund's College, Canberra, was banned from competing in the Waratah Shield after winning the Shield for 8 consecutive years. Well known names who played for St Edmund's during these years included Ricky Stuart, David Furner, Michael Maguire, George Gregan, Matt Giteau, and Anthony and Saia Faiingaa. The excuse for the banning was that, as St Edmund's was located in the ACT, it had no right to compete in a NSW competition. The ban was at the instigation of NSW Combined High Schools, which was upset that its previous domination of the tournament through teams such as Epping Boys High, no longer held sway. All ACT schools, including Marist College, Canberra (which won the Waratah Shield with Joe Roff as its star player), Canberra Grammar (Rod Kafer) and Daramalan College, were excluded along with St Edmund's. Unfortunately for NSW CHS it was a pyrrhic victory and they have now been overwhelmed in the competition by the new Independent schools (neither GPS or CAS) such as St Augustine's, Brookvale. Despite this, ACT schools have not been re-invited.
AndyS
Guest
To be honest Rodney, I think it is the opposite. Kids are never going to play what they don't know about...they play what they see. First and foremost, they see what their parents watch. Then they watch what their mates watch. But if that is always other sports, there is just no way there won't be a gradual dwindling of support. The boom in Soccer coincided with a TV channel coming along to show the game, and even a product that had never existed like the BBL can develop a following if it is broadcast and sold. There weren't thousands of people sitting around thinking that they'd love to watch cricket, but wouldn't because it went too long - they were predominantly a new audience who didn't even know they were interested until the concept was aggressively sold to them. But Union has never been good at that, and couldn't anyway as they simply aren't seen by the majority of the audience. We are locked into a situation where only one team is really sold to a general audience, the sales job is highly dependent of the success of that team, and in the main the salesmen (journalists) are reluctant at best and keen to find fault. And nothing much is going to change while that remains the case.