The fledgling third tier of rugby will return in Australia soon with National Rugby Championship kicking off its second season in about six weeks.
The first season certainly had some teething problems – mainly stemming from poor publicity and limited public impact. Yet the rugby itself however was entertaining, innovative and crucial for the development of rugby in Australia.
Work needs to be done on the NRC but the ARU should continue to explore other ways to grow the game.
To accommodate the NRC, club competitions have had to adjust their seasons, but this presents an opportunity to build the national profile of the game while maintaining links to grassroots clubs. The ARU could develop a national club competition.
Australian rugby is unique in the fact that city-based clubs have their own distinct history and traditions that match or often exceed those of professional clubs, particularly the newly fabricated NRC clubs. It seems this has never been properly utilised in the professional era, but it’s a strength that should be exploited.
Sydney Uni versus Brothers, Randwick versus Queensland Uni, Melbourne Unicorns versus Tuggeranong Vikings, Nedlands (Perth) versus Old Collegians RFC (Adelaide). Fixtures between the top local clubs could form the basis of a competition held in August-September which will further expand the depth of Australian rugby and increase players’ exposure to high quality matches.
There are many forms such a competition could take – my preference would be a modified FA Cup-style competition (but not including Super Rugby or NRC teams), where qualifiers from each region would progress to a national knock-out competition.
For example, the Sydney and Brisbane comps could provide four qualifiers, Canberra first grade two, and then one each from Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Tasmania and so on.
The teams each year would be decided either by local knock-out rounds or based on the local first grade ladder. The games could be held in a mix of suburban locations and as curtain-raisers to the NRC with the final to be held prior to the NRC grand final.
Other forms might be a Champions League-style round robin competition from top ranked local teams, where qualifiers would be taken directly from first grade competitions or a national club knock-out in the same format as the FA Cup or the new FFA Cup (but limited to local clubs).
The competition would add a layer of tradition and identity to Australian rugby and provide more top quality games for the next generation of developing talent. And importantly, while the big clubs would be well represented it wouldn’t be the exclusive domain of rich clubs – the right to progress would have to be earned each year.
And in contrast to the NRC, or previously proposed national club comps, there would be no need to evenly distribute talent, change club allegiances or break old rivalries.
If embraced by clubs and backed by the ARU this could further boost the talent pool and provide a unique marketing device for rugby in Australia.
Justin Mahon
Guest
So a FA Cup style knockout competition or a Champions League format would be a "unique marketing device" despite the fact that football in Austalia already does this, as does the game through the entire globe? The idea the suburban rugby clubs have huge histories long beyond the professional clubs is also perfectly descriptive of football. Hardly a 'unique fact'. There is a great deal Australian rugby could learn from football, notwithstanding huge differences in the scale of the two games in Australia and overseas. The 1st step is to be honest about that, and more importantly, don't cherry pick. What I mean by that is the the revolution in Australian football is not simply a function of setting up new or improved national club competitions (A-League, FFA Cup, NYL, W-League, NPL Cup) and a pathway to continental and global ones (ACL and WCC), it is also a function of a root and branch reform of football administration, governance and associated, integrated elite player identification and development programs (Miniroos - SAP - NTC - COE). Rugby needs a clean sheet of paper to be sustainable as it doesn't have huge reserves of participation to draw on in lean times like football. It has much more at stake than simply developing a 3rd tier comp. A final thought, football is just about to undergo a shift from a federated structure to a more highly integrated national governance model. This will take the game to the next level. It is important to keep reforming - however one must first start. Dicking around with competitions in isolation of the real work or reform won't cut it in the long run.
sheek
Roar Guru
Let me add that the author's proposal is not new, having been bandied around on The Roar before, but it's fanciful, all the same. But I give him credit for having a crack. This is how we refine & improve our ideas, by putting them in the public forum, & having all their faults exposed.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
15 is too many. Currently there is probably not quite enough quality players across 9 teams.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Do you actually consider reality when you respond MS? Considering the Reds have made the finals 6 time (top of the table three times) and top 6 a total of 9 times with 1 title the Reds have been moderately successful in Super Rugby actually. In addition to that QLD has produced a number of Wallabies and Super Rugby stars for other states. The following Wallabies were produced by QLD but are plying their trade interstate right now: 1. Stephen Moore 2. David Pocock 3. Tevita Kuridrani 4. Jesse Mogg 5. Joe Tomane 6. Matt Toomua 7. Nick Cummins 8. Luke Morahan 9. Scott Higginbotham 10. Sean McMahon 11. Dom Shipperly The following Super Rugby players were QLD produced but player interstate: 1. Jarrad Butler 2. Blake Enever 3. Rory Arnold 4. Angus Cottrell 5. Heath Tessman 6. Junior Rasolea 7. Paul Alo-Emile 8. Sam Jeffries 9. Bryce Hegarty 10. Ben Meehan 11. Jonah Placid 12. Mitch Chapman 13. Jono lance 14. Brendan McKibbin So yeah. QLD is doing ok. Would be good if the professional arm could do a little better identifying future stars and retaining them, but as you can see, there's 25 players there. We already have 32 contract with only 2 or 3 not from the QLD system, so in a squad of 32 you certainly can't keep them all.
sheek
Roar Guru
Magic Sponge, It was Melbourne vs Tuggeranong (ACT) & Nedlands (Perth) vs Old Collegians (Adelaide). In any case, I was merely responding to what the author of the article had typed. So you should have read the initial article before responding.
gman
Guest
NRC is the only gateway opportunity if it was expanded to say under 15. ...then the remaining club players back to subbies it would kill 2 birds with one stone 1 NRC would be stronger and could run a full season - content would be good enough to sell / broadcast and funds would.appear 2 Subbies would be strengthened in Numbers and get get so.e trickle down Financial.from NRC being a step up Overall result - National Club comp .... better pool for reps, grass roots gets a leg up to keep the like of Penrith in the game. Of course it will upset the old rivalries .... but better than dying g a slow.death to find soccer the only game on the box.
Ryanno
Guest
Considering no Australian team in the final I think it's ok. Add the Brumbies or Tahs in for one of the NZ team and the audience doubles like it did last year and it becomes the most watched program for the night on Foxtel and would be top 10 for year like it was last year. The final last year was higher than any NRL game shown on Fox all year. 2014 top 10 was: 1 LIVE: AFL PF#2 HAWTHORN V PORT ADE FOX FOOTY 479,000 2 LIVE: AFL PF#1 SYDNEY V NTH MELB FOX FOOTY 431,000 3 LIVE: CRICKET: TEST: RSA V AUS 3RD TEST DAY 4 S2 FOX SPORTS 3 404,000 4 LIVE: AFL SF FREMANTLE V PORT ADE FOX FOOTY 404,000 5 LIVE: CRICKET: TEST: RSA V AUS 3RD TEST DAY 2 S1 FOX SPORTS 3 397,000 6 LIVE: AFL SF GEELONG V NORTH MELB FOX FOOTY 386,000 7 LIVE: AFL HAWTHORN V SYDNEY FOX FOOTY 381,000 8 LIVE: CRICKET: TEST: RSA V AUS 3RD TEST DAY 5 S1 FOX SPORTS 3 371,000 9 LIVE: SUPER RUGBY: FINAL WARATAHS V CRUSADERS FOX SPORTS 2 370,000 10 LIVE: NRL STORM V DRAGONS FOX SPORTS 1 359,000
Bakkies
Guest
Title win and finals appearances. Next
Sam
Guest
The disparity in standard is a major issue. For some form of leveller, you'd play Vic amateurs rep team ( the axemen) v Sydney Subbies premiers rather than club v club. The Dewar Shield prem division is essentially Park rugby.
Magic Sponge
Guest
Yeah Twas buy more afl players aye, that worked well. How good are the reds going since the club structure was ruined
Magic Sponge
Guest
Sheek your idea of Adelaide teams vs Melbourne teams is rather ridiculous as well. You have to develop your core and reduce costs but yeah the ARU do nothing approach but pay a few leagues and afl druggies millions of dollars is not really working as well. They have to get back to basics and grassroots. Go back to the 90s, it was developing well then S15 destroyed all club footy by having countless reserves warming the pine.
Magic Sponge
Guest
pretty crap for rugbys grand final. Dragons vs cowboys doubling it. Cmon joke
Ryanno
Guest
163,000 according to the Foxtel ratings, it was more than double that for the Tahs final last year as you would expect. On Saturday the final was beaten by Dragons V Cowboys (302k), GC V Nth Melb (292K), Rich V GWS (207K) and Bulldogs V Carlton (186K). The final rounded out the top 5 Foxtel shows for the day. That 163K for the Super Rugby final was more than most regular weeks of Super Rugby involving Aussie teams. I think the 163K is actually pretty decent for 2 x Kiwi team final but I would be interested to know whether the powers that be at Foxtel see that as a good result.
Simmo
Guest
For the AFL states I thing some meaningful state competition would be welcomed. Pre Pro rugby places like Adelaide used to get an international tour game every season, club players had an opportunity to play against All Blacks, Springboks etc! Then the game went pro and the ARC was created including state country teams, travel and accommodation all picked up by the ARU and regular games, great comp. Then it was cut due to costs and Perth and Melbourne got Super teams so resources and ARC teams created. This left remaining AFL states with nothing and more rugby isolation than ever before, odd games were arranged but this season SA had to cancel participation in a Canberra tournament due to cost, not enough numbers due to the "pay to play" policy to represent your state. Sad that the ARU cant even offer funds to cover one game any more. But SA are not even in their conscience as Adelaide has never had a test outside the 03 WC nor ever looks to. Bring back rep rugby for these states in a meaningful tournament and let them know their not forgotten.
Browny
Roar Rookie
Yep. Plus you're not going to get anywhere in the 'expansion regions' without having the 'flagship teams' (ie Rebels and Force) doing well. Need SR, NRC AND club to succeed, not just one tier.
Jill Scanlon
Roar Rookie
Hey... I'd like to get some feedback from GURUS on general opinions towards Rugby7s as part of the rugby landscape and its growth/development into the future given its now Olympic status. A straw poll, if you will. What's the general feeling of Rugby experts, pundits, followers out there on Sevens?
sheek
Roar Guru
Unfortunately TWAS, Amen to that (your 2nd para above)!
Jill Scanlon
Roar Rookie
Agree. And that is the crunch point. ARU is low on funds and not dealing with the situation very well. Fortunate a small 'windfall' has come out of the new SANZAR deal but still needs to get its house in order to put better programming/planning structures in place. Unfortunately the ARU is known for its poor in-house management and hierarchy to the detriment of the game and its future moving forward.
jeznez
Roar Guru
That is exactly what the NRC does.
jeznez
Roar Guru
100% on the split of teams in Sydney Ray. Blind Freddie could see it, they just need to open their eyes. Am undecided on there being a fourth team in Country. On the one hand I really want the country team there to represent the region but on the other hand we have seen that four teams in NSW dilutes our talent too much when we also supply the bulk of players to teams like the Rising, etc. If the country side was predominantly sourced from the NSW country guys at the Rising, Spirit and Vikings then it might work. However the idea of four teams in NSW and only two in Qld is always going to lead to mismatches.