What happened to Australia A? Second-tier international rugby, in my eyes, is the best pathway to producing Test-ready, world-class players before they receive their Wallabies jersey.
Much has been made of the need for Australia to build a strong foundation for the future in recent years, starting with the unsuccessful Australian Rugby Championship in 2007, a failed attempt at mimicking New Zealand’s ITM Cup and South Africa’s Currie Cup.
The tournament ran for a single season before being dumped by the ARU. Similarly, many articles in recent weeks and months have focused on the need for a strengthened grassroots program and an expanded rugby presence in Western Sydney.
I fully agree with this assessment, and hope the ARU works towards a strong base for Australian rugby in coming years. The reshuffling of Sydney club rugby is also a topic being hotly discussed at the moment, as more and more focus shifts towards the next generations of players to pull on the green and gold.
The latest and arguably most effective move for Australian rugby’s future has been the reintroduction of second-tier domestic rugby, in the new National Rugby Championship.
The NRC has undoubtedly uncovered some great new talent – look no further than the impact Nic Stirzaker and Jack Debreczeni have had for the Rebels this year.
Stirzaker went from four starts in 2014 to 15 in 2015, a remarkable reflection of the immediate effect of second-tier domestic rugby. So impressive was his breakthrough season that there were quiet rumblings when Stirzaker wasn’t selected as a bolter for Wallabies honours.
After just one season, the NRC is proving to be a vital stepping stone to a powerful Australian rugby future. And through Foxtel‘s sponsorship deal, the NRC is financially confirmed to run until at least 2020.
But how do we transfer this young raw talent into future Test gold? How do fringe players move to the starting XV? In the past, second-tier international rugby was this vital stepping stone. Now? Most players are simply thrown in the deep end with the Rugby Championship, which boasts the top two nations in the world and an Argentinian side that could topple any big nation on its day.
The result? Some thrive, like Tevita Kuridrani’s stunning debut against New Zealand in 2013. Few Wallabies outfits have started without him since. Others are thrown into the international mix far too early, and as a result we have a fine collection of unfulfilled talent. The list of players that have dropped off national selectors’ radar includes Jake Schatz, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Jesse Mogg, and who can forget Mike Harris’ last-gasp game winning kick against Wales in 2012.
Many of these young talents were very genuine Wallaby hopefuls. Many have now moved to overseas clubs, while others desperately ply their trade in Super Rugby in hope of recall. Although Greg Holmes’ eight-year crusade to pull on Wallabies colours is inspiring, it is very much the exception not the rule.
Additionally, many up-and-coming ‘fringe players’, such as Stirzaker, have missed out on any recognition or higher level experience simply because there is no solid pathway between Super Rugby and the international stage. Coaches often have no choice but to ignore such talents, as the stakes are too high to experiment in Rugby Championship matches or World Cup battles.
Look to last year, when the Wallabies called up third choice hooker Nathan Charles, following injuries to both captain Stephen Moore and his back-up Tatafu Polota-Nau. Charles, an inspiring story in himself and performed admirably on a tough stage against the All Blacks. But you can’t help but feel a little more experience would have boosted him to new heights.
A second-tier international team would have given Charles, and many other young talents, the experience required to perform on the world stage. In days gone by, Australia A competed in the Pacific Nations Cup, duelling with Fiji, Tonga, Japan, Samoa and the Junior All Blacks (New Zealand’s second-tier international side).
Australia A paved the path for many young hopefuls to get big-game experience, hone their skills and prove they had what was required to play with the big boys. Stephen Hoiles, future Brumbies captain, was the top try scorer in the 2008 Pacific Nations Cup for Australia A.
However, 2008’s Pacific Nations Cup was the last showing for Australia A, being scrapped later that year.
In 2010, the ARU organised an ‘Australian Barbarians’ team to face England in two tour matches. The next year, Berrick Barnes made a startling return from injury and played himself into World Cup contention playing for the Australian Barbarians against Canada.
Then, nothing.
Canada was the last international game played by a second-tier Australian side. Recently the Australian Under-20s side faced an Australian Barbarians outfit, but this team did not meet its former glory, filled with promising Shute Shield players.
The reintroduction of a second-tier Australian side would be a key step in building the future of Australian rugby. The NRC has showcased the raw talent found all over Australia, and how second-tier rugby can translate to Super Rugby success.
So why wouldn’t second-tier international rugby translate into better Wallabies results?
Financial issues shouldn’t be a worry anymore – a new Foxtel television deal reportedly has the ARU sailing into calmer waters, and consistently performing Super Rugby sides have brought crowds back to stadiums.
It doesn’t have to be Australia A, or the Australian Barbarians. A NRC team of the season taking on a Junior Wallaby outfit would be a cracking match. Anything to bring second-tier international rugby back to life in Australia.
So what would a team of fringe players look like?
My ‘Fringe XV’ 2015
1. Paul Alo-Emile (Rebels)
2. Nathan Charles (Force)
3. Scott Sio (Brumbies)
4. Rory Arnold (Brumbies)
5. Luke Jones (Rebels)
6. Ita Vaea (Brumbies)
7. Liam Gill (Reds) (Captain)
8. Lopeti Timani (Rebels)
9. Nic Stirzaker (Rebels) (Vice-Captain)
10. Jack Debreczeni (Rebels)
11. Taqele Naiyaravoro (Waratahs)
12. Samu Kerevi (Reds)
13. Mitch Inman (Rebels)
14. Sefanaia Naivalu (Rebels)
15. Luke Morahan (Force)
16. Pek Cowan (Force)
17. Josh Mann-Rea (Brumbies)
18. Jeremy Tilse (Waratahs)
19. Adam Coleman (Force)
20. Jack Dempsey (Waratahs)
21. Joe Powell (Brumbies)
22. Tom English (Rebels)
23. Andrew Kellaway (Waratahs)
Simon
Roar Pro
Thanks Rob :)
RobC
Roar Guru
Welcome to the roar, Simon. Great idea. I think they should play respective NZ and SA 'A' teams. Once a year, either as curtain raiser or midweek game. Keep the costs low. Would be high quality games with a bit of fire and flare, as players and coaches have something to prove to selectors and the public
RobC
Roar Guru
Gday Train. re Jones. Fardy plays 6 this year, when he broke out at WBs. He was a lock at SR played 6 for WBs. Jones has had a better year than Fardy. I suspect if Fardy doesnt lift his game, Jones may coming knocking. Thats the nice thing about NRC. If his form continues, he may be asked to report to duty. Just like last year.
NaBUru38
Guest
I think that Sanzar should create a Junior Rugby Championship, with two teams per country: Australia with NSW/Canberra vs Queensland/Victoria/West, New Zealand with North and South, South Africa with Northwest and Southeast, and Argentina with Buenos Aires and Provinces. Rather than playing home and away, each edition is held in one country over four weekends. There would be two groups of four. One plays at Sydney / Auckland / Johannesburg / Buenos Aires and another at Brisbane / Christchurch / Cape Town / Córdoba. Then the winners play each other, same for 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed teams for a total 4 matches per team.
Boomeranga
Guest
You guys capped a Fijian of your own didn't you?
Birdy
Guest
"What happened to Australia A?" They're packing their luggage and saying goodbye to their families in Fiji, aren't they? Don't worry, they'll be over soon.
Trebla
Guest
The issue is that the team picked is like an Australia C team. 30 or 40 players ahead of them. And they do not have a competition to keep playing and impressing. Put some focus back on club rugby, that is where we used to select from. And revive Sydney rep teams.
Bakkies
Guest
Saxons now only two matches a year. Wolfhounds once though Emerging Ireland play in the Tblisi Cup in the Summer. Scotland A against England Saxons. It's mostly one off stuff and the quality of the game is like a scratch match
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
It's not a disgrace. It's just the fact that Jones falls into neither lock category (TH - Big bruising rock shifter, LH - Line out technician). Right now he's more of a Dean Mumm (in that Mumm never satisfied the requirements of other role) and is somewhere in second row purgatory. Realistically he needs to offer a lot more in the line out as a leader and stealer, or play at 6. The category he best fills is blindside flank but unfortunately he doesn't get to play their for the Rebels.
Jamieson Murphy
Roar Guru
That's a pretty strong Australia A team! Maybe our depth isn't as bad as I thought.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And not all are A teams much like the Australian Barbarians which has played multiple fixtures is not an A team.
PiratesRugby
Guest
The fact is that Stirzaker and Jones should be in the Wallabies squad right now. Stirzaker is by no means our saviour at 9 but he outplayed all the Australian 9s this season. That shows his quality. He lacks the experience to play at Test level but he should be in the squad soaking up the experience. Genia, Phipps and White have all had a pretty ordinary year. On his day, Genia is the best scrum half in the world. Lets hope he rediscovers that form. But you can't seriously argue that Phipps and White would ever get picked in any other Test team. They have been good servants but they are pretty ordinary scrumhalves. Did the squad really need the both of them? Stirzaker is the future. Luke Jones' stats in 2015 put him ahead of every other lock in the country yet he can't even make the squad. What a disgrace. I reckon he could play AusA until the cows came home and Chieka will still ignore him.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
I'd love to see it. Just wondering how a curtain raiser affects the pitch before the main game. Is that a consideration or not really?
Simon
Roar Pro
Very true, a second tier side from Australia could play these sides as well as smaller nations such as Japan and USA.
bob
Guest
England Saxons play all the time, Irish Wolfhounds play also, all blacks both all black Maori and Barbarians French Barbarians just played Argentina, all these teams are top tier and and 3 of them ranked above Aus
Bakkies
Guest
Very few top tier teams have regular A teams and that includes Italy and Scotland who have two pro teams each
jeznez
Roar Guru
Well he is in the 23......
kibuib
Guest
I'd really like to see Dane Haylett Petty get a run sometime, maybe the fall tours. Along with Stirzaker, Toby Smith, and Ita Vaea.
Ra
Guest
There is a cheaper way of building your second tier players. They are called into training camps, from where two sides are selected, practice together, then play each other as curtain raisers to the home international matches. It's been done before at age group level in NZ lots of times.
Rugby stu
Guest
This article needed to needed to be written, I couldn't agree more this is one of the major gaps in Australian rugby and it would really help in stopping the flow of young talent by at least recognising their future potential rather than have then stuck behind the current stars.