The Australian Rugby Union today announced two new initiatives around the National Rugby Championship at the launch of the season.
With the first game to be played tomorrow between the defending premiers Brisbane City and last year’s grand finalists Perth Spirit, the NRC will also welcome in a Ranfurly Shield-like honour, as well as a chance for players to represent an Australian Barbarians team to play a New Zealand team later in the year.
The NRC season will run over the next nine weeks, then move into finals.
Introducing the Horan-Little Shield
The great Wallabies and Reds centre pairing will have a Shield named after them for NRC clubs to contest.
It will be up for grabs at every home match played by the current holders, meaning that it is only contested during the regular season. The team can also accept challenges for the shield for away fixtures, but there is no obligation to accept the challenge of a rival club.
Having gone through the 2014 NRC season undefeated, Melbourne Rising are the current holders of the Horan-Little Shield.
If the holders win two consecutive home games or challenges, the Shield is automatically up for grabs in every subsequent game, whether it’s home or away.
The team holding the Shield at the end of the regular season will have their names engraved on it, and be the winners for that year.
Melbourne Rising already have their name inscribed on the Shield, so congratulations to them for an outstanding 2014 season!
This is sure to add a little spice to the regular season NRC games, all of which will either be broadcast on Foxtel or through Foxtel’s digital platform.
Australian Barbarians concept announced
An Australian Barbarians side will be chosen at the end of the NRC season to play a New Zealand Heartland XV in November in a two-match series in New Zealand.
The team will be picked from those playing NRC who don’t have a Super Rugby contract, and give them an opportunity to show their wares against a similar team from New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Heartland Championship is a level below that of the ITM Cup.
No dates have been given for the match.
The Australian Barbarians will be selected by a panel chaired by ARU Pathway Manager Adrian Thompson.
Rob Clarke the ARU’s General Manager of Professional Rugby said the new ideas were aimed at creating a buzz around the NRC.
“These new initiatives for season two of the Buildcorp NRC will generate significant interest and excitement around the competition.
“The Horan-Little Shield will give clubs another opportunity to win and show off some silverware while I’m sure the composition of the Australian Barbarians squad to tour New Zealand will be the source of plenty of discussion in living rooms, online and in pubs and clubs across the country.”
sheek
Guest
Thanks Don, I still don't understand how the ARU & associated clubs intend to capture non-rugby fans with such (some) artificially created mergers. Perhaps the NRC is doing one part of its job in providing future pathways for more aspirants. But is it sustainable in this current format? I for one, doubt it.
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
Sorry you lost me there I'm afraid. My rationale is simple. The Shield is awarded to the winner of last year's competition
Don
Roar Rookie
Mate, I couldn't leave you hanging out there. Love how you stay solid with your stance too. If you recall (long ago now), whilst I wasn't anti the NRC concept, I was against the awful hybrid teams that made up the NRC, particularly in Sydney, and the names of teams pretty well everywhere. But because I just want to watch rugby and also see some of the Premier Rugby clubbies I watch every weekend up against Super Rugby guys (and prove that selecting players out of school isn't the only pathway), I accept and embrace the NRC. For what it is worth, I still pine for the days of QLD V NSW V ACT representative football where I could see from watching some early rounds of club footy why the guys playing for my State were selected. That is a reason I like the NRC. Watching last year I was able to see some of our good club rugby guys up against more seasoned pro players and excell to the point of earning Reds contracts. From there I have seen them now play some Super Rugby and do better than just "holding their own."
BigtreeSmallaxe
Guest
It'd be nice to see the kiwis as the underdog once in my lifetime
Katipo
Guest
Great Shield initiative. Well done ARU. I know "The Shield" has been suggested many times over the years by Roarers. So happy to see it happen. Pleasantly surprised. And with the NRL going out on a limb with Nine (has Nine actually got $900m? Nope. They'll have to borrow it). Now is the time to ask Uncle Rupert for a top up for the NRC and Shield.
AndyS
Guest
With the NRC Barbarians team only featuring non-SR contracted players, I would have thought the Heartland team would give them a proper touching up. As a minimum though, it should be a cracking match!
Bruce
Guest
The ranfurly shield is normally put up for a defence against the 2 winning teams in the 2 Heartland Championship divisions (Meads Cup and Lochore Cup). Perhaps then the winner of each of the Shute Shield (NSW), Hospital Cup (QLD) and John I Dent Cup (ACT) might one day get a challenge!!! mjght start to rival this FFA Cup that they've got going in soccer.
Bruce
Guest
As someone who has played both Heartland Championship rugby in NZ, and Premier Grade here in Aus, I can tell you the standard of Heartland rugby is very strong and plenty of ITM cup and Super Rugby players have come through Heartland over the years. Heartland Championship as a whole would not be far off NRC and in fact I think the best Heartland teams (Wanganui, Mid Canterbury) could certainly beat the bottom NRC team. However, from my insider knowledge, I know the Heartland provincial sides are allowed 4 loan players (usually guys in the fringe of their ITM cup team) and these guys certainly add to the quality of the Heartland comp, but what will hurt this NZ Heartland XV is the fact these loan players can't be selected for that national team. That takes a big chunk of the quality away. Even so I would think the NZ Heartland XV could keep within 25 points of an NRC Barbarians. The Heartland Comp features amateur and semi-professional teams and all players do get paid in that comp, generally "expenses", but every team I know of the blokes were getting at least $100 a a game and many of these loan players take in much more than that, so you certainly get some top/aspirational players in that league
El Gamba
Roar Guru
By that rationale the spirit should hold it, they beat the rising away and then lost to Brisbane but away. That's my story...
Sam
Guest
+1 :-)
Working Class Rugger
Guest
A defence is a defence is a defence.
Digby
Roar Guru
Yes, but against Heartland teams, not ITM cup teams.
sheek
Roar Guru
Nah Don, Not a believer. Very unlikely it will happen. Disappointed, you're the only fish that bit! ;-)
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Yep. Hawke's Bay has defended it a couple of times already.
Brett McKay
Expert
But aren't there Ranfurly challenges outside the ITM Cup?
Don
Roar Rookie
Nice swipe Sheek. Still not a believer?
ClarkeG
Roar Guru
In comparison to NZ's Ranfurly Shield: Each NZ team plays 10 games. So that would mean 5 home defences for the holder if they were to retain it to the end. Aust's NRC Each team plays 8 games so that would mean at least 4 home defences if a team was to retain it to the end. In the context of a competition where each team plays 8 games, 4 home defences are not insignificant. I have just quickly gone through a few scenarios, some conservative - others not so. It is quite possible in any given season that there could be 4,5,6.7 home defences of the Shield. As I said Brett in my original post, the thing has to be hard to win other wise it has no value.
Qwas
Guest
You can't win them all. Some people want to be grumpy
Qwas
Guest
I reckon there's something strangely alluring about 'the grill'
Common Sense
Guest
It would be stupid to refuse a good idea simply because someone else does it.