History is often used as the frame when debating a burning issue.
At the moment, that burning issue is the proposed restructuring of the Super Rugby competition and the seemingly inevitable loss of one of the Australian franchises.
There is a strong undercurrent that the franchise that must go is the Melbourne Rebels and the reasoning is based on the history of the last month, with major losses to New Zealand teams and then Friday night’s loss to the NSW Waratahs.
Also on Friday night, prior to the senior Waratahs and Rebels match, the Under 20s teams from both New South Wales and Victoria played as part the ARU’s development pathways program. Like their senior team buddies, the Rebels Under 20s led for most of the match, only to concede a try in the dying minutes.
This allowed the NSW Generation Blue to earn a spot in the grand final match against Queensland on 2 April. The Rebels U20s team comprised a large proportion of local boys, some of whom have been playing together in the local VRU competition since Under 12s. Within that team were Sione Tuipulotu and Jordan Uelese – local boys now fully signed with the Rebels.
Stepping back in time, when provincial rugby in Australia was mostly centred on Queensland and New South Wales (but with ACT Brumbies emerging), I recall a period of angst when certain schools in the wider Brisbane GPS competition were said to be recruiting new players from Victoria for their final year of school.
While bolstering the playing stocks for these schools, the downside was the relegation of incumbent players who had previously been destined to play in the First XV. Back then, for Victorian players, the only option was to move interstate or overseas to pursue the dream of playing at a higher level.
And further back, Andrew Brown’s book The Kokoda Wallaby talks of the 1930s when rugby in Victoria had a strong presence, Melbourne’s newspapers devoted a whole page to the local rugby competition, and Victorian teams that were filled with local talent such as the great Weary Dunlop and Stan Bisset.
Between 1933 and 1938, Victoria had strong wins over more favoured NSW teams. From there, the amateur rugby competition lost ground, in contrast to the growth in Australian Rules football.
And so back to the present. The game of rugby is growing across the world. As an example, colleges in the United States are building their teams rosters aided by benefactor-enabled scholarships and an understanding that both Sevens and regular rugby are truly global competitions. Over time, we will witness the United States tap into its strong athletic roots and emerge as true force in the international rugby arena.
Why then would Australia agree to any contraction of the competition in Australia? Not only do the Rebels provide a pathway for local aspirations, but players like Reece Hodge may still be left playing in NSW’s Shute Shield if the opportunity to sign with the Rebels hadn’t presented. And then there is ‘Super’ Sefa Naivalu, coming from Fiji to Melbourne’s Box Hill Rugby Club, and now a Wallaby.
No one disagrees that the Super Rugby competition in its current form is confusing and needs repair. However, rather than contracting the competition, SANZAAR should, instead, look at growing the game in the southern hemisphere. This could be done in a number of ways and one option is to build two separate conferences.
An Oceania conference would include an additional New Zealand team, taking account of its on-going strength as a rugby nation, plus a Pacific Island based team. A further conference based around South Africa, could build a player base more widely across the African continent and beyond. There are many alternatives, but surely growing the player base should be a key priority.
The current state of indecision that places Australian rugby teams in in limbo is unacceptable for all those who follow the game. It must also seem both curious and opportunistic for other major sports. Let us hope that the outcome is not contraction, but a new and refreshed competition that is even more inclusive and one that builds on the strengths of a growing game.
Browny
Roar Rookie
...and more than half the population of Canberra...
Browny
Roar Rookie
Ironically, considering all the talk of merging, moving and rival competitions, one of the main reasons South Melbourne was moved to Sydney was the VFL's (ultimately successful) desire to crush the VFA.
Nicolai
Guest
In the REBELS 1st season they had on average 17000+ people per game (if I remember correctly). The 1st game against the Tahs was over 20000 AND we gave them a standing ovation even thou the REBELS lost 43 - 0. The standing ovation was from a group of passionate fans/members that was saying THANK YOU to the players & management that took a chance/risk by setting up and playing for the REBELS. However as the results in the following seasons never improved the fans/members did not return. In the REBELS 2nd season they had on average 15000+ people per game (if I remember correctly) followed by 13000, etc. So what the REBELS and ALL other teams in AUS need is maybe some BETTER coaching/recruitment/talent-identification/etc. Have a look what Eddie Jones and Jake White did with the Brumbies, Montpellier, Japan, England - turned them around in a very short time AND in the process identified unknown talent for the future. So it's possible to unearth future stars if you know what to look for. Hell get someone like a Jake White to work as an ARU consultant to assist ALL AUS teams over a period of time to help coaches and identify new talent. We also need MONEY/SPONSORS/EXPOSURE in AUS Rugby -- no money, no good players, no good games, no fans, no success on the international stage. Maybe relax the rules (a bit -- not totally) about non-AUS players playing in AUS Super Rugby teams for a few years. Hell a Georgian or Romanian prop teaching an AUS youngster about the dark art of the scrum will be magic!! AND the Georgian or Romanian living in AUS who never watch rugby may just go to a game as a player from his origin country is playing -- and -- next time he brings his family/friends/co-workers
Nicolai
Guest
Cull the REBELS and it is back to the STORMERS and SPRINGBOKS for me!!!
NaBUru38
Guest
I support the two-conference system. I think that the Trans-Tasmanian conference should have the 5 Australian teams, the 5 New Zealand, the Sunwolves and a Pacific Islands team.
piru
Roar Rookie
Probably true so far this year - the game was over by the time I got home from work Friday Two weeks ago they were playing while most people were still commuting home (on a Thursday).
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The stupid thing is that cutting the Force would only make a lot of sense if we were walking away from SA and Super Rugby. So cutting them to stay with that seems silly.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You probably do have the worst TV Ratings. Kind of to be expected when games are played at 3:45PM local time on a Friday. If you didn't with that sort of terrible draw set out it would be an absolute miracle.
piru
Roar Rookie
We don't have the worst financials We don't have the worst crowds I can't comment on TV ratings, but I suspect that's wrong as well Explain what you mean by potential - I think the players we've developed are looking pretty good - Newsome for example on debut on Saturday. Could you offer some kind of facts, or do you prefer to deal in hysterics?
piru
Roar Rookie
NRL won't touch Perth while the Force are here. There's next to no League in WA Unlike EVERY other franchise in Australia
piru
Roar Rookie
Interesting alternate facts you've provided. The fact the rugby has grown in WA every year for the past 10 (since the Force's inception) would seem to counter your argument.
piru
Roar Rookie
Not sure the travel argument holds water tbh. Yes Perth is a long way from Sydney - But South Africa is further and so is Japan and South America. Perth is in fact a good spot as it's only an hour different to Japanese time and is a halfway point to SA for teams travelling from the east coast and NZ
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
And Fereti Sa'aga. Siliva Siliva is also a Melbourne product who left after school. So that's 6 locally produced professionals. You could argue that Sefa is not but then you cut out a lot of the NSW "produced" players as a result. Pat Laefa for example becomes not a Manly or Canberra product, but an NZ product.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
But Republican, here's the thing, the % of support is meaningless if it's not enough. The population of Melbourne is 4.7M. If they can engage 5% of the population as supporters, there's 235,000 potential viewers in one city. By 2031 that's estimated to hit 6M. Keeping 5% would be 300,000. Canberra is currently 400,000 and forecast to hit 500,000. Let's be generous and say they are able to engage 25% of the population, which is much more than they do now and as much as they ever have. That's 100,000 people. In 2031 that's still only going to be 125,000. You'd have to capture 50% of the Canberra to match 5% of Melbourne. If it comes down to one or the other the question has to be asked, which is more achievable.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Ironically there's probably a good chance you and I have engaged in enjoyable conversation in person Jacko.
Aled Francis
Guest
Thanks to the Roar for highlighting this issue. Culling a Super 15 side is however symptomatic of the dire situation that Australian Rugby is in. Culling a Super 15 club solves nothing but highlights a fracturing of the present structure of the ARU. The structure is too top heavy with an undue focus on an anarchic GPS system. John O'Neill had a fantastic chance to restructure the ARU after the First World Cup held here but failed to act. While the U'20 and NRC provide a pathway to the Super 15 at grassroots we are struggling. ARU contribution to grassroots last year stood at the mid 2 per cent level compared to my home country Wales who plough in 12 per cent plus. This year the projection is a 50 per cent cut which is not acceptable. In country NSW as with other country areas we regularly travel 3 hours each way plus for a game. Last weekend we played one Rep game 2x30 min halves in Canberra which meant we drove 5 hours each way staying overnight as we had an early KO. Without massive voluntary support at coaching committee and parent level there would be no Country Rugby Union. Declining numbers reflect this. The ARU need to take positive leadership and refuse to cull a side. We need to go back to an Oceanic structure which is more realistic and focus on our grassroot Rugby which is the bedrock of any successful structure. Learn from other codes such as Soccer and AFL. By ignoring our grassroots we will not deal with an inherent structural problem.
Somethings rotten
Guest
Dont buy this tv argument. The sport is only on pay tv. TV times are practically irrelevent when the ratings are only 20k odd eyeballs.
Somethings rotten
Guest
This is true and WA is apparently getting the NRL moving in. So that will be the Force's final nail.
Somethings rotten
Guest
Can you count? 5 percent of 5 million is a lot of people. About the same as Canterbury NZ.
Somethings rotten
Guest
Sheek, nail on the head. It is not going to make a difference culling a side. It will just further erode union for short term improvement in the remaining Super outfits.