The plan to use Super Rugby to develop Australian pro rugby players without having a national comp beneath it in hindsight was always doomed to failure.
Pushing additional Australian teams into Super Rugby without developing the depth to ensure they’d be competitive means we aren’t seeing winning teams.
Add a highly complex draw and matches played in inconvenient time zones and it is no surprise that we are not only failing to attract new fans but also losing long term ones.
The model was there to see from both New Zealand and South Africa, that a strong feeder competition at a tier below was needed. (I know we have the NRC now but that is relatively recent).
It makes me most worried that the greatest risk to Aussie rugby is the possibility that the NRC will cease after the withdrawal of their major sponsor Buildcorp. This possibility has me much more worried than the potential loss of a Super Rugby team.
Why?
I’ve come quite strongly to the view that we should let any involvement by Australian sides in Super Rugby be a highlight of the year, rather than the core of our season.
(Photo Credit Sporotgraphy)
Potentially, we would reduce our Super Rugby footprint to just three teams, or we drop out completely.
Let’s keep the focus on the eight teams competing in a national comp.
The eight teams in the NRC should probably shift a little from the current demographic which sees the talent in Sydney and New South Wales spread too thin. I’d cut a team from New South Wales and add one in Adelaide, creating a list of teams that is:
Brisbane
Queensland Country
Sydney
New South Wales Country
ACT
Victoria
South Australia
Western Australia
Then, as a step up to this new competition, create three new Super sides on an origin basis. New South Wales, Queensland and the ROOs (Rest of Oz).
These three rep teams would be based on the current origin of players. If demographics shift then these lines could be re-drawn.
We should then see if SANZAAR will allow these three teams to compete in some manner against the Super sides of the other countries. Or, there could be a shortened competition between the three Australian teams and the Samoan, Fijian and Tongan B teams.
Or just have an internal six-week home and away first past the post playoff.
The key is that these rep games are just highlights of the season – they are not the core competition. Think State of Origin within the NRL season.
The Wallabies could still compete in the Rugby Championship but it is evident that we can’t operate in Super Rugby as it stands and engage fans in Australia, let alone anywhere else.
Making the eight national teams the main competition would feed players from the local club competitions into these sides, resulting in player development that we don’t have currently.
For the Wallabies, let’s play one less game against the All Blacks and make it just the two games in the Rugby Championship, with the Bledisloe being held by the previous holder in the case of a draw.
(AAP Image/David Moir)
Don’t always play the Australia game in Sydney either. We might actually start selling out Homebush if we only get to see the All Blacks every three or four years.
There is a lot to negotiate regarding TV rights if we make these kinds of shifts and we potentially lose a raft of players overseas in the short and medium terms.
The evidence is there that Aussies will watch sport in big numbers. We currently survive on TV contracts that are based on the viewer numbers in other countries paying to watch our opponents. They aren’t there to watch our sides.
The model has to change and there will be pain in the meantime but let’s drastically change the model rather than just re-arranging it.
I’m intentionally putting this up with my thoughts fairly raw as I’m interested in other views.
I think the evidence in Western Australia is striking in how they are developing talent and don’t want that to go away and would be great to see similar local player development coming through Victoria and South Australia.
How do we create a format that engages Aussie fans, creates clear pathways and continues growing the game around Australia?
We need something to make it sustainable and get Aussie rugby heading in the right direction again.
Will
Guest
I like most of these ideas and definitely am thinking more and more that a domestic pro comp is inevitable. The only thing that irks me is the ridiculous "country" teams. The idea of a single team representing a region spread over several different cities is doomed to fail. 3, 4.... 5... how many different home grounds? Not to mention QLD country includes the Gold Coast. How many people consider Gold Coast "the country". It's lazy planning and IMO disrespectful to the smaller population centres. They should be getting their own teams... not 13.8% of one.
gatesy
Roar Guru
Super Rugby was such an unqualified success in its first few years, particularly with the Brumbies being so successful early on - providing validation - and I believe that we all just assumed it would be ever thus - but to me, it got stale within five or six years, and it seems like we have bandaid solutions, culminating in that farce in SA last weekend, with the Lions -v- Sunwolves game, and now Nick Mallett is telling us that a lot of Japan's top players are playing for company teams, as opposed to the Sunwolves. Treating the whole thing with contempt. The biggest problem we Aussies have is always wanting instant success. ..and yes, I know someone has to fund it and all that, but if we adopt Jeznez' plan of having an 8 team NRC (and I almost completely agree, but I would have an NT team, before an Adelaide one), it will take off, particularly if you have all the clubs in each franchise's region feeding in to one NRC franchise. That is because, as I have said before, you will get TRIBALISM, and that will bring out the sponsors. The ridiculous situation of three or four manufactured Sydney franchises in the ARC/ NRC only encourages spite and in-fighting and does not provide recognisable brands for the punters to support. I'm currently living in Brisbane and the fervour up here around NRL State of Origin is almost manic. Not suggesting that Rugby can duplicate that, but aiming for something is always a good start! There are enough players playing overseas to be able to come back and fill out 8 teams and, while we should be using the NRC as a development pathway, you need the best players playing and the up and comers trying to knock them off their perch. I love the concept of the ROO's that Jeznez has proposed for a 3 team State of Origin comp and his timetable makes perfect sense. Let's keep this conversation going, because I believe that, at last, we are on the right track.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Wasn't thinking of the calendar when I wrote the article but Geoff's comments below got me thinking about it. NRC Feb to mid June Inbound test mid June early July 'Origin/Super' mid July and Aug Rugby Champ Sept Oct November tour in Nov
jeznez
Roar Guru
The pro is that the national comps massively gain importance. The con is that great players who don't come in the top two don't get to play at that higher level. There are benefits and issues heading either way. My preference is to get all the best players exposed at a level between the national comp and the Wallabies.
Sterling
Guest
Yes Jez, the Cowboys have done an outstanding job marketing their brand up here. My boy was a fan before he saw a game! But doesn't your suggested NRC run September to November as per current model? This lessons it as direct competition to the NRL?
Sterling
Guest
If it does go to closed conferences, why not just use each countries national comp September-October and then the top 2(ish) for "Super Rugby" April-June the following year? It would make each national competition that much more relevant.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
How does that help Australian rugby's finances though?
piru
Roar Rookie
no, the implication that the teams outside the 'heartland' were losing money hand over fist whilst the other two apparently weren't.
Robert Anderson
Roar Rookie
how about just dropping the Sunwolves. If there is one side out of their depth its them!!
Republican
Guest
.......I wholeheartedly concur with this opinion........
AndyS
Guest
Maybe they should combine the Tahs, Reds and Brumbies. Then they could have three teams - the Empire, Force and Rebels. Of course, if one wanted to remain alone there is always the Sith - only a slight spoonerism...
Bakkies
Guest
'This latter idea also seems to have some pretty high profile support from very knowledgeable commentators.' Mainly NSW supporters. If they like the idea of a merger why don't the Tarts merge with the Rebels. You get two under performing sides for the price of one. 'Of the two options I think the latter is best and has the slight advantage of Canberra and Melbourne being closer geographically ' Are you joking? It's a 7 hour drive between Melbourne and Canberra. Players will be split between both cities so you have no team harmony and training consistency
gatesy
Roar Guru
This topic is a waste of time. ARU is just not listening.
mtiger
Guest
"Do we need to let a couple of teams worth of professionals head overseas and select the Wallabies from there while we get our foundation competition right?" Yes, which means Oz will have top quality players for RWC. The international money validates the quality for Wallabies. 11 teams will be enough to bring out enough Thurstonlike personalities for the Wallabies.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Even more schooling. Who said a Roar forum can't be informative! The Australian Gold Amex has nowhere near the same appeal as the Kiwi Onyx Amex. Euros trump the Yellowing Aussie Jersey. I watch the Kiwi teams field a different back row combo each week. It not only rests the players but also develops talent. Tulon do it as well. Assuming a contraction of SR teams I would expect an expansion of the squads. Perhaps they need 2 or 3 tiers of players. Core, Fringe and Prospects. Prospects come down and train with the team, fringe fill in for injuries and for resting players and core well.. you get the picture. With this new information, it feels like the whole AU SR system is choking the life out of itself with arbitrary rules. Maybe it is time to do a review on these as well. Got time to write an article on this one too? With SA losing roughly 60 squad spots next year as well, they might change their outlook an overseas selections and squad restrictions also.
Rob9
Roar Guru
I’m none the wiser as to how this link suggests what I’ve said is off the mark? It sounds like you want to debate the meaning of losing money ‘hand over fist’. So is it losing 10’s of millions as opposed to millions for you??
Rob9
Roar Guru
Andy, if we’re not talking about Super Rugby teams, then we’re not talking about professional rugby. NRC teams aren’t professional entities. If Super teams are scrapped, then other professional clubs would take their place and Adelaide will not be a part of this either. My argument from day-dot is that there’s no place for professional rugby in SA. There simply isn’t the support there to cover the costs involved in sustaining a professional presence. As I’ve mentioned numerous times, it’s questionable as to whether there is the support in markets like Perth and Melbourne but hopefully they find a way. These are markets that compare far more fruitfully than Adelaide does and they’re still struggling. Why throw money (that we don’t have) into a black hole like that? It’s completely unproven to suggest otherwise yet there’s substantial and relevant examples, comparisons and data as to why dropping a professional team into Adelaide is a huge risk, likely destined to fail. Again, it’s no coincidence that expansion in Adelaide has never been on the radar while at the same time, it looks as if our national professional footprint will unfortunately shrink. As for Canberra, sure, if you started with a Western Sydney club as our third professional team, there’s every chance they would have achieved similar success. Although the clubs proximity to the Waratahs fan base would have made this a riskier move at a time when professional rugby was trying to gain traction within the Australian market. But what’s still being glossed over, although Canberra is a third the size of Adelaide, rugby penetrates far deeper into the market there than it does in the SA capital. At the end of the day, if you want to drop an NRC team in Adelaide, sure. As premature and pointless as doing something like that may be, it puts minimal stress on finances. But the market is still nowhere near ripe enough to justify something like this providing a substantial ROI, and again, a professional team is simply out of the question. I feel confident saying that won’t become a reality for the foreseeable future. Not through lack of initiative, but through conservation of finances (which must be a key priority for the ARU moving forward).
Rob9
Roar Guru
I’m expecting you to dig it up because you’ve made a claim that counters what I’ve said which I don’t believe to be true. I’m simply asking you to support your argument with something that resembles fact... shock horror! Here, I’ve gone to the trouble to dig one up for you to support my claims: https://thewest.com.au/sport/rugby-union/western-force-given-hope-as-melbourne-rebels-owner-may-sell-back-licence-ng-b88441550z It’s really not that hard. Especially if what you’re saying is true. Note the parts in the article: Rebels facing a $2 million loss this year Bled $20 million in 6 years since their foundation The ARU bailed the Force out of a $3.7 million black hole last year Does this start to create that ‘hand over fist’ picture for you? You say you don’t care enough to argue but you keep coming back with posts without facts. Facts make it very hard to argue. To date you’ve presented nada.
piru
Roar Rookie
http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/who-do-you-think-you-are-kidding-mr-clyne-if-you-think-we-cant-do-sums/
piru
Roar Rookie
I never said that I said we put the myth to bed that the teams outside of NSW and QLD were 'losing money hand over fist' as you put it. I don't know why you're expecting me to dig it up for you, you'll just read it, decide you disagree and post points as to why it's wrong and I don't care enough to argue.