Andrew Forrest has announced his plan for the much-hyped Indo-Pacific Rugby Championship, and things are looking promising.
With only the initial plan announced, it’s hard to make a full analysis of what has been proposed with the lack of specific detail offered by Forrest.
On face value alone, it seems a project that the ARU should try to help put in place and become involved in. There is going to be, according to Forrest, a six-team competition to be run at the completion of the Super Rugby season.
Forrest has mentioned a number of different potential markets in the Indo-Pacific region – Australia, Singapore, Samoa, Fiji, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.
Some of these regions will overlap, meaning he can stick to the six-team format. For example, Singapore and Hong Kong could be part of a Chinese team which plays its home games out of all three countries. There is also scope for Sri Lanka and Malaysia to be involved in some way, while the potential for an Islander team between Fiji and Samoa also holds merit.
After that, the details become a little murky. Until Forrest expands on the information about the IRPC, it’s difficult to say whether this sort of tournament will work or not.
One of the key elements yet to be discussed by ‘Twiggy’ is exactly what he wants to happen to players produced by Rugby WA. Will they play in the National Rugby Championship for the Perth Spirit, or do they become part of the Western Australian side to take part in the IRPC?
Further to that, what is going to happen to those Wallabies players who have come out of the west? Under the offer they will remain eligible for the Wallabies, but will they be required to play in Forrest’s tournament as a priority? Or will they be allowed to play for the Wallabies in the second half of the year?
These are questions which will be answered down the track, but there is plenty of promise in the initial plan announced by Forrest.
On the face of it, the tournament has some merit. Asia is the next great market for the sport of rugby union. Japan is hosting the 2019 Rugby World Cup and also has a team in Super Rugby.
China is also spending plenty on their rugby program and expanding exponentially, with plans to have more than ten million players in the next decade.
Sri Lanka is another country which has a rich history in rugby, having played the sport for decades, while it remains a boom sport in the Pacific islands, where they want as many tournaments as possible. Put simply, Asia is a large development market for rugby.
So, in the test of opening these new markets to rugby, Forrest’s competition ticks all the boxes.
Should it get off the ground, the IRPC is only going to help Australian rugby by giving it a big presence in what’s going to be a huge market for rugby in the next couple of decades.
Because of that, the ARU would do well to support Forrest’s plan, but at the same time they must ensure the integrity of the game across Australia is maintained.
The proposal also appears to satisfy the frustrations of rugby fans in Western Australia who believe they haven’t got a fair go from the ARU. There will no doubt be plenty of support for the IPRC out west.
Based on the details we have at this early stage, the rest of the Australian rugby community should support Forrest’s offer too.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I too, think that will be the outcome. 13 teams, play each other once and two weeks of finals.
KTinHK
Roar Pro
Rubbish. There is no rugby of comaparable standard in Asia, nor is there any interest in it. Read my lips: PIE IN THE SKY. Stick to Australasia and the Pacific islands.
Babababoon
Roar Rookie
They can't. Sorry to be blunt
Babababoon
Roar Rookie
It doesn't mean it's good
Babababoon
Roar Rookie
It doesn't mean it's good
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Agree, that is the problem. It will start at the same time as the NRC. It would be pointless. Combine them and each team plays the others once. The other problem in running it in line with SR is the broadcasting. Who does it?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Hard to read too much into the performance early in the first season. It was thrown together pretty quick and they lost players due to uncertainty. In 2 or 3 seasons we will see the norm develop.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Interesting that both SA sides in the Pro 12 aren't performing that well over there and it doesn't look good for the Kings as they are up against Leinster
Don
Guest
I saw a lot of rugger in the Philippines too. Just needs some money and further encouragement. I was surprised they weren't on the Twiggy's list.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Why do you insist on continually making ludicrous comments? In 2014 the Spirit won 3 and lost 5 games and were lucky to finish 4th. In 2015 they again won 3 and lost 5 games but finished 6th. In 2016 they won it after a regular season where they won 5 games and lost 2. Across the history of the NRC before this season, the Spirit have won 11 regular season games and lost 12. Hardly a powerhouse. Brisbane in 2014 and 2015 is a Powerhouse. They were so good, despite winning 1 game in 2016, they still had a regular season record at the end of 2016 of 15 wins and 7 losses.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The NRC is run by the same incompetent clowns who are ruining Super Rugby.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
The Perth Spirit is and always have been a NRC powerhouse.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Nah. If it was very biased you'd say how. More likely you know it's right and can't discount it. That's why it upsets you.
Jock Cornet
Guest
IPRC = tick NRC = flick. The NRC is dead
Tooly
Roar Rookie
No one cometh unto the Wallabies except by Chekko and he will bend any rules and use as much BS as needed to justify his selections . Nursing homes in Europe and kindergartens in Sydney seem to have his fascination he will pick them from the NRC but bugger Super Rugby .
wag
Guest
TWAS, Will you please stop HOGGING the Roar website with your (often very biased) opinions. I no longer read any of what you have to say.
Dave_S
Roar Rookie
You’re not following demand, you’re trying to create it. In the short term, you're right, it is unprofitable to produce a product for a market that doesn't demand it. But in the medium/long term, growing the demand is the surest way to make a mozza. Especially with something like a broadcast entertainment product, even if you just double your demand, your marginal costs rise a little while your marginal revenue skyrockets. It's all cream. Where are Australia's wine and whisky entrepreneurs looking? Sydney - Brisbane - Melbourne? China.
Kevin Higginson
Guest
Maybe, but also staying as national comp would also be disaster. Asian money is needed to compete with Europe.
Train Without A Station
Guest
They could. But right now it seems they don't want to. You're not following demand, you're trying to create it.
Dave_S
Guest
1. Yes but why does that difference matter? I didn't say there was exact equivalence between the various scenarios 2. We know that paying the players less isn't an option (unless we just want to be a feeder comp for NH). But there is huge opportunity to grow the market. Not next year, but certainly in the 2020s. The Aus mkt isn't even close to saturated. The Asian market has even more potential. How many people owned a smartphone 10 years ago? Now, 100 million consumers could stream rugby on one. Didn't say any of this was likely or viable, but it makes more sense that what he's doing atm.