Listen, Santa, we need to talk. I was pretty good in 2016 and remain confident having re-read the wish list from last year that I wasn’t asking for anything unreasonable.
So what gives, Santa? What on earth did I do in 2017 to deserve one dud delivery after the next? And why did you keep it up for so long? I mean, an ordinary Super Rugby season was bad enough, but carrying that through to the Wallabies, too? And then extending that right through to the last Test of the year?
That was harsh, Santa, real harsh. Harsh enough to make me question your motives.
But when it comes to rugby, Santa, I remain an optimist. And I also believe that people deserve a second chance, mostly.
So with all that in mind, Santa, and again underlining my willingness to forgive you for what still feels like a vindictive series of deliveries, I reiterate my ‘good boy’ status throughout 2017 by once again excitedly presenting the annual Christmas rugby wish list.
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Can we start with SANZAAR? Now that they’ve made the decision that threw domestic rugby in two of their major partners into complete turmoil in 2017, I’d really like SANZAAR to make Super Rugby the best-marketed and most-promoted sporting competition on the face of the earth in 2018.
Yes, I know SANZAAR is an administrative body of the four-member unions. But that body is also a collective – a rugby co-operative, if you like – to ensure that Southern Hemisphere rugby is the strongest it can be, comprising competitions envied around the world and desirable for commercial sponsors and players alike.
SANZAAR, as that collective, need to return Super Rugby to its former glory. The format changes have been made, and now the member units need to rebuild the value of the competition in this new format so that the next round of broadcast negotiations can commence from a position of strength.
This has to be SANZAAR’s biggest priority in 2018, and thus it assumes top spot on the wish list. Indeed if all other wishes need to be sacrificed – bar the one at the end about putts dropping, obviously – then that’s a sacrifice I’m prepared to make.
(AP Photo/Phil Magakoe)
I would like the other member unions to kindly request that South Africa lay their cards out on the table.
Regardless of whether those cards indicate a desire for the remaining sides to follow the Kings and Cheetahs and play in the north or indeed to remain in Super Rugby, this needs to be known sooner rather than later. Not just so that the member unions know what the competition is going to look like beyond 2020, but so that negotiations for the next broadcast deal can be undertaken with no lingering doubt whatsoever.
Locally, obviously, I’d really like the Australian sides to well in 2018. It’d be great if all four teams can be either in the top eight or just on the fringe of the finals by season’s end. No more three sides in the bottom five this season, please.
While the Brumbies and Rebels look strong on paper going into next season, I’d like that perceived paper strength to play out for real. And I’d like the Waratahs to play as well as that roster of players should and the Reds’ decision to back youth to reap immediate awards. And if an Australian side holds the trophy up at season’s end, that’d be bloody tops, too.
I want Australian sides to beat New Zealand sides. In fact I want Australian sides to be unbeaten at home and for teams entering through customs to know that there are no such things as easy points on Australian soil.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
I’d love for all the talk about competition format to stop dead. The game’s gone through more than enough in the last few seasons, and SANZAAR just cannot let this narrative continue.
I’d love for the June series against Ireland to be every bit as good as we all hope it will be. And I’d love for the honchos at ABC Grandstand to make this phone call a month out: “Brett, we’d really like if you could sit on the sideline for us for all three Tests…”
Yes, I will, for the record.
I’m hoping this is the year for the Wallabies and the Bledisloe to reunite. Not just because it’s overdue, but because it’d be a really tough ask with only one home game.
And I hope the Rugby Championship of 2018 is more than just a race for second place. I want the All Blacks to have a tough year – not by letting their standards slip but by the Wallabies, Springboks, and Pumas lifting theirs.
I want the Wallabies to finish the year with a strong Spring Tour performance that confirms an upwards trend, not a stuttering finish that confirms worst fears of regression.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
I hope the NRC has yet another cracking time of it and that for the fourth consecutive season we find ourselves saying, “We’ve enjoyed the best year of the competition yet”. I hope the rugby remains great, the sponsors flood in, the coverage increases in all formats, that more games are broadcast and that any that aren’t are the easiest they’ve ever been to watch. And I hope we have another new winner. One from NSW would great and might finally bring the much-needed engagement from the Waratahs and NSW Rugby.
I really want Rugby Australia to reiterate their commitment to developing the game in Western Australia. I want rugby fans in the west to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and I want the game over there continues to flourish at all levels of involvement.
And I hope that I’m busier than ever across the rugby season because there are so many good stories to tell, not just because of the continuation of an ongoing saga of some sort.
To finish with yet again, Santa, could you do something to help those knee-trembling five-foot putts to drop? The new ‘rocket-booster’ putter (as my daughter calls it) is a wonderful start, but let’s go on with now, Okay? Thanks in advance.
A very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Rugby Year to Roarers new and old. My humble thanks to all of you for reading along this year, and for (hopefully) coming back again in 2018.
The comments and questions, interactions, debates of varying logical degree, insights, conversations, banter, education, nonsense and laughs make it all worthwhile.
Bakkies
Guest
Well they are for the Rebels.
Bakkies
Guest
'You’re all blaming board room guys. But the Wallabies don’t lose because of all those board room clowns you’ve mentioned.' Yes the Wallabies are losing but that has nothing to do with de Clyne and co signing off on debt write offs and non budgeted loans to their Rebels which is taking away money that should be going to the grassroots. This has been going on for some time and unions like the NSWRU and QRU should have stood up to the RA said enough is enough. They can't say that they haven't seen the books and no Roger Davis the money that should have gone to the grass roots didn't go to the Western Force like you spouted on about. NSWRU only distributed 1 to 1.6 million dollars to the grass roots last year some of the 13 million dollars that the RA wrote off that the Rebels owed would have been more than useful to prevent levy increases that have been shifted on to the clubs per team. Concerned Supporter do you have any news on whether Penrith have been kicked out of the comp?
John R
Roar Guru
I thought the transit costs were covered by Unit Trusts
StuM
Guest
You're all blaming board room guys. But the Wallabies don't lose because of all those board room clowns you've mentioned. They lose because, with the exception of the sensational Sean MacMahon, they have no heart or genuine desire. They tell the media they do, but with the occasional show of true commitment aside (eg 2017 Bledisloe 2 game), they really don't. They showed it in Bled 2, when the Aus public finally went ballistic at them before the match - so that's one smashing game in 5 years. Not close to good enough. Occasional world cup wins have been fabulous blips, not the regular intensity they need to display every match now in the pro rugby era. It's a historical cultural shortcoming of soft Rugby in Australia, and always has been. Will the private school softies ever become rabid animals desperate for every win, lest they be humiliated by the public (as it is in NZ)? No way in hell.. Just don't keep blaming the incompetent boardroom guys - they're useless on a whole other level! ?
Bakkies
Guest
Ah the BBL the Melbourne Rebels of Australian Cricket. Was supposed to generate money for the game but instead has been a heavy loss maker. $33 million dollar loss according to CA. How much of that was to do with recruiting imports and high profile players moving interstate away from where they play their Shield and domestic fifty over Cricket? https://www.cricket.com.au/news/big-bash-league-33-million-loss-katich-mou-aca-ca-player-pay-ofer-sutherland/2017-05-31
andrewM
Guest
ditto
Bakkies
Guest
Club games have been going on during the Six Nations for a long while now.
PC
Guest
Totally agree Crazy
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
I really want Rugby Australia to reiterate their commitment to developing the game in Western Australia. I want rugby fans in the west to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and I want the game over there continues to flourish at all levels of involvement. With only a matter of weeks until pre-season starts for Pindan Premier Grade we in the West just want Rugby Australia to either: * spell out their plan to ensure rugby continues to thrive in WA, or * to formally announce that what we believe is the case, that they don't care about Rugby away from the East Coast and that we are we are on our own. Then get out of the way and let us get on with the IPRC. and of course DeClyne and his cronies must go.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Misconduct as a Director another
BeastieBoy
Guest
1. the ARU Board to resign in mass 2. the rugby commentators to criticise poor performance of players and admin. see Jeremy Paul 3. the new CEO to have a blinder 4. remove the aru tax on kids playing rugby 5. drop any idea of us hosting the mens world cup until WA is back. 6. get WA back 7. get twiggy as aru chairman 9. sa pull out of super rugby so we are forced into a anz comp 10. educate our coaches and make the waratahs coach accountable 11. start multiple pathways for public school kids 12. start a 7's school comp for every weekend so small schools can play rugby
AM_Bokke
Roar Rookie
@Bakkies Case is point is Leinster ans Scarlets playing during the 6 nations. That effects the integrity of the Pro 14 way more than the Super Rugby conference set-up.
Bakkies
Guest
The set up and structure isn't eroding the French national game. That's just the RA style spin. The French coaches now have the best set up in terms of rest, facilities and training (Marcoussis is fantastic). The coaches go through 90 players in a RWC cycle. The clubs and the unions don't dictate that they go through that many players. Coaches are given a play thing in regards to a four year contract and use it to experiment. They can't make up their mind in terms of selection. Players are being shuffled around far too much. Michalak has played 70 odd tests do the sums in what he has played at 9 or 10. What the clubs and unions can control is coaching structure for under age and putting the foot down on jobs for the boys.
Train Without A Station
Guest
And erode the National game? That’s the alternative. Either it’s set up to support the national teams, or it grows it’s own life and erodes the national game. Look at France as an example of what could very well happen.
Ex force fan
Guest
Amen
Ex force fan
Guest
I would also like to see the backs of Clyne, Pulver, Eales etc. They have done enough damage and do not belong on a governing body of anything especially not rugby union! They lost the union in rugby union and even the name of the governing body reflects it..
Bakkies
Guest
You might have a case if Super Rugby hadn't lost so many players. The domestic product in the Currie Cup gets put to the back burner due to the constant test season and players going to Japan. The AP gets money from the European tv and commercial deals that gets distributed to the clubs. The structure is fine in Europe. Super Rugby is the last competition I would be looking for integrity.
andrewM
Guest
Lying to a senate enquiry is one thing that comes to mind twas
AM_Bokke
Roar Rookie
The Aviva Premiership's commercial and tv deals do not "generate enough revenue to pay for the competition's exorbitant costs." I personally like how Super Rugby and test rugby are closely linked. Test Rugby is the absolute best rugby product and I like how the SH has a continuous test rugby season and a continuous club rugby season. I can't follow the stop-start domestic / european / international schedule that is NH rugby and I think that it is bad for the integrity of each of the competitions. It is not better than what SANZAR has done with the test schedule, Rugby Championship and Super Rugby.
julius
Guest
@ Bakies "The Finals crowds were pretty farcical in ChCh yet the SMH types solely focus on Canberra." Are you unaware that the weather in ChCh was so severe there was a state of emergency in the city? They sold 15000 tickets (capacity of AMI is 20 000) but only 11,000 could get there.