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The Roar

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Should Rugby Australia make way for the Socceroos? That and other Super Rugby bits

23rd March, 2018
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(AAP Image/Daniel Munoz)
Expert
23rd March, 2018
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We begin this week with Rugby Australia’s resistance to entertain the idea of possibly changing the kick-off time of the second Wallabies versus Ireland Test in Melbourne on June 16.

The match, scheduled to kick off at 8pm on the east coast, just so happens to clash with the Socceroos’ opening game of the FIFA World Cup in Russia. Sporting fixture clashes are nothing new, especially in the 8pm Saturday time slot.

The Wallabies were always going to be up against the AFL and NRL’s Saturday prime-time fixtures and they knew that and that was fine.

But going up against Australia’s opening game of the biggest sporting event in the world is slightly different. This discussion is not so much about which match you as a rugby fan (and we’re assuming that the vast majority reading this are indeed rugby followers) intend to watch on June 16.

It’s about the casual fan. The sports fan who’s not necessarily a rugby fan yet but could be swayed if they like what they see. Problem is, up against the Socceroos at the World Cup, they just won’t see it.

The Wallabies win over the All Blacks in October was a ratings hit for the game of rugby. More than 860,000 people tuned in via free-to-air and subscription television. The Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against Honduras in November was watched by almost double that (1.48 million).

That was just the qualifier – to get to the tournament. And now the Wallabies are going head-to-head with their first game.

Flashback to that Wallabies’ game against the All Blacks on October 21 last year. It was a free-hit for rugby in that time slot. There was no NRL or AFL to compete with. There was no FIFA World Cup. On June 16 at 8pm all of the above will be in action simultaneously. Supply will greatly outweigh demand.

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Fans start piling into ANZ Stadium before the start of the Bledisloe Cup. Photo: Paul Barkley/LookPro

There’s going to be a bit on for Australian sports fans on June 16. (Photo: Paul Barkley/LookPro)

As much as October 21 was a free-hit for rugby in terms of lack of competition, June 16 could be catastrophic for viewer ratings, and that’s what Rugby Australia should be worried about. It could affect future negotiations with broadcasters and advertisers – they’re going to ask to see the figures.

Rugby fans will still tune in at 8pm despite the overcrowded schedule because that’s the game they’re interested in watching. But that’s not who Rugby Australia should be trying to expose itself to. They’re already on board.

This upcoming Ireland Test series should be an opportunity for rugby union to market the game to the casual sports fan. Unlike Super Rugby, the grounds will have terrific atmosphere and the standard of the product on show will be high.

Rugby Australia should be making every possible adjustment to ensure these three games are seen by as many people as possible. It is then maddening to hear that they are hesitant to change the kick-off time due to broadcast and commercial implications.

There have been amendments made to the Bill of Rights, so no broadcast deal is so set in stone that it cannot possibly be altered in order to maximise viewership.

Sporting bodies love prime time. People are at home in front of their televisions. You can charge more to advertisers because, theoretically, more viewers will be seeing their ads. But that’s no good to you if you can almost certainly guarantee that they will not be watching your event because a bigger event is on at the same time.

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The whole point of broadcasting anything is so people can see it. We are talking hundreds of thousands of potential viewers. Not watching.

One argument against moving the game forward to avoid the clash is that club rugby is obviously played on Saturday afternoons. It doesn’t have to move much. An hour an half, perhaps. 6:30pm kick-off. Not 3pm – when most club rugby games around the country are being played.

Even Rugby Australia wouldn’t kick off Wallabies games at a time when most of their target audience can’t get to a television to watch it. What’s that? Last year’s June Tests kicked off at what time? Never mind.

Call me crazy, but if I were broadcasting an event, be it rugby, badminton or marbles, I’d want to maximise my chances of it being seen by as many people as possible. By going ahead with the 8pm kick-off, I’m not sure rugby is doing that.

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In Super Rugby, the Queensland Reds are now good. We think. They’ve won three games on the bounce for the first time in five years and were snapped in the dressing room after their win over the Jaguares on Sunday behind a Game of Thrones-inspired fan banner proclaiming Brad Thorn the ‘Savior of the Reds Kingdom’.

Let’s enjoy it for what is was, a bit of fun. But man, you don’t want that photo resurfacing if the Reds suffer a form slump and eventually fire Brad Thorn at the end of the season.

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Which sounds dramatic but we’re talking about Reds and they could do that because it’s the Reds and they always do that. The Reds are in Cape Town this weekend against the Stormers. Play well.

The Rebels have a chance to bounce back from their bizarre capitulation at the hands of the Waratahs last weekend when they host the Sharks. The Rebels lead 18-3 in the shadows of half-time in Sydney, only to cop almost 50 points in 42 minutes of football thereafter in one of the most incredibly confusing games of rugby I can recall seeing.

The ‘Tahs have the week off to reflect on their barnstorming second-half performance, which was made even more remarkable given how awfully they phoned in their performance in Argentina the week prior.

After the bye, the Waratahs will take on the Brumbies who also have their feet up this weekend.

There is even a rumour that David Pocock may not be far away from pulling the boots on again.

You remember David, right? The guy Rugby Australia paid an absolute mountain of money to take a break from rugby to refresh his body and mind?

And then he went to Japan and played rugby and made more money? And then when it was time to come back and play for the people who’d been paying him to take a break he was injured and couldn’t play?

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Yeah. That David. We’re watching. No pressure.

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