From four sides in 2014 to two in 2018. Surely the standard of the remaining two NSW NRC sides will be far higher?
Well, maybe not. Two rounds in and we are cumulatively 0-4. Not just losses, but floggings. Should we be surprised? If you look closely, not at all.
In previous years, each NRC franchise has been independently owned and operated. By no means were these flawlessly run enterprises. I should know, I played for the last four years. I declined to play this year.
2018 saw the Waratahs come to the rescue, with their high-performance unit put in control of both the Sydney Rays and the NSW Country Eagles. In a media release from Waratahs media, general manager Tim Rapp identified that “The decision to move to two teams means that our pathways are more defined and aligned with our overall high-performance goals of creating opportunities for our players and support staff to be involved at a higher level.”
Okay, so the Tahs are in charge and we have fewer teams, we will be better. Let’s pick our NRC sides.
So how do we pick our NRC sides? First, let’s do it logically. We take the 35-40 players contracted with the Waratahs, roughly divide them into the two teams, and add the cream of the Shute Shield. Taking into account Wallabies duties and injuries, you might need to call upon 30-odd club players to fill these squads.
You would keep a close eye on the Shute Shield and look for in-form players, those who are dominating each weekend. Pick the best available. You call upon the second tier of talent.
Now, let’s do it the way that it has been done this year. We take the 35-40 players contracted with the Waratahs, give most of the semi-experienced players to the Eagles and send a few stragglers to the Rays (by no means are the Eagles stacked, mind you). But wait, the Rays have Rory O’Connor, Matt Sandell, Shambeckler Vui, Ryan McCauley, Lachie Swinton, Nick Palmer, JP Sauni and Curtis Rona all from the Tahs system.
That’s half a team of Tahs right? Well, with the exception of Rona, all these players have a handful of Super Rugby caps between them, many plucked from under 20s and signed up before they had played a game against a man. Not exactly household names. But I’ve digressed.
After this, they have filled the squads with an amalgamation of players from 1st Grade, 2nd Grade and even Colts. I know what you’re thinking, how is this possible? In Round 2, we had four regular non-1st Grade players and three colts suiting up for the Rays/Eagles.
Side note, there are several Colts in the squads that were have not been named yet. Extra side note, Randwick, who won six from 18 this season, had five players in the Rays’ 23 and even more in the squad. Excuse that last digression.
Now if you can’t make the 1st Grade side at your club, I am not sure why you are playing representative rugby. Young and promising doesn’t win games. If they were good enough they would be in 1st Grade, regardless of age.
So, should we be surprised with four comprehensive losses? No, not really. Any top four Shute Shield side would have put up a better fight than the Rays did against the Vikings/Brisbane City and the Eagles against the Rising.
The Rays will go winless this season, that much I am almost certain. If they stay healthy, NSW Country will beat the Rays and possibly knock off one or two sides late in the season, but the finals will be void of NSW representation.
So then why aren’t we seeing the best of the Shute Shield in our NRC sides? Well, the answer is complicated, but basically, the second-best players are either not being picked or long gone. Why?
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Over the last five years, the NRC hasn’t been a legitimate pathway to the Waratahs. Each year, a vast majority of the contracts are distributed prior to the commencement of the tournament. All the players know it, it’s not a well-kept secret. But to who? Well, the obsession with Australian U20s players and rugby league off cuts has reached a climax.
There is an unquenchable thirst to discover talent from obscurity. It seems as you’re a better chance of scoring a contract from Colts or NSW cup than as a regular dominant 1st Grade player.
The best-case scenario for us Shute Shieldiens is picking up a training contract to hold tackle bags for the pre-season, being fourth in line to the throne behind a young lad who hasn’t run out at 3:00 on a Saturday yet.
Couple this lack of opportunity with embarrassingly low remuneration. I can confirm that last season it was not uncommon for a player to receive $2000 for the entire 10-week period over which the NRC ran. The “contract” could not be legally classified as an employment agreement because technically it worked out to be far below minimum wage.
The NRC has become a sort of inside joke for us non-super contracted senior players who have been a part of it over the last few years. Plenty of training, no money and very little opportunity. A third division European gig looks like heaven in comparison, and players who should be in the NRC are taking these types of options.
There are too many examples to list in this article. The second-best players are leaving. If you think that there isn’t a flow on effect to the Shute Shield you aren’t looking close enough. Despite a growth in popularity, the standard of the Shute Shield has dropped dramatically over the last eight years as secondary talent has moved elsewhere. The second tier are absent.
So, what have we got then? Well, you have superstars then you have 20-year-old talent with no experience and very little in-between. Keep watching the NRC. Watch closely and pay attention.
Listen for “Australian 20s”, listen for “in the Tahs’ set up.” Listen for “star of the Shute Shield”, I doubt you will hear it.
I have certainly thrown some stones, but where are the solutions? It’s pretty simple. Either find some money and create a financial incentive to have the best second-tier players remain available like they do in the ITM or for goodness’ sake Waratahs stop filling the following year’s roster before the NRC even begins.
At least pretend you’re watching.
MitchO
Guest
Good Article Johnny and thanks for taking the time to put it out there/here. Most talented kids do need to spend time playing against adults with hard bodies and lots of experience. There is a lot of rugby smarts out there in fifth grade etc - basically in the grades where the guys either can't or don't want to maintain the fitness required to play first grade or second grade. If you are a talented player then you can experiment a bit and learn rather than just trying to survive or having any experiment (whether ill conceived or simply stopped/handled but a better or more experienced player). A good young prop may have just enough muscle and fitness to get himself out of trouble but will a lesson in how he nearly got toasted. Guys will learn about playing second phase. Imagine how much Ned Hanigan would have learned if he learned his senior rugby in first grade instead of test footy. The leading contact sport in this country is AFL. They are starting to look at older guys now who missed being recruited young eg Matt Priddis who came on late but was good enough to win a Brownlow. But they do recruit a lot of teenagers. but they say only the rare freaks can consistently play AFL from the beginning (Chris Judd and Hannebury are two). Everyone else needs five preseasons to harden up and get fit enough. So at 23 they are about ready to have a proper impact and are really good until their bodies hit peak at 25ish.
Hoges
Roar Rookie
It’s not limited to the NRC, Ulysses and Latu have not been regular starters for their super rugby sides and they got picked for the wallabies. No wonder players like James Hansen left.
Tom English
Roar Guru
Thanks for the article Jed. There's no doubt that the value of club has gone down in comparison to the value of school or academy, which was first brought to my attention in a NZ article a few years back. It mentioned especially how it wasn't uncommon for a commentator or scribe to mention someone's club, whereas now more often than not, it's the school, putting the emphasis obviously back on schools not club. Going by this season's form, the Rams' cull hasn't done NSW a helluva lot of favours, but I wont get started on that. I doubt that that 23 the Rays ran out against the Vikings is the best 23 in Sydney, it can't be, even allowing for injuries and resting due to scheduling clashes. Of course it wasn't the best 23. The fact that Qld can run two successful teams with a QPR that, while still high standard, most of us would agree is less than that of the Shute Shield. Thanks again Jed.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I don't know. But forgoing that revenue, and then continuing to grant similar funds certainly will result in more money going out of RA bottom line to Super Rugby teams.
Blayzer
Roar Rookie
Hi CS, Tried to paste program however listed as Cam Betham, Rob Simmons,Jack Hayson,Mitch Short, Will Harrison, Latu Latunipulu, And for Country Hannigan,Figg, hope this helps and enjoy the game
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
How much does SR generate at present? It's been an accepted belief for some time that most of the value in the current and previous TV deals were generated primarily via the international game. If that is the case then I'm not sure how that would adversely effect RA bottom line as they'll still hold the valued content driver. Any revenue derived via broadcast of SR or whatever would be on top of that. Which would be a positive. Something SR has suffered from throughout its life time has been how it has been looked upon as a commercial venture. Which is that it really hasn't in comparison to the international game.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Well it does because the RFU hasn't done this for years as a sustainable business model. But if they supply the same grants as they do now, which is sort of what I was getting at, but the franchises take their chunk from the TV money, that's more money going to whatever the competition is, and less to go elsewhere. It's an eternal battle for the game, you either focus to suit the national team and the domestic professional competition doesn't achieve the heights it could, or you focus on that and it's going to be at the expense of the national team.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Doesn't matter if it a relatively new thing. It's still a reasonable model to look at as it secures access to English talent for the periods in which the national team is in camp. As for the national game being put at the expense of the professional game. All they would do is provide the same degree of grants as they do now. It really wouldn't change all that much. As for domestic earnings. RA would still control the Wallabies and receive all the earnings in relation to them which is where the majority of the current funding is derived. The difference is any such proposed org. will be charged with developing the business side of the professional game below that of Test Rugby. This should include sponsorship and broadcast etc.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
Yeah but TWAS' point still stands. He is hardly a product of the club.
Working Class Rugger
Roar Guru
I also suggested in my above post about cutting the NSW altogether and let the NRC continue with the 6 teams that actually care.
concerned supporter
Guest
Blayzer, Wow, the NRC actually made the Fairfax Press today, great work RA, actually may get a reasonable crowd, Jock. Here are the teams, Blayzer, can you point out the Randwick Players? Sydney Rays (1-15): Matt Sandell, Damien Fitzpatrick, Cam Betham, Rob Simmons, Ryan McCauley, Lachie Swinton, Jack Hayson, Hugh Sinclair, Mitch Short, Will Harrison, Latu Latunipulu, Harry Burey, Curtis Rona, Rob Buaserau, Tyson Davis. Bench: JP Sauni, Rory O'Connor, Shambeckler Vui, Nick Palmer, Connor Vest, Nick Duffy, Enoka Muliufi, Tim Clements. NSW Country Eagles (1-15): Tom Robertson, Tolu Latu, Paddy Ryan, Sam Thomson, Emmanuel Meafou, Ned Hanigan, Will Miller, Sam Figg, Jake Gordon, Mack Mason, Alex Gibbon, William McDonnell, Apolosi Latunipulu, Jaline Graham, Alex Newsome. Bench: Mahe Vailanu, Matt Gibbon, Chris Talakai, Sam Ward, Nick Champion DeCrespigny, Mick Snowden, Rohan Saifoloi, Seb Wileman.
Blayzer
Roar Rookie
Johnny, What a great article and spot on in every way. The tahs system is a basket case (the latest joke being the fighting fund to keep boys in Rugby) , my view if they want to go ....hooroo , but if you want to come back then play 2 seasons in shute shield before even being considered for contract. Oops that would reward loyalty. What really did my head in was seeing izzys brother signed from obscurity over the top of blokes who had been loyal to the game. You were also spot on with the "coaching influence" notice there are 8 wicks players (Rays-6 Country-2) starting tonight. Fortunately my young bloke had enough sense to pack his bags last year and head overseas for a playing holiday. Yes he is finally enjoying his rugby again and thank christ he walked away from the gen blue system.
Ray L
Roar Rookie
Yes, but it would be a purely domestic competition, in a time friendly zone. The additional teams in NSW and Qld would create more opportunities for aspiring talent from their respective Premier club competitions. With more teams, it wouldn't be as big a step up from amateur to professional Rugby as it is now to Super Rugby, assuming it ceases to exist. It's unlikely Super Rugby will go back to Super 12. IMO, it's past its use by date. We should look after our own interests and not worry about NZ and SA, as they are more than capable of managing their own competitions.
Jockstrap
Roar Rookie
How much did Sydney Uni and Eastwood and Manly clubs lose last year plus their sponsors . What a waste and what did they get out of it. ZILCH. Buildcorp once a great sponsor of rugby has been burnt.
Jockstrap
Roar Rookie
Played for Easts
Concerned Supporter
Guest
TWAS As the great Big O would say you ve got it.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
So these people, who have been in charge of national corporations and business hiring hundreds and sometimes thousands of people have put their time into something, for no or minimal remuneration, for power and influence over a smaller group of people? If that's what they are after, they don't need to leave their regular jobs pal...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
They aren't prime time slots. Hence why the big games are on Friday and Saturday Nights... I guess the broadcasters don't know what the best times for viewers are. Lucky they've got you!
concerned supporter
Guest
TWAS, You are so callow, '' What do they get out of it?'' Ego, Power, Ego, Power and influence over people.
Jockstrap
Roar Rookie
CLUBS are the saviour. Look at alll sports , clubs with tradition get punters not RA induced coma made up areas. Where are the clubhouses or spectators. Just Twas and Brett and the dog ???? sitting on the surburban Hill. It is not working nor will it work. It is a ridiculous concept that alienates players and supporters. Twas go buy a stars or rams jersey. Oh that’s right they are extinct like the future of this comp. EXTINCT.