I was reading The Roar tonight and I couldn’t help thinking that the content is a lot richer this year, than in previous years.
Then the penny dropped – the NRC has provided us with a rich vein of content that we have not had in previous years. Whether you are for it or against it, there is now more content than we have been used to and, I for one, am very happy about that.
Yes, maybe the top four were predicted ages ago, and yes, maybe only one Sydney team is a good thing or a bad thing, but whatever, we are at least talking about it.
In recent years, in the hiatus period before “we were so rudely interrupted by Mr J. O’Neill” we were in Rugby downtime, speculating about the November tour, months before it happened. Not much to read, and the same old stuff being trotted out.
We are now into the semi’s of the NRC – whether you love it or hate it, it is, hopefully here to stay and yes, of course, the powers that be will tinker with it – that’s what powers that be do – but this time there is at least some hope that the tinkering will improve it.
If you read my posts you will see that there are a few constant threads, and one of them is that I see Australian Rugby people as impatient and always wanting instant results.
If you try to interpose a new competition in between a club comp that is over a hundred years old and a Super Rugby comp that is a quarter of a century old, of course there are going to be naysayers, critics, lovers, supporters, fence sitters and the full gamut, but Rome was not built in a Rugby season, nor was anything else.
Mistakes may have been made, contracting might be skewwhiff, and some players might be missing out and some clubs may feel that their sense of entitlement has been trodden on, but overall, I am certain in my own mind that we are heading in the right direction and that there are kids out there who now feel that they have a pathway.
Go you good thing, and let’s all encourage Rugby Australia to keep making it better.
On another note, can I please give a huge shoutout to one of Rugby’s greatest gentlemen – Geoff Stokes. Well known in the military and Canberra Rugby communities – if Super Rugby had started 10 years earlier, ‘Stokesy’ would have been in the mix.
Geoff has been appointed team coach of the Invictus Games squad and I can do no better than refer to the article of Tim Gavel, Canberra’s great sporting journo.
Fantastic, Geoff, and we Navy brethren are very proud of you.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Club historians believe a new chapter in the 90-year history has been written with three brothers starting in the same premier team for the first time.
It was a memorable night in more ways than one for the Queensland forward.
The youngster was playing his first Super Rugby Pacific debut off the bench, but his game wasn't the main talking point after the game.
Is this a sign that rugby laws are getting too tricky, even for the players and commentators?
The kick of around 50 metres got the Reds well downfield!
Wallaby Jordie Petaia is in doubt for the rest of the Super Rugby season, and potentially Australia's Test series against Wales, after suffering a…
