Rugby AU announces new, extended approach to community engagement via clubs

OMG :( Totally inadequate, non coordinated, half-baked, non resourced window dressing. RA incompetence continues.

Hertryk's comment that RA is still focussed on the Eastern States and snubbing WA is still accurate: - RA taking "Get into Rugby" to three 3 clubs in WA is the same commitment they made to a much smaller SA and ACT rugby public - Compared this to the devastating damage RA caused when they axed the Force, forced WA Rugby into liquidation, pulled funding from WA rugby, threatened to pull WA out of the NRC and then refused to host even a single professional rugby match in WA in 2018 - Few would argue that RA did not a least had a moral obligation to limit the damage they caused - (de)Clyne and Pulver even promised increased support to Rugby in WA after they axed the Force - a promise that they never intended to live up to. The drastic drop in player numbers during 2018 in what was the 3rd largest rugby playing state in Australia can be directly attributed to RA's actions. This put rugby in WA at least 5 years back. So taking "Get into Rugby" to only three clubs is not even a drop in the ocean as at least double this commitment was required to change the momentum. Hertryk's sentiment that RA continue to snub WA is still spot-on - far too little and far too late.

No – I like the way I said it better. This last one is close to peak sook, but has way more waffling.

Wonder how this will tie in with Rugbyroos in WA.

A peak sook would be that WA is normally not even mentioned - a more accurate description of RA under Cameron (de)Clyne. WA does not even get a mention when we decide where Super teams would be based, where Test and Super rugby games will be played and how RA funding will be distributed. It is so ridiculous that WA had to find out own way to move forward independent of RA.

This is peak sook: "The first time Western Australia was mentioned first and not last in a RA press release"

Who are these people who complain about subs? For reference it costs 10 quid per match per player for the amateur fun of after work T20 games I play. Adds up over a season to about 140 and it's on cheap council pitches, BYO gear, they supply the umpire. Rip off compared to subs for rugby but nobody complains and it's a well run tournament.

Not many relevant clubs. Most sh????Ute shield clubs work with the community having junior and women teams. This ra project is complete nonsense and attempt to prove they are doing something when they are actually doing sfa.

Deadfish interestingly there were a lot of complaints where it moved to a system where you had to pay the ARU direct and then they took their cut and passed the rest on. I was involved in a club at the time and for us, it worked out better. Removed all issues with players dodging subs. We took no risk that a player wouldn’t pay up. It just meant you had to push the players to pay/sign up to the payment plan.

Initiatives like this are where funds should have been going for the past decade

So what your rambling point means is that the whole original comment is baseless?

My son is involved in junior rugby. Their fees are about $120, of this $25 goes towards refereeing and $70 to CRU, NSWRU and RA. Though the RA levy looks like for seniors only otherwise the fees may be higher.

Good start but maybe more in souther Sydney. Not too much west of the divide in NSW.

These subs seem like a lot of money. Not saying it isn't fair and reasonable, but it would not be easily affordable for many.

"Over the past six months Rugby Australia has run ‘Get into Rugby’ coaching workshops in Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, Victoria, the ACT, South Australia and New South Wales to ensure all engaged clubs are fully equipped for the season ahead." The first time Western Australia was mentioned first and not last in a RA press release. Let's hope it is a sign that the tide is changing and that RA will start to consider WA as part of Australia .... someone of the RA Board or even Cameron Clyne may even put in the effort to visit the state soon.

That's just a total moral failing on the clubs behalf if you ask me mate. I think there are some genuinely higher costs (affiliation fees) for the clubs to pay. But that's a huge whack of money, just to play a game. It ain't all bad in rugby!

And soccer has no trouble finding juniors. Makes a mockery of the argument that subs are killing numbers.

Realistically subs aren't too much when you consider the cost of semi-organised sports like touch football.

My local soccer club has a huge juniors program. They charge about $500 a season with $10 per match per player to also be paid. The kids play in jerseys with holes in them while the a-grade men get paid in cash per game. Right now it costs my boys $300 each for a season to play junior rugby. They get a brand new kit plus training jersey and assorted goodies from the QRU throughout the year.

People will always complain about paying subs. Once, the breakdown of the subs is explained, most will understand and pay up. Some will continue to complain about the cost. While some think it is a big joke to play without paying. Today, even if the subs are $300 or $400, for what you get over the season (10 or 15 games), it is a small price to pay. RA should be congratulated for encouraging people to play rugby and any of its derivatives. The more people playing and showing interest in the game, can only be good for the game in Australia.