World Cup-winning captains John Eales and Nick Farr-Jones are among those supporting the new International Rugby Academy of Australia.
The biggest names in Australian rugby have backed the establishment of an independent academy to make the Wallabies great again.
A who’s who of the Wallabies’ 1990s golden era, including two-time World Cup winners John Eales and Phil Kearns and fellow greats Nick Farr-Jones and captains George Gregan and Michael Lynagh, were at Friday’s launch of the International Rugby Academy of Australia (IRAA).
A spin-off of the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand that former All Blacks captain Murray Mexted had created 20 years ago, it’s hoped Australia’s version will revive the game similarly down under like it did across the Tasman.
With Mexted still calling the shots, the first IRAA courses for elite young Australian players and coaches will commence in January, giving aspirants rare one-on-one access to Eales, Farr-Jones, Gregan, Kearns and a raft of other World Cup winners like Matt Burke and Rod Kafer.
“It’s very easy to sit back and criticise so this is about trying to do something,” Lynagh said.
The Wallabies’ 1991 World Cup-winning vice-captain to Farr-Jones, Lynagh flew all the way from London to be at the launch as the IRAA’s official patron.
“I do follow Australian rugby from the UK and I read all the papers so I do know what’s going on to a certain extent so when something positive like this comes along, I tend to try and support them,” he said.
“It’s got all the approvals and we’ve got to integrate them with the systems that are there at the moment.”
Lynagh hopes the Wallabies dropping to seventh in the rankings after their World Cup quarter-final loss to England is as low as it gets for Australian rugby.
But he said times had changed since the Wallabies were on top of the world and the rapid emergence of other sporting alternatives for children – and dreaded screens – made it challenging for rugby.
“Our ability to identify and nurture talent was quite strong and it’s still there in a certain respect, but maybe there’s more competition from other sports,” he said.
“In NSW and Queensland, it used to be just rugby league that had the attention of young kids coming through in those states.
“But now, we have soccer and AFL poaching as well.
“Plus there’s all these distractions for kids. They’ve got sport plus they’ve got the beach plus they’ve got the internet to get on and all that sort of stuff.
“So we’re probably having less kids playing the game, which is not a good thing, and that always reflects (on performance) when it goes through to clubs and into the states and country.
“So if we can get kids enthusiastic and playing the game again, and different versions of the game at an earlier age, then terrific.”
Peter Selosse
Guest
WE have the kids dont worry....we just chop them off as they leave school. So they naturally do other things. Stop tossing the talent away that we have and substituting them with non rugby players or dare i say it non Australians. For the love of Rugby!!!!!
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Western Sydney is a nugget not yet mined.
Wal
Roar Guru
Great for a few onliners in commentary too. "Paul Tito looked like a blind man in a brothel, just left groping." "I don't like this new law, because your first instinct when you see a man on the ground is to go down on him." "You don't like to see hookers going down on players like that." While it might not solve all of Rugby Australia's problems this is a step in the right direction.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Playing NZ is fine at international level, but the domestic level was wrong from the start. The SR comp is a failure as it was always going to be. Union means everything to kiwis but not to aussies. The professional game in Australia should've been based on where the actual grassroots fans are: the Shute Shield & Brisbane comp, then build from there. Turning the Waratahs & Reds into weekly playing franchise teams was never going to work long term. The success of the AFL & NRL shows that you build from your grassroots supporters...you don't dictate terms to them!
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
I actually believe that there has been some solid work going in behind the scenes at RA. I don’t know how fruitful the efforts will be long term, but there’s been about two decades of criticism of the cultural imbalances, and tangible proof in our predictable No6 ranking. The tide has gone out on OZ rugby and I suspect that we armchair critics are not the only ones who have noticed. Assuming that our code’s leaders are literate, numerate and reflective, they have seen what we all can see. They will always upset someone. That’s what decisions do. We are heading into interesting times. There are some lights on the horizon.
rebel
Roar Guru
And stop playing NZ.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Or one
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Lack of money for both
rebel
Roar Guru
Why do they have to pick one?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
On the other hand, Murray Mexted is a great man and does a lot of great work. He really cares about the game as a whole. Really genuine person.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
How many fans are WA getting to the GRR games now?
Hertryk
Roar Rookie
I think WA is setting a great example to promote our beloved game.. Thank God for Twiggy
JD
Guest
Good initiative, hopefully they include kids wider than Sydney and Brisbane private schools. Would be good to get buy in from western Sydney and rural youngsters as well.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
If you have to pick one it’s the greater participation. You need money to do it, that increases fans and even with poor development, greater numbers means likely better players.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I think the reality is that you need to boost grassroots participation, and have better elite level coaching. Tennis Australian focused on both about 15 years ago, and Australian tennis is now enjoying the fruits.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Must just be luck how the 18s and 20s went hey?
Malotru
Roar Rookie
On that one I definitely agree with you TWAS. If you look at Tasmania for example, soccer has made significant progress in what is undeniably an AFL state, while Rugby is only just starting to get its act together and is looking to establish more junior and schools competitions. Soccer has grown largely through school and junior comps. The youngsters are indeed the future for Australian Rugby (and everywhere else in the world).
Malo
Guest
Unlike the Ra they are doing something
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
We have less kids playing the game, so a program for the elite talent of what we have is the solution? Do these guys even listen to themselves? AFL pushes Auskick purely about participation. Our former greats push programs for the elite. No wonder rugby in Aus is dying.