Michael Cheika says he pushed hard for a Super Rugby overhaul during his reign as Wallabies coach but won few friends at Rugby Australia for doing so.
Long before the coronavirus pandemic strangled the sport, Cheika said he questioned the game’s bosses over their ongoing acceptance of “easy money” by continually expanding Super Rugby.
He told the offtheball.com podcast the competition eroded the sport’s support base, something which has come home to roost now that rugby is on its knees in the face of COVID-19.
“We’ve got bigger and bigger because we wanted more TV money, more TV money,” he said.
“The reality is we’ve had Super Rugby, it’s been losing money for all the clubs hand over foot and we’ve maintained our presence in that tournament.
“This is where I fell out a fair bit with Australian Rugby. A few years ago when they were making the last arrangement around what the next Super Rugby was going to look like, I was adamant about changing towards trans-Tasman, and Japan as well.”
Cheika said time zones made it difficult to incorporate South African and Argentine teams, whose presence made it challenging to build a local fan base.
With less travel, he believed it would be easier to operate a home-and-away draw which was the lifeblood of supporters and sponsors.
Cheika said RA had lost sight of the old-fashioned measure of success – participation numbers, where future Wallabies and supporters are harvested.
Now an assistant coach with Sydney Roosters, he believed the NRL’s insistence that its broadcasting deals include a free-to-air element had made it more visible than the 15-man code, which sits almost entirely behind a broadcasting paywall to maximise revenue.
During his coaching tenures at the Waratahs and Wallabies, he opened the doors at training to teenagers, hoping to entice them to rugby.
He said it became apparent the only players they were familiar with were the likes of former NRL stars Israel Folau and Curtis Rona, who they’d recognised from free-to-air coverage of rugby league.
“I think we probably go for the easy money sometimes and I understand why. It’s not easy to give up that nice lollipop, that big TV money,” he said.
“As much as (Super Rugby) is a great competition, it’s not sustainable and so it’s been proven before COVID-19.”
Loosey
Roar Rookie
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gatesy
Roar Guru
did you mean "opinions " ?
Monorchid
Roar Rookie
I've never been a Cheika fan. But I'm interested in his view about the NRL's insistence on a free to air presence, while RA has gone for mostly a pay TV business model. I think that being able to watch at least some RL games for free is a key reason for RL's dominance over RU. Limited coverage of RU in the media compared to RL doesn't help. The "suits" in RA don't seem to realise that costs for many potential fans to pay for some sort of pay TV platform is not cheap in this country. I'm a retiree and I can't afford even the lowest offer. I watch more RL despite the fact that I'm a RU tragic because I can see more of it on TV for free. If it wasn't for Channel 10's occasional coverage, I'd see no Super Rugby at all. But who cares? RA doesn't.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Yes, but those "Tongans" were virtually all NRL players weren't they Jacko? How many aussies are worried about it, and now demand a closed shop mentality like you kiwis do?
Micko
Roar Rookie
NZ would be in the top 3 regardless Jacko! There's nothing special that NZ is doing, it's just the international competition is very limited in the sport like cricket, and rugby league barely has an international presence, and access to the NRL was vital to the "Tongans" beating Australia. No aussies are freaking out though Jacko and demanding to stop foreigners playing in the NRL. I think they like the fact there's more international competition, despite the disingenuous nature of the "Tongan" team.
Jacko
Guest
Hows the Kangaroos going with the NRL. Tonga beat them with mainly NZ born players......Great system where your domestic comp creates improvement in other international teams at your own teams detriment. And Micko YES....Club rugby, Mitre 10 and 5 NZ SR sides are all about the All Blacks...As it 100% should be...If a domestic comp being the be all and end all is your thing then rugby is not for you....Rugby's pinnicle is Test matches... As for the ALL BLACKS being a global brand well I think the very fact that an american insurance company was there sponcer for many years kinda proves that they ARE a global brand.....Also just to let you know...the NZRU changed all NZ rugby teams to be under the "ALL BLACK" brand for commercial reasons so now the 7s and the womens teams are all associated with the "BRAND"
Alex
Roar Rookie
Have you seen his latest load of flannel blaming RA for having a selection panel limiting his options. It's in The Times, what a joke. And yes he would of been paid for that interview.
Jacko
Guest
Bizzarre policy? The policy that allows NZ to develop and keep m ost of its players playing in NZ and therefore making its own domestic comp and its SR franchises some of the most successful teams in the world...Also the policy that has kept NZ at the top 3 in world rugby for decades? Geez if only Aus could come up with such a bizzarre policy to make them as successful eh Micko? Also YET AGAIN......the AFL and NRL are club comps...there is no tests in AFL so nothing to aim for above club land and in the NRL they are all...bar England...picked from the same domestic comp. The NRL HAS NO DRAFT as a guy challenged it in court and he won....Drafts are not enforcible in Aus so where does that leave your wonderful idea...And with the 3 from QLD refusing to take a pay cut how long do you think a draft would last? Look what happens when you invite all comers to your domestic comp....You end up getting beaten by the likes of Tonga...Is that working for the NRL? Ill stick with the Bizzarre policy thanks Micko
Alex
Roar Rookie
I thought he was with league now? But alas no such luck he remains milking rugby with embarrassing podcasts and ridiculous articles with average ideas. Carrying the water bucket and sponge should have been as far as he ever got coaching lol
Walter Black
Guest
Incidentally, that NRL app has been independently assessed to be worth $1 bn. No wonder Ch9 is after buying it.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Is everything about the all blacks with you Jacko???!! There's NOTHING to fear Jacko about opening up to professionalism. You kiwis claim you want rugby union to grow, but I'm not sure. It seems you want to maintain a limited international field of nations. You seem to believe the rubbish from NZ about the all blacks being a "global brand". If you want the all blacks to be a genuine "global brand", then spread rugby union to where you can, and help other nations. Then the all blacks will have far more international competition to defeat! :silly:
ScottD
Roar Guru
we listened for his entire Wallaby coaching career and it killed the team
ScottD
Roar Guru
Michael Cheika, the visionary saviour of Australian rugby!!
Micko
Roar Rookie
The point NV is making Jacko is that you can go in this direction and still win the world cup, like SA did. This bizarre phobia that NZ selecting foreign based players is somehow going to lead to some decline in NZ rugby is unfounded. The SR comp has suffered from this because the pseudo provincial model is outdated, and doesn't inspire excitement and anticipation like other pro comps do. The AFL & NRL for example have things like trade talk and drafts to excite people and create gossip, with anticipation for the upcoming season.
Jacko
Guest
neutral AM is a fox employee....Being told what to say maybe?
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
NV, others have talked about how you seem to change personalities when talking about NZ rugby, perhaps you could reflect on that. And how can you say “you solely comment/hails on NZ rugby (or bash OZ rugby)“ on one hand and “I usually enjoy your comments” on the other? This is a relatively small forum, surely we can debate civilly? Please?
Walter Black
Guest
I would sooner not consider them - lol Seriously, there is a certain amount of synergy between the two "rugby" sports with a reasonable overlap of fans and I think the NRL would be open to leveraging their app for RA.
Wigeye
Guest
great now he's taking up commentary, sure he and Kearns are twins,I'm sure he would dead the roar,cheika FAILED wrong planet m8. Stay out of the lime light please its embarrassing
Jaeger
Roar Rookie
AFL?
Alex
Roar Rookie
I couldn't have said better, a " disgrace" to Wallaby rugby.He was a handicap to the Wallabies turning good players into mediocre ones. Then to cap it all off runs away to league after milking the RA for everything he could. Then has great ideas to transform the game he helped ruin. It beggars belief.