Bledisloe Groundhog Day: Is it time for changes?

Exactly. Most of those series were shared 1-1, but Australia retained it. Once they lost it, a sudden push for a 3 test series, from Australia. Now they want to change again.

A-ha. Except it’s often been a 3 Test series, and when Australia won it back in the late 1990s, it was they who changed it to a 2-Test series. This artifically allowed them to hang onto it longer because they only had to win one of those two tests and NZ had to win both. Most of those series during the ‘Golden Era’ of Australian rugby, were shared 1-1. Then when the Wallabies lost it again, low and behold, they wanted a return to the three test series because the holders only having to win one Test to retain the cup was suddenly considered unfair. Now you want to change the rules again, in a cup where Australia has often had home ground advantage for Bledisloe 1 season after season so you can ‘win’ it back? Be a bit hollow if you don’t win it the old fashioned way wouldn’t it? It’s a bit like Aussie pressing the conference system so they could get teams in Super Rugby playoffs. If anything, the ‘dead rubber’ should just not be played, once the All Blacks have locked it away for another season, it’s pointless.

You know what's ground hog day - having this discussion. It's not rocket science and it's all been aired before. Quite simply the codes biggest impediment to growth in this nation is our overexposure to NZ. Conversely, NZ have been able to piggy back on Australia's domestic leagues to improve their pedigree in a number of codes, while we have tried in vain, to do the same in regards to their coveted NPC. Interestingly, Cricket here did not succumb to NZ's ongoing pleas to be admitted to our Sheffield Shield, an exception perhaps given their uncanny ability to be integrated into a number of our domestic comps, expediently pitching their pseudo state like status to Australia, while maintaining their sovereign nation status. Whats interesting is Cricket has been the exception, enhancing that nations international standing by remaining independent from our domesticity which I argue fosters a familiarity, dumbing down international rivalries. NZ are now a superior Cricketing nation to Australia across all forms of the game. Similarly I wonder if it would do the game of Rugby in this nation any harm by broadening their lens of competition beyond what is an over exposure to NZ Rugby which I reckon has resulted in a ground hog day of discontent and a dearth of self believe psychologically for the code here? Has Union in Australia really anything to lose in this respect, since it has long struggled for cultural patronage throughout this wide brown land?

I have been over it, for years. Boring as heck. But understand that both unions desperately need the money and will continue to flog a dead horse to get it. I have long suggested that the RC gets spiced up by inviting an outside country to join every year. An England, say, or France, could base itself in Brisbane for 6 weeks or so and partake in a round robin comp.......

at the request of the ARU Exactly. Changing the rules to manipulate a favourable result. Downright nefarious...but "no surprises there"

Why not make it half a Test? :silly: The Wallabies tend to fade in the final quarter so just do away with the 2nd half.

I tend to agree Armtwister, although the die-hard fans stand behind their team and continue to dream the dream. :thumbup: You know what would be great for tv ratings Greg? If the Wallabies were to win the cup back. Fair-weather fans would flock in, in droves. You'd need a stick and a pack of working dogs to keep them civil.

Long-term deals offer certainty and security which sponsors look for when signing a long-term deal. JON did it that way to tie up the sponsors.

It‘s a sad day Moa when the Wallabies fans seem to be throwing the towel in. I personally never thought I‘d see the day. Pretty defeatist really. The actual idea that the Wallabies could be good enough to win the best of three seems to be beyond their imagination.

Since you are bringing the WC final into it. Lets do that. We play a one off test for the Bled after the RC and only if the Wannabies qualify for it by winning the RC. Just like qualifying for the World Cup final. And you are bringing sponsorship as slight against NZ. How about that Cadbury sponsorship of Australia. Its perfect. Bright and yellow on the outside side in the middle. Perfectly describes the Australian Rugby team.

I’m with you LG. The problem seems to be the sports scientists who will tell you that the extended tours put too much stress on the professional footballer’s body. Obviously that kind of stress didn’t exist on the amateur player’s body, nor did the amateur suffer any financial stress. Japan is not the only Asian rugby playing nation. Perhaps instead of a tour by a European team, why not an Asian carnival, not championship, hosted by Australia including but not limited to Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, India. Two levels or groupings, Australia providing squads in both levels, certain parts of towns nominated as supporters of visiting teams, as was done for the 2003 WC. One question LG, why aren’t we being asked by RA to come up with innovations?

Imagine State of Origin was a one off, the one playing away would have a fit.

Oops ,that’s not going to work.

Try two test, like back in the 90’s .