The number one goal and priority for me is for the Wallabies to be the best rugby team in the world. I want to have in place the system and structures to make that possible.
Since SRP is basically locked in until 2030, my focus in this article is on what can be implemented immediately within that framework to achieve my stated goal.
I don’t think trying to strengthen Australia’s five SR teams by importing talent from NZ through a mechanism such as draft is going to be the best way to achieve my stated goal. This will only make us lazy.
Instead, I want Australia to roll its sleeves up and put in place the necessary structures to build our own depth and develop our own talent with the limited resources we have.
The vision here is to have each of our five SR teams equally competitive with NZ’s best SR teams, if not more so.
Imagine if we were able to achieve that! Not only would this drastically improve the quality and appeal of SRP from a spectator’s point of view, but it would be a real indication that Australian rugby has grown stronger than it ever has been before.
And stronger SR teams means a stronger Wallabies—as the cream rises to the top. And with the various international rugby events to take place between now and 2030, that’s where the glory is.
So how do we begin to strengthen our SR teams on our own? This is where the conversation usually turns towards the vexed issue of a third tier.
Carter Gordon of the Rebels Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
The purpose of a third tier is not to provide Australia with a domestic competition to attract new fans to the game. Without the test players involved, a third tier is only ever going to have limited appeal.
The purpose of a third tier is to first of all develop the skills of aspiring club rugby players to better prepare them to play Super Rugby. As it stands, the gap between club rugby and SR is too great for most club players to step up. A third tier provides the necessary step between.
Developing more players for the SR teams creates competition for spots and further increases the depth of each team.
Greater depth means the SR teams will be less dependent on a limited number of first string players and able to play for a full 80 minutes with a much greater punch.
The other main purpose of a third tier is to ensure Australia’s non-Test SR players play more rugby at a higher level throughout the year.
As it stands, Australia’s non-test SR players don’t play enough high-level rugby in the year. When SR finishes at the end of June they simply go back to amateur club rugby. And even that’s not for very long if their team doesn’t make the finals.
Compare this to NZs non-test SR players who move seamlessly into their three-month-long-high-level NPC competition after the completion of SRP.
In terms of what the Australian third tier model should look like, the old NRC competition has some advantages over other models, but it also has some disadvantages.
I’ve come to believe that the best model (at least initially) is to simply have the SR teams—minus their test-players, and possibly their Australian A players for several games—fill that void.
This model isn’t perfect and may not be as ideal as the old NRC in every respect, but it does have some advantages.
First, as Brett McKay has often said, it’s probably the cheapest and easiest way to establish a third tier. All the coaching staff, brand names, playing kit, resources and facilities are already in place.
Second, it could actually be the quickest and most effective way to improve the depth and competitiveness of the SR teams—maybe even more so than what NZ’s NPC does for their SR teams.
It would enable non-test SR players to continue to play together under the one coaching structure, develop existing combinations and game plans, and build greater overall cohesion in preparation for SRP the following year.
Further to this, bringing aspiring club players into the culture and cohesiveness of the SR teams themselves should accelerate their development within a particular SR team, making them more ready to play SR than they would be otherwise.
Third, it forces the SR franchises and state bodies to take responsibility and the initiative to develop aspiring club players. It will be in their own best interest to proactively get along side up-and-coming club players to offer them extra training and advice, etc. throughout the year.
I suspect that the SR teams would be able to get better access and have more sway with aspiring club players in this regard compared to the old NRC teams anyway. And so it just removes that extra middleman.
As to the competition format, ideally it would involve Australia’s five super rugby teams and Fiji Dura minus their test players, playing a double round robin from August to October. This would give all teams a minimum of ten games each.
However, I suspect the club competitions won’t be willing to shorten their season to make way for this in the next couple of years.
So we start with small steps. The competition could run alongside the new-look U16 and U19 competitions from late September and October.
The u16 and u19 representative teams have just started playing under the guise of the SR teams. So it would be a neat fit to the player pathway already being developed.
While the competition would initially only involve a single round of games, teams could then organise their own games against overseas opposition during November. This would provide an extra two or three games in preparation for SRP the following year.
Wig
Roar Rookie
Saw on the tele news a few days ago 1000 girls had signed up for afl i think it was in the ACT. Just saying
Joe King
Roar Rookie
They won’t let what happened to the Force happen again.
Big A
Roar Rookie
I agree - just get on with it - play a SRAU after SRP finishes and during the rep part of the season with clubs loaning players to SRAU - the club season needs to work in around that and pull it's head in - it's the tail wagging the dog unfortunately - race to the bottom the way theyre going
Big A
Roar Rookie
The Rebs have been good this year - what really sh......ts me is watching that empty stadium week in week out in Melbourne - they're actually going ok this year
Ucnthandlethtruth
Roar Rookie
Nobody watches Force v Rebels and thinks, this is the game for me lol
Brendan NH Fan
Roar Rookie
NFL works as it has loads of players and few professional players. Rugby worries to much about having lots of players but how many players come via the schools v the clubs. Sooner rugby works that out the richer it will be. NFL, NBA etc has schools & colleges and that's it. If you bring in more teams it's fans having to split time between games. Just make SRP 22 rounds and have 6 team playoff. In the long run RA needs to either build SRP or let the less competitions dictate to the professional games (see Wales as an example)
Joe King
Roar Rookie
I think a good argument can be made that Australia should never have expanded their number, or not until they had the third tier well and truly established to underpin it. At the same time, a team can’t be cut now. Five teams still has commercial value.
Ucnthandlethtruth
Roar Rookie
By not having 5 teams.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Hi Don, that's great news and I am very happy to hear of this improvement. Especially in the high schools. I can only go on what I've heard and that has been pretty bad overall for well over a decade. I do remember some Roarers defending Castle in this area. I have a few questions for yourself and others who are involved in the grassroots (Queensland and elsewhere) as I'd like to be better informed. When did the improvement begin? How have RA helped? The numbers - any idea which year they are back to on the boys' side? Thanks everyone!
Monsta
Roar Rookie
So the college system would mean that Sydney Uni and UQ would gain ALL the talent, play in the local club comp as they do now and ruin it. It's bad enough as it is with UQ, who then have the gall to complain some clubs cannot support more than 2 colts teams. They then take Prem grade club players under the guise of "the Reds have advised it for the players benefit". Can't see that changing in Bne with Mick at the Reds after so many years at Uni. This is just more of vested interests at every level leading to destruction of the grass roots club scene. This applies even more so to the GPS school system who are solely concerned with winning at any cost hence the scholarships to league players in years 11 and 12 (and for some 13&14), dumping the rugby focussed lads that made up the 10As, 9As etc and losing them to rugby by this lack of interest in developing them.
Steve Lenthall
Roar Guru
It's only fair that the Brumbies are reigning champions.....
soapit
Roar Guru
more surprised by just how long ive been hanging around here!
Joe King
Roar Rookie
Hey, thanks for commenting, Brett!
Joe King
Roar Rookie
Good one! You’re way ahead of me, soapit.
camrugby
Roar Rookie
Sounds like a good idea Joe. SR players not on international duty should definitely be playing more rugby at a higher level than club after the SR season concludes. I also agree with Don. Junior rugby numbers seem to be great, although I am not as knowledgeable with the actual numbers as Don is. However, there is a problem keeping our best talent once they complete high school. While the Colts system is good, it's not great and the top high school 1st XV talent are usually contracted by league clubs prior to completing high school. Would it possible to create a university (or college), rugby competition in AUS, similar to the college football/basketball in USA? I note that 4 out of the 5 SR teams in AUS have a university as a jersey sponsor. This is a strong indicator that universities want to be involved in rugby. I also note that many universities in AUS have rugby teams competing in the Prem Rugby competitions in their respective cities. These rugby clubs already exist and have a supporter base - they don't need to be created from scratch. Rugby needs a carrot to dangle in front of young school levers. The chance to play ‘college rugby’ for one of the ‘Big 8’ universities in Australia and gain a degree (or part of a degree), on a full/part scholarship, could be the carrot to keep them in the game. Looking at the annual revenues of AUS universities, they can easily afford to fund a 'college' rugby team. Based on AUS universities history with rugby and their current sponsorship of SR teams, they WANT to be involved in rugby. I also believe that a televised competition would get good ratings. Many alumni would tune in, as would current students. That's a lot of potentially influential people taking an interest in their old university, and most importantly, in rugby.
Simon_Sez
Roar Guru
Joe, the third tier is needed but it all has been tried and failed a few times e.g. ARC and NRC. So what’s really new to excite public interest? I personally think we need a new format and presentation, some fresh ideas, perhaps starting at club level, the feeder to SRP and the Wallabies. The real solution is to strengthen grass roots, school and club rugby and start retaining the best talent domestically all being the feeder into Australian SRP teams and the Wallabies. A successful plan would result in Australia being able to get rid of the Giteau Rule, as we would have enough depth to draw on domestically. That in my opinion is the bar we should try and reach. Australia didn’t need the Giteau Rule 14 years ago, but it is now unthinkable as Australia has been so weakened. Without solving that problem Australian rugby will continue to be undercut by all the competition like the NRL, AFL and soccer, and overseas rugby competitions, resulting in the pool of rugby talent constantly shrinking.
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Touch football (touch Rugby League) is growing at a meteoric rate with girls and young women and has all the pluses with very few of the minuses of the more physical games.
Don
Roar Rookie
Agree. Won't be an easy one, but schools are seeing a ton of girls choosing to play Rugby (or League.) Right now, a lot are largely only engaging at school rather than having a viable and enjoyable comp outside of that.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Far too smart for RA !
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
have a target to get 500 girls registered playing junior Rugby over the next 5 years Wait until the tackling starts. Our club had about 50 girls registered in U7s. Now it's 5 in u8s. Good luck with the target!