With a less than satisfying Australian Super Rugby season done and dusted waiting for trickle of international rugby there is a void in Australian rugby.

It stands to reason that idea of a return to a national rugby championship still makes a whole lot of sense leading up to the next World Cup even if sadly financially may be unlikely to happen unless Stan Sport suddenly decides it needs more content to pull the masses in.

This had me thinking how such a competition could be improved and what teams would make sense and tap into local rivalries, incorporate regional heartlands, and build a successful talent pipeline that could blood more young players and broaden the next.

Purpose

My main difference over the original NRC is a desire for a more bottom-up approach that sees teams more as representative regions and integrates schools, clubs and universities in those regions which a goal blood new talent, expand the talent pool and give players a taste of semi-professional rugby.

Australian Rugby’s Structural Problem

The documentary Gold Digger which can be found on Amazon Prime produced this fascinating video that effectively spells out Australian Rugby’s decline from a very persuasive evidence based perspective.

In a nutshell its hypothesis is that two major factors that drove Australia’s comparative advantage at its golden eras were player cohesion and game repetition that is when there were 2 or 3 Super Rugby teams in Australia rugby was at its peak as the same players came through the same schools and clubs, they honed combinations and developed relationships and “cohesion” over long seasons together in Australia.

During this period rugby’s winning percentage was at its height. It seems so common sense and yet in hindsight this logic has not driven Australian rugby decision making. The same video points to the dilution of the talent pool with the creation of the Western Force and Rebels directly statistically correlated to a drop in winning percentage as this cohesion was shattered.

It is my view that any successful National Competition must re-align this fundamental structural problem that has perpetuated rugby’s decline to this day the Rebels and Force are largely still stocked with players produced by Queensland and New South Wales this dilutes the talent pool and breaks cohesion at the top level as such Western Force and Rebels act as almost a disconnected second tier themselves picking the players that are passed over or missed by the states that produced them.

But this means that now without the depth and cohesion that the original states had, they begin to lose and as interest in the game in the “heartland” dwindles which then in turn impacts the very same talent pipeline that these other teams rely on which produces a death spiral as homegrown talent is now conditioned to move interstate, to the NRL or overseas which appears much more appealing to young players.

The last few seasons it has now gotten to the point where it is not really worth watching a NZ vs Aus Super Rugby game as all (unless it’s the Brumbies) as it feels like pre-determined reality that the Australian team will lose.

This is not to attack the Force or Rebels who have made great strides in their tenure, but their existence has clearly diluted this cohesion and made 5 more average teams as opposed to 3 genuine contenders.

Simply put any National Competition should force these teams to pick entirely from local club competitions thus the teams I have tried to create are based on the depth of rugby playing regions with 5 in Queensland, 5 in New South Wales, 2 in Canberra, 1 in WA and 1 in Victoria.

Eligibility

NRC eligibility should preference towards the clubs and schools that produced the players and regional teams with a structure designed to growth the game in “heartland” city regions and frontier areas outside of Sydney and Brisbane. This means that any WA Melbourne teams should not just be a Super Rugby B team.

To play for a team one must have either played school rugby within that club’s region or played one full season will a feeder club prior to Super Rugby. The season should take place around June/July as Super Rugby wraps up, moving club football earlier with the goal of picking the best club players once the season is over. I know the original NRC did try to implement some of these things and this did lead to conflict over players between Super Rugby and Club, I think Super Rugby clubs should have a lighter touch providing support and guidance, but the grass roots clubs should be the main focal point with major buy-in.

I have tried to base my teams on the original NRC but with a few tweaks that aim to amplify cross-town, cross-school, and cross regional rivalries that already exist.

So, without further ado I give thee my NRC 2: Electric Regional Boogaloo

Instead of 1 Brisbane City I have devised three Brisbane teams that I think would be evenly matched very much based on three geographical regions that exist that each already have their own identity. I feel after having created these three even teams I genuinely would love to know which one would win!

The Northern Union

For a history lesson the Northern Rugby Union was the first name for the first iteration of the Queensland Rugby Union when it split off from the Queensland Football Association and 1887. Fittingly GPS and Brothers are the oldest existing clubs in Queensland with GPS tracing its lineage back to 1887 Past Brothers Club. A united team I think be a force to be reckoned with and have a huge following if you could get the brothers together and add some eagle wings. The other benefit would be to grow into Moreton Bay with some pretty passionate subby teams such as Pine Rivers and Caboolture I think it’s a logical region.

• Region: North Brisbane, Moreton Bay
• Feeder Teams: GPS Rugby, Brothers, Norths Rugby Union, Caboolture Rugby Union
• Notable Rugby Schools: Brisbane Grammar School, St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace, St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Marist College Ashgrove, Padua College, St Patrick’s College
• Universities: Queensland University of Technology, Uni SC
• Training & Playing Location: Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane

The Southside Pride

Rhyming aside most Southsiders will quite often refer to themselves proudly as Southsiders but to my knowledge no team has ever used this term in any official way, well it’s time to rectify this. Whilst they may fight for the same backyard together Easts, Souths and Sunnybank combined with Logan and Redlands could be a powerful team and with a hardcore passionate fanbase. Logan has been champing at the bit to enter Premier Rugby for years this would give them an avenue to enter a top competition without cutting Sunnybank’s grass.

• Region: South Brisbane, Logan, Redlands
• Feeder Teams: Easts Rugby Union, Souths Rugby Union Club, Sunnybank Rugby Union, Logan City Rugby Union, Redlands Mudcrabs
• Feeder Rugby Schools: Brisbane State High School, Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie), Iona College, St Laurence College, Villanova, John Paul College (Logan)
• Universities: Griffith University
• Training & Playing Location: Chipsy Wood Oval/Bottomley Park, Brisbane

The Western Bulls

UQ and Wests are a stone throw from each other. With UQ the most successful local club with a huge player base and Wests a passionate staunch history who currently is performing well in recent years such a team would be a strong force. With the Centenary Highway the main artery from West Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba it makes sense for the team to cover this heartland. With rugby in Toowoomba and the Darling Downs consistently punching well above its weight this would make up for the lack of a third premier feeder team.

• Region: Western Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba
• Feeder Teams: University of Queensland Rugby Union Club, Western Suburbs Bulldogs, Ipswich Rangers, Toowoomba Rugby Union
• Feeder Rugby Schools: Brisbane Boys College, Ipswich Grammar School, Toowoomba Grammar School, St Joseph’s College (Toowoomba), St Edmonds College (Ipswich), St Peters Lutheran College
• Universities: University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland (Toowoomba campus)
• Training & Playing Location: St Lucia Rugby Fields/Sylvan Road, Brisbane

Queensland Country

At first I based this team in North Queensland, while League dominates Townsville it still has a surprisingly strong union following with Defence force members often a strong proponent of union and a number of strong local clubs however I cannot neglect that the Sunshine Coast Stingrays were once a Premier Club and how this region also represents an underrated talent pipeline that has produced a number of talented Wallabies. Could they sustain a team each? I am not sure, would they be competitive? It would be interesting to see.

• Region: Sunshine Coast to Far North Queensland
• Feeder Teams: Sunshine Coast Rugby Union, Townsville Rugby Union, Cairns Rugby Union, Queensland Country Rugby Union
• Feeder Rugby Schools: The Cathedral School of St Anne and St James (Townsville), St Augustine’s College (Cairns), Matthew Flinders Anglican College (Sunshine Coast)
• Universities: James Cook University (Townsville campus), University of the Sunshine Coast, CQUniversity (Cairns campus)
• Training & Playing Location: Townsville/Sunshine Coast

Gold Coast Breakers

Gold Coast were previously included as Queensland Country which never quite sat right seeing a “country” team play at old Bond University the main link I guess being rates of RM Williams purchases. Outside of Brisbane GC is easily the strongest rugby region in Queensland, would it be strong enough only drawing from one Premier Club? Nevertheless, it is hard to neglect a GC team in a national comp, I would be interested to hear Roarers thoughts on this one.

• Region: Gold Coast, Scenic Rim
• Feeder Teams: Bond University, Southport Sharks, Surfers Paradise Rugby Club
• Rugby Schools: The Southport School (TSS), Saint Stephen’s College, Somerset College
• Universities: Bond University, Griffith University (Gold Coast campus)
• Training & Playing Location: Bond University Rugby Club, Gold Coast

North Harbour Rays

If based purely on the talent that it produces Rays who won the original ARC on paper are the powerhouse, when you look at the backgrounds of the Waratahs and then the Wallabies this talent pipeline from its GPS schools to its 4 competitive Shute Shield teams would likely be potential favourites to lift a new trophy toaster thingy. This team could probably be split into two and still be competitive.

• Region: Northern Sydney, North Harbour, Manly Warringah
• Feeder Teams: Gordon, Manly Marlins, Warringah Rats, North Sydney
• Rugby Schools: Shore School, Knox Grammar School, Barker College, St Pius X College (Chatswood)
• Universities: Macquarie University
• Training & Playing Location: Pittwater Rugby Park, Sydney

Western Sydney Rams

The Rams were the underdogs and battlers of the NRC I will admit I was pulling for them on more then one occasion not being from the area, you could tell from the “horned army” that they were building a passionate little fanbase and were punching above their weight and building their own identity it would be silly to let this die. I’ve cut the Southern Suburbs for another team down below so while I’m sure Greater I think Western is the more apt.

• Region: Inner West and Outer Western Sydney
• Feeder Teams: Eastwood, West Harbour Pirates, Parramatta Two Blues, Penrith Emus
• Private Rugby Schools: The King’s School (Parramatta), St Dominic’s College (Penrith), St Gregory’s College (Campbelltown), St Patricks, St Pauls Grammer School
• Universities: Western Sydney University (Parramatta campus), University of Western Sydney (Penrith campus)
• Training & Playing Location: Lidcombe Oval, Sydney

Sydney Fleet

The NRC chopped and changed with Sydney Stars, Sydney Rays and an NSW Country team that was based on Randwick and Easts who are in um…Sydney right? To my small monkey QLD brain who does not comprehend the bitter tribal rivalries between neighbouring suburbs and clubs in that massive city I have gone with the original and what I thought…logical team from the ARC the Sydney Fleet. From what I gather Sydney Uni is the powerhouse who wanted to go their own way while Randwick and Easts play nicer together. I may need some Roarers to explain the bitter tribal feuds between the clans. Would this team be a non-starter and need to be split?

• Region: Inner West, Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City
• Feeder Teams: Sydney University, Randwick, Eastern Suburbs Rugby Club
• Private Rugby Schools: The Scots College, Waverley College, St Joseph’s College (Hunters Hill)
• Universities: University of Sydney, UNSW Sydney
• Training & Playing Location: Leichardt Oval/Coogee Oval Sydney

South NSW Country Eagles

Unlike the original country eagles my view would be to take the Southern District and combine with an Illawarra (almost like another competition) and then integrate the NSW Country Cockatoos so that to take a more country identity. Potentially weaker team that could get dibs to players from country NSW backgrounds in the Shute Shield that are in other teams but with a primary focus to give country and Illawarra talent a go. One clash this team may face is with the Brumbies who claim Southern NSW.

• Region: South NSW Regional areas (excluding North Coast region)
• Feeder Teams: Southern District Rugby Club, NSW Country Cockatoos, Illawarriors/Illawarra Rugby Union, Charles Sturt University and Central West, Western Plains, Southwest Rugby Union
• Notable Schools: De La Salle College (Cronulla), Endeavour Sports High School, (Caringbah) St Patrick’s College, Sutherland, Illawarra Grammer, Edmund Rice College Kinross Wolaroi School (Orange), St Stanislaus’ College (Bathurst), Oxley College (Bowral), Chevalier College (Bowral)
• Charles Sturt University (Bathurst, Orange campuses), University of Wollongong, University of Technology Sydney (Cronulla/Sutherland campus)
• Training & Playing Location: Sylvania Waters and University of Wollongong playing games in Bathurst, Orange, Bowrall

North Coast Thunder

Are two regional NSW teams ambitious? Maybe but with the Hunter Wildfires successful Shute Shield season perhaps there is more depth outside of the major cities then we might believe. From Central Coast to Tweed Heads this region is an underrated rugby region that although not included in the original NRC I think would be a strong prospect for growth.

• Region: North Coast region of NSW
• Feeder Teams: Central Coast Waves, Hunter Wildfires, Mid-North Coast, For North Coast, New England Region
• Notable Rugby Schools: St Joseph’s College (Hunter region), The Armadale School, Bishop Druitt College (Mid-North Coast), Central Coast Grammer (Central Coast)
• Universities: University of Newcastle, Southern Cross University (Coffs Harbour campus)
• Training & Playing Location: Newcastle

Northern Canberra Kookaburras

Having lived in Canberra for a short period I can attest to the intense parochialism in that town and its surrounding region particularly between North and South. In fact, I recall a hilarious mock Wikipedia entry that made the rounds that wrote of a great Canberra civil war between North and South https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6152714/southside-vs-northside-war-hijacks-wikipedia/. This parochialism was evidence when the Vikings gained the nomenclature for the representative team in the NRC with many uncomfortable supporting the red colours of Tuggernong whom maintains a strong “Collingwood style” status amongst locals as a financial powerhouse. For a few games the Canberra Vikings played in the original colours of the Canberra Kookaburras which got some pats on the back, well why not a cross town rivalry with one in the original classic colours vs the previous NRC colours, I could genuinely see locals turning out for this one.

• Region: Northern Canberra, Far South Coast Region
• Feeder Teams: Uni Norths, Gungahlin Eagles, West Lions
• Regional Rugby Union: ACT & Southern NSW Rugby Union
• Universities: University of Canberra
• Training & Playing Location: North Oval, University of Canberra

South Canberra Vikings

• Region: Southern Canberra, Southern Inland Rugby Union
• Feeder Teams: Tuggeranong Vikings, Queanbeyan Whites, Canberra Royals
• Regional Rugby Union: ACT & Southern NSW Rugby Union
• Universities: Australian National University, UNSW (Canberra) (technically Northside, UC is further North)
• Training & Playing Location: Viking Park, Canberra

Melbourne Rising

Finally, we came to the Melbourne and WA feeder teams. A huge snag for any competition would be for Super Rugby teams to give their playing talent back to the clubs that originally produced them across state lines however I do think that the developing the depth of local talent in Melbourne and Perth should the main goal. A surprising number of top-level Wallaby talent has been produced from Melbourne and Perth clubs and schools. A new NRC competition should not be a Super Rugby light but a chance to take up-and-coming talent born and/or raised in each region and give them opportunities, I still think both teams would be strong and if the depth is there the possibility of two teams each and across town rivalry should be an aspiration. This way the Rebels and the Force can begin to rely on local talent and by not needing to poach QLD, NSW or ACT talent everyone wins.

• Region: Melbourne and surrounding areas
• Feeder Clubs: All Melbourne Rugby Clubs in Dewar Shield, Regional Rugby Union: Rugby Victoria
• Notable Rugby Schools:
• Melbourne Grammar School, Xavier College, St. Kevin’s College, Scotch College, Haileybury College Brighton Grammar School
• Universities: University of Melbourne, Monash University
• Location: AAMI Park, Harlequin Rugby Club, Ashwood and University of Melbourne.

Perth Spirit

• Region: Perth and surrounding areas
• Feeder Teams: All Perth Rugby Clubs
• Regional Rugby Union: RugbyWA
• Hale School, Christ Church Grammar School, Scotch College, Trinity College, Wesley College, Aquinas College
• Universities: University of Western Australia (UWA), Curtin University
• Training & Playing Location: UWA Sports Park, Perth

What do you think Roarers? Are my teams way off or the competition unbalanced? Get out your Charlie from Its Always Sunny conspiracy hat on and make your own comp teams that will save rugby and bring balance to the Rugby universe.