The key to improving Australian rugby is to treat it as the best niche sport in Australia. The days of competing with the AFL and NRL are gone and rugby must focus on what it does best.
You do not have to be the biggest to be the best, just ask hypercar maker Mate Rimac who started off in his garage and now makes arguably the best hypercar on the planet, the Rimac Nevera.
Competing with the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, Bugatti and Lamborghini has not intimidated Rimac. Laser like focusing on absolute excellence and keeping your customers happy, can have more benefits than trying to outdo the opposition.
Working to your strengths is a philosophy that can help Australian rugby become the best niche operator in Australian sport. Games of high quality with satisfied viewers, achieving excellent results against the top tier nations and an elite level of schoolboy rugby to provide the foundations of success are objectives.
To compare rugby to housing, you can have mass produced buildings or houses of excellence, Australian rugby should aim to be the rugby version of the niche operator producing stunning architecturally designed homes.
Former coach Alan Jones said in 2017 “we have to go back to the floor of the game.” Patience will be key however as the solution to raising the bar of Australian rugby is to start in the schools.
The quick fix methods of appointing a “saviour” as coach or recruiting rugby league stars will in my mind not improve rugby in Australia. Yes, I know we all have shorter attention spans these days but good things are worth waiting for.
Think of schools as being the “garage” of Australian sport, a passion ignited, experimentation, skills developed and an incubator where dreams come true.
I came across an article published by Rugby Australia in 2019 written by Stu Walmsley about Hutchins schoolboy Jack Weeding in Tasmania about his discovery of rugby and what it meant to him. His body shape did not fit the sports of AFL or basketball and as he says, “he was in sporting limbo.”
I will quote what he said as it is very pertinent to the point of this article, “I fell in love with it from the first moment I picked up a ball – I’d never felt anything like it before, says Weeding, “It was something completely different that I’d never got a taste for in any other sport, and I loved the mateship that came with it, I think you’re a lot closer to the guys on your team than in any other sport.
“In year seven I was one of the smallest guys going around, but there was still a position for me, and then as I grew and got older, I could change around and try other roles.”
“Rugby really boosted my confidence, helped me get to know a lot of guys in a welcoming and fun environment,” says Weeding. “I became more outgoing, and rugby is really where I first took on leadership.”
The ability to travel with rugby is also another characteristic having experienced it myself with travels from New Zealand to Australia and then on to the Esher Rugby Club in Surrey, England. It is a terrific way of connecting with a community and developing friendships.
Head coach at Hutchins School Tasmania, Shaun Killian confirms that the culture and values in rugby union distinguish it from other sports, “where the expectations of a player or teammate are in line with rugby values.” The All Blacks follow this with their “no dickheads” policy when selecting players.
Shannon Frizell of the All Blacks . (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)
Where rugby is a minority as in Tasmania, the lack of funding inhibits the progress of rugby in attracting fresh players and putting systems and administration in place.
Shaun confirms there are no salaried members of the Tasmanian Rugby Union with all help done on a voluntary basis. For rugby to survive in areas like Tasmania, grassroots rugby needs funding to find the people who will promote the game and benefits from playing it.
Killian says that “one or two people need to be found in schools who are knowledgeable about the game who can coach or find coaches willing to push rugby union.”
“Schools of different social standing but equal ability need to be playing each other more often to give players more opportunities and confidence.”
It is important at a grassroots level that players familiarise themselves with the physicality of the game and basic skills become second nature, confident players become smarter players.
An idea that Shaun Killian had was to bring Super Rugby matches to the smaller centres to connect the community with high profile players. “Full small stadiums bring fans closer to their idols and favourite teams,” said Shaun.
I asked Shaun if a young person was deciding between AFL or rugby what would be his selling point for rugby.
“I would try not to compete and make it possible for that person to play both sports if possible-play on different days, then point out the advantages of playing rugby, the opportunity to run with the ball, contact nature and a position for everyone, but do let kids play what they want.”
A factor that came up in our discussion was the fear of parents worried about injuries in union. Killian said that “there is up to date duty of care procedures in place to inform and educate players of potential injuries which sports such as AFL are only just implementing, there is also a surprising number of injuries in AFL that parents may not be aware of.”
The key point is for rugby union not attempt to compete with the big two and establish an excellent niche sport based on time spent at the grassroots level with greater emphasis on growing the game at schools.
The long-term objective is to be more competitive at international level, increase viewership numbers and be widely respected for the standards reached.
Go back to move forward, there is no other choice.
Baz
Roar Rookie
You are absolutely correct. The game's success is all about getting the schools on board. Everything will flow on from that.
luuk
Roar Rookie
''The All Blacks follow this with their “no dickheads” policy when selecting players.'' After which Shannon Frizell is shown. How ironic. A wife-beater shouldn't be an Allblack, the same counts for Sevu Reece. If the ''no dickheads'' means anything
Docshay
Roar Rookie
Well expressed TWAS. I was talking to a public high school vice-principal a couple of weeks ago, about sport programmes in his school; they have basketball, soccer, AFL, League, archery and others I can't remember. There are over 3,000 students, and 350 teachers in the place - I wonder has anybody from Ballymore paid a visit to encourage the start-up of a Rugby team?
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Great thinking. Maybe RA should just get 5 people from The Roar to come up with ideas!!
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Thanks Peter. To help a little further, transfers are a reality in the public education system. If the school’s enthusiast, even RL, is transferred their sport is very much in danger of not just reducing its footprint within the school but disappearing all together. With the “windfall” coming RA’s way, the best way that they could spend it is to help the clubs employ Liaison Officers who would go to the schools with programs ready to be run by the LOs. Schools and teachers love it when someone comes in with GOOD programs that take the pressure off them. The LO visits multiple schools and becomes the coaches of the kids, and interested teachers who achieve lower level coaching certificates, and he/she also coordinates competitions between their schools. The LOs can also involve club players as coaches and mentors. Rugby’s reliance on schools is at an end, actually it has been for years. Where once people were learning the game at 9 years of age at school, they are now introduced to the game as 6yo’s at their (Mum and dad’s) local club. And they maintain their loyalty. Put simply, help the local clubs to engage the public school kids. There’s a mass of , as yet, untapped talent out there. But be prepared to do it for generations.
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
I've already asked them, so just waiting.
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Rugby people are just better people Busted! If Rugby Australia make a decent profit from hosting the RWC they should allocate funding towards getting a school competition up and running. With a view to finding talent, I mentioned to someone else that Damian McKenzie was "discovered" through their school competition.
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
JD The competition or the 70s or both?
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Sheek There isn't one single player in the current team who would compete with players from the "good ol days"!
Micko
Roar Rookie
A bunch of yanks called "Silver Lake". NZR lose money off SRP & NPC, so their unsustainable show needs propping up. Unfortunately the clowns at RA are too silly to see the writing on the wall a dozen years ago in regard to the failed SR league. :unhappy:
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Gee, I thought I knew what was happening in NZR-land but this......when did this "cap-in-hand" approach with US happen Micko and, any ideas why??
sheek
Roar Guru
Peter Darrow, Ahhh, the 70s. Just a few months ago RA held a 50 year reunion for the 1973 Wallabies, a horrid year. One win from 4 tests including a diabolical loss to Tonga. Yet a composite XV is compellingly good: Fairfax, Cole, L’Estrange, G.Shaw, J.McLean, Richardson, Hipwell, Loane, Sullivan (c), Cocks, Fay, Gregory, Graham, Carberry, Howard. A.Shaw on the bench. This XV did not play together once in these 4 tests. I’ve often observed that historically Oz rugby has produced many fine individuals, but very few great teams. I’m not even sure today if we’re even producing good players anymore. Anyway, just an observation. I don’t even know what it means anymore!
Peter Darrow
Roar Guru
Correct.
Nick
Roar Rookie
Queensland is different to NSW though. Sydney is a different beast to the rest of NSW as well.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G’day Peter. I spent 38 years in state education in Queensland, 1980 to 2018. And for most of those years I tried to encourage the boys and girls in my care to play rugby. But there was a battle to be fought. I can’t give you the exact date but I believe that the Rugby League sponsored their game within the Education Department on the condition that the Department didn’t have other codes of football being played. In truth, that made the RL people the elitists in Queensland. Private schools playing RL weren’t part of the School Sports organisation until the affiliation policy was changed in 1980 due to anti-monopoly legislation that had been enacted. These days, there doesn’t seem to be a private school, at least in Brisbane, that doesn’t have at least soccer, if not all 4 football codes, being played at various times of the year. We have the RL clubs offering youngsters scholarships to schools where they play rugby, only to go onto careers in the RL world, players like Kalyan Ponga. Private schools aren’t to be left out of the recruiting. I have experienced three occasions where different private schools have approached boys in schools where I was teaching and offered them tuition scholarships, (and by the way we can also offer great rugby opportunities). So, I’m amused and angered by those who, without any knowledge of the history or situation, claim that rugby and private schools are elitist. On another note, is it an urban legend? Justin Harrison moved from Darwin to Canberra to study at the ANU. He and a new mate went to a Canberra pub to join an Aussie Rules club. When they entered there were two groups of young men, one not so happy, the other having a marvellous time. Harrison asked his new, local, mate who the grumpies were and was told they were the Rules boys. He then asked who the raucous, happy group were. They were from a local rugby club. Harrison’s response? Looks like we’re playing rugby! And the rest, as they say, is history.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Nick, a little lowerI have given PD a very concise history of Q’ld school , RL, history. You may be interested.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yet they did in QLD. The only difference was a number of SS clubs and identities rallied against it. What principle makes it any different whether its a club player going to an NRC team or the Waratahs?
Wrecked 'em
Roar Rookie
No, my point was that the punters didn't identify. They do with NSW/Waratahs.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
BTW you may wish to look at my latest article, on a similar theme to yours https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/07/27/golden-generations-how-australian-rugby-rose-from-obscurity-to-greatness-then-killed-green-and-golden-goose/