- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Roar Rookie
Joined June 2018
0
Views
0
Published
254
Comments
Been all over the world, see many sports played, but none compare to rugby.
Published
Comments
TWAS you are correct that there is no 14 day quarantine for AUS/NZ to the UK but this does depend on where you transit through i.e. if you’re traveling via Doha or Abu Dhabi then that’s no good but if you are going through Hong Kong then that’s fine.
Rugby Australia changes Giteau Law for 2020
2 players seems a bit of a cop out. They should either have open selections or not. This will just encourage current top Aus talent to go offshore but many will remain ineligible due to the 2 player limit. Especially given the reduced salary budgets next year for super teams.
If it’s open selection then that’s good for the wallabies but terrible for the domestic game. If it’s closed selection then that will be bad for the wallabies now but potential good in the future and certainly good for the domestic game.
Rugby Australia changes Giteau Law for 2020
Not the biggest bloke at 184cm but I guess neither were Hooper and Pocock.
Wallabies berth still 'fantasy' – McReight
Word on the street is that next season will be more of the same, SR Aus and SR NZ (with a PI team).
Wallabies prop makes Western Force switch
First All Black to be born in the 21st Century I hear. Crikey… if things stay the way they are then we are going to start seeing players lining up for Australia who have never experienced a bledisloe cup win in their lifetime.
I feel old.
Beautiful moment as Tupou Vaa'i tells his family he's made the All Blacks squad
That’s a shame. I reckon you’d get a better crowd at Optus in WA though.
Melbourne Bledisloe Cup Test postponed
Yeah that is certainly a valid point. Even still I would have expected them to be more competitive than they have been.
The issue then arise as to how long we are suppose to give them? It seems that the more time we give them the more we run the risk of spreading the talent thin.
The case for the Western Force
I was really fond of the Force once upon a time but their inclusion is SuperAu has just highlighted why they do not belong at this level. I think it comes down to the following issues:
Twiggy’s Money and Private Equity:
A lot of people are hung up about Andrew Forrest and his Tattarang fund being the answer to Rugby’s woes in Australia. Is it really worth keeping the Force around, getting destroyed week after week, because maybe Twiggy will chuck Aus Rugby the private equity bone?
I can’t see why any private equity firm would invest in Australian Rugby at present, or even in the long term, without some seriously restrictive clauses as to ROI. This wouldn’t help our game.
Not Enough Quality Cattle
Notwithstanding the players mentioned in the article above, there just aren’t enough quality players in the Force environment. Those players that have shown promise would likely do far better in better teams. Think how good Fergus Lee-Warner could be if Brad Thorn/Dan McKellar got his hands on him or if Byron Ralston was at fullback for the Reds giving the counter attack element they lack.
What Puts Bums on Seats and Eyes on Screens
Can we honestly say that a Reds v Force game at Suncorp or Waratahs v Force game at BankWest would attract more interest than a Pasifika team? Further, will the WA viewer and attendance numbers be high if their team gets pummelled by kiwi teams every week in a trans Tasman comp. We want a game that is attractive and exciting and the Force can’t provide that.
If we want to keep the Force theN Forrest has to seriously put his money where his mouth is and recruit some superstar talent, both players and coaches. What’s Joe Schmidt doing? Stephen Larkam? Jake White? Wayne Smith? Michael Chieka even? I’d even have him back if he could fix the Force.
The case for the Western Force
I’m going go ahead and assume that putting 21. Hamish Stewart and 23. Tate McDermott was just to troll the bench numbering purists among us. Not to mention, 17. Taniela Tupou and 18. James Slipper….
Dave Rennie's Wallaby XV: Who gets the nod from countless options from Super Rugby AU?
Congrats on your first article Shooter! Interesting read. Two issues I see with this is:
1. Draft – why would a country like NZ spend all its time and resources developing young players at Mitre 10 Cup and School level so they can play for an Aussie SR Team. Why would NZ feel obliged to give up its talent to inferior environments? Also, why would a 19 year old Will Jordan want move from his home town of Christchurch and his family to play for the Force e.g instead of the team he’s grown up supporting? Should Jack Goodhue be forced not to have gone to uni in Christchurch because he was good at rugby? Should the next Hooper be forced to do the whole long distance relationship thing because he got selected by the Blues while his misso is still in Sydney? The NBA/NFL draft system very rarely has young players selected straight out of school at such a young age (i think it might be prohibited now). These draftees in the USA have often already left home and are living in very professional college environments when selected. I think a draft system for Super Rugby would be torture for young talent in such a vulnerable time in their lives.
2. JRU confirmed they would no longer fund the Sunwolves. Who will pay for them? Given that the Top League and Super Rugby seasons will overlap, how will the Sunwolves retain or obtain talent that could just play for a more lucrative Top League team?
I hate to say it (like really really really hate) but I think the kiwi model of 5 NZ teams, 4 Aus and 1 Pasifika is the best way to go. We just don’t have enough $$$ or depth for 5 teams and stronger Aus SR teams (like my Brums) should not have to give up their talent because the Force are poor.
Let's add some sizzle to Super Rugby
Nah I reckon you’d be better off cutting this team.
Twiggy, here's your 2021 shopping list
Yeah that’s certainly how it seems to go when the pros switch to NFL but I wonder if he went over there for College and rather just going one and done he sticks around for the full 3 to 4 years then enters the draft at 22. Surely by then he would be a weapon of a tight end or safety
Wallabies coach yet to give up hope Joseph Suaalii will stick with rugby union
I hear that the kid is from the US originally. I wonder if he will go down the Hayne/Holmes path to the NFL or even just start off there. I’m sure there are a stack of colleges who would love his talent on their rosters.
Wallabies coach yet to give up hope Joseph Suaalii will stick with rugby union
I was going to write a comment about bring on young players too soon after only a few games but then I realised the Brett already wrote a whole article about to it:
Dear Australian rugby: Cool your jets. Love, Australian rugby
The Wallabies: Picking a side on Super Rugby AU form
That is certainly true. Though being that Auckland is 2.5 hrs away from SYD it could be a more attractive destination than Perth.
Phil Kearns will run Australia's 2027 Rugby World Cup bid
True I guess but by that extension we could also say why bother having a AUS/NZ super rugby comp or bledisloe series? The answer to all is probably the same – bigger market more $$$
Phil Kearns will run Australia's 2027 Rugby World Cup bid
Masterstroke by McLennan in how to deal with ones adversaries. Keep them busy away from you.
I guess the NZ/AUS joint bid plan is out the window again.
Side note, would love to see a RWC in Ireland (both Nth and Rep) someday.
Phil Kearns will run Australia's 2027 Rugby World Cup bid
Yeah perhaps you are right. At the end of the day it’s worth talking about.
The more that we hear about what super rugby will be in 2021 and more that we see from 2020, you start to really think that we need NZ much more than they need us. On Fox Sports stats last week, 53,000 watched the brumbies v tahs on TV in Aust. Whereas 51,000 watched the Chiefs v Highlanders game. I really doubt that the bru v tahs got many views in NZ.
A solution to the latest trans-Tasman rugby pickle
I see the logic in what your saying but it’s based off the assumption that any PI team would not be very competitive and that NZ/PI care that Australia haven’t got the depth to field as many teams as they want to.
I’m not sure we can simply assume that a PI team would not be competitive. You would see some very experienced (probably ex WC winning ABs) mixed with some of the best young PI talent out of NZ and PI (instead of going to NRL etc) and a world class coach. Add on that representing the team is representing the PI cultures then I reckon the PI super team might actually be pretty good. They would at least give the Force, Tahs and Rebels a run for their money.
As to the second assumption, if we don’t have enough cattle and money for all five Aus franchises to be competitive then why should the PIs come to our rescue if they could have their own team and own identify closer to home.
A solution to the latest trans-Tasman rugby pickle
Yeah if that is the case then that is certainly a bit tactless. I suppose given the financial uncertainty that many of the franchises are going through that NZ probably saw this as an opportunity to put pressure on RA using their own SR teams.
A solution to the latest trans-Tasman rugby pickle
I completely agree that this can’t just be a 6th NZ Super team the ABs can have access to.
If this can be a purely PI team (that NZR is guiding/hosting) then I’m sure it would have a beneficial impact on wider PI rugby. Not just because of the players but it will give PI administrators the chance to work with other high level administrators and be able to bring that back to their own PI countries who have often struggled in that regard.
A solution to the latest trans-Tasman rugby pickle
Thanks for the article, interesting perspective.
My my this situation is turning into a new could war between NZR and RA.
I think it all comes down to why NZR want this Pasifika team included. NZR has referenced the massive popularity international rugby league teams like Samoa and Tonga have had in south Auckland. They really want to push for the inclusion of the Pasifika identify in the game to harness that popularity. Dropping a bunch of PI players into Aus teams will not achieve that goal so NZR won’t want any of it. Note to mention many of these PI players will likely be NZ schooled and trained.
As much as I love having 5 Aus teams again, I really don’t think it will be sustainable long term. Just watching the NZ and Aus super rugby games this weekend, that crusaders v hurricanes game was incredible. Contrast that with the sorry display the tahs put on or the level the force played at. Who in 2021 wants to watch their team get torn apart by NZ teams. Not me that’s for sure. What I would give to see the Brumbies of old laying waste to the NZ and RSA teams.
If we are being honest, the only real solution is to downsize and consolidate our talent and strength.
A solution to the latest trans-Tasman rugby pickle
I know how he feels
Dane Coles' brutally honest answer about being away for the Rugby Championship