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Joined June 2020
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In a year where rugby fans can expect one of the most competitive World Cups ever, New Zealand rugby finds itself approaching a precipice…
With more All Blacks swatting up on their Japanese, now seems to be an opportune time to look at the structure of New Zealand…
What can Rugby Australia do to introduce a third tier and what lessons does the New Zealand set-up hold for RA? First, let’s all…
Looking forward to 2023, I would like to share a few thoughts on Super Rugby (men and women) going forward, especially Super Rugby Pacific.…
Coaches AND players, men and women.
'It can be something great': Schmidt turns to 'scrum doctor' as next step in Wallabies rebuild
I’ll get my accountant to contact you. He’s a Nigerian prince!! 😁
'It can be something great': Schmidt turns to 'scrum doctor' as next step in Wallabies rebuild
NZ Rugby really needs to get on top of this. Perhaps charge a transfer fee or something. RA must be made to pay.
'It can be something great': Schmidt turns to 'scrum doctor' as next step in Wallabies rebuild
And the rain would have been warmer. I do miss the Fiji rain sometimes! 😊
The Wrap: Good news and bad news for Rugby Australia as Brumbies and Rebels win local derbies
You cannot rush a scrum engagement. Too many safety issues.
WR's mooted law changes are great - but show there's a hell of a lot wrong with rugby in 2024, and that sucks
Will Genia.
'Such an emotional guy': Why RA should let their biggest star leave for the sake of the Wallabies
I don’t think Willie Heinz or Brad Shields will answer his call!
The Wrap: Wallaby's brain fade that cost the Tahs, con job worthy of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
English coach Steve Bothwick is in NZ doing his homework for the English visit later this year. Wonder what his thoughts are?? 😊
The Wrap: Wallaby's brain fade that cost the Tahs, con job worthy of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
I’m sorry but I assume you have a spotless legal history which would rule you out of consideration. 😁
'Why wouldn't you?': Beale backed for NRL switch by cross-code great
The thinking back at the start of days (1996) was that Super Rugby was a made-for-TV event, creating an elite level competition to sit on top of existing competitions; for South Africa and NZ, this was not a problem. For Australia, it was a problem.
So compromises were made … uh oh!
In an ideal world, SR should come after the domestic season and before or during the touring season. One reason why the SR season was flipped to earrlier in the season was to help get the season started in Australia without the competition from NRL (later AFL as well when the Rebels were added) game.
The number of rounds were kept down due to this belief: that the SR was an add-on ‘product’ to the NPC/CC/whatever the ARU were supposed to have.
The conference system, had it been properly applied, could have help keep the number of SR rounds down; 15 rounds could be seen as too many; each conference should have had even number of teams (6 or 8) to ensure a viable domestic conference that will lead into the international stage.
SR did not, and evidently still does not, have long-term growth factored into its strategy because I don’t think the original visionaries really expected to see it continue this long or see Fiji, Argentina and Japan enter (and depart, for some) the mix.
I can’t help but wonder if the NZ officials thought they would dominate the competition the way they have. The problem for NZ is that success breeds complacency.
My suggestions for the new commission is:
1. rotate names (i.e. Blues can become Auckland Blues while playing at Eden Parker and Horth Harbour Blues when playing at Albany; Melbourne Rebels could have become Victorian Rebels or Bendigo Rebels if they were playing at Bendigo, ACT Brumbies could become Wagga Brumbies if they were to play a game there).
2. Player draft: have one but check the legalese on this. Do not make it an open market. Centralised governance still rules.
3. Refrain from bundling all rights; domestic competitions should sit outside the purview of the commission. (I’m not sure if this is the case now.) I suspect this is why Stan doesn’t have the Japanese competition anymore since they were getting it via their NZ deal last season.
4. Spread the games: looking at you, Australia. Play at more venues outside the capital city; NSW especially should be considering this more often. Also consider small venues to bring costs down which may mean more day games.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
NZ is warming up thanks to Australian heat which will prompt more storms.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
Again with this particular argument — SR is already starting far too early in the year as it is. As an example: Winter in Qld runs for three months: June to August. Today at noon in Brisbane (autumn), the temperature was 29 degrees with a humidity level of 70-74%, up 10% in 90 minutes. In other words — it’s hot outside!
The bigger the squad, the greater the travel expense; squads have been trimmed down to 28. The more people you bring on tour, the more airline seats you have to buy and the more hotel rooms (and meals) you have to buy.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
If you take a NH season at 8 months plus a month for tour games, that’s three-quarters of a calendar year. That’s too long. The season should be as long as winter. Trial games are designed for conditioning players and will overlap with summer games like cricket.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
So no trial games then? Straight into it? I’m okay with that.
And it worth noting that even NH players think their current workload is too much. How did N’tmack put it? “You have to get injured to get a break!”
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
For your two first points, I offer one word in reply: concussion.
And the NPC has been pushed back already and already been eaten into. Winters are starting to disappear on us as climate warms/change.
Starting games earlier, during warming autumns, makes no sense although I would agree with a proposal to reduce the number of trial games.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
No it wasn’t, Kris. Right from day one, NZ understood what SR was; an elite cap to existing domestic systems which would attract new TV money. Over the years, SA and RA have both juggled with their number of SR teams while NZ were settled on 5 until fairly recently; I’d say NZ were doing something right in that regard.
The names are a reflection of the franchise set-up; the NZ teams each have separate home grounds and use them because of their provincial partners. The NPC teams have been bought into the SR franchises.
Look at the Aussie set-up: apart from the Covid years, the Waratahs never played season games at regional grounds. Ditto Reds. The Brumbies have no alternate regional grounds. Ditto the Rebels and Force.
The problem here is that ARU/RA took a new ‘elite’ competition and tried to turn it into their third tier competition. The flaw in that approach has come back to bite them.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
For NZ, it eats into the NPC/RS competitions, KPM.
It also increases the workload on players.
Passionate, visceral, irrational tribalism is vital for any competition to succeed. Is a lack of it damaging Super Rugby?
Big itinerary for the Irish. They may be lucky to get an 80% success rate. 😊
Laurie Fisher confirmed on Team Joe as Wallabies invited to Ireland's 150th celebrations
Possibly but Ben Smith was a “late bloomer”; not all that good in the early 20s (playing club rugby in the UK) but came good the closer he got to 30.
Exclusive: NRL powerhouse set sights on Wallaby-in-waiting after ex-All Blacks boss snags Roosters star Manu
Benji and RTS showed that the reality of NRL players making the transition is more dream-like. Manu is unproven and even SBW had to bide his time although he did make an impact on the game with his offloads. We’ve seen this in Australia in the past as well.
Joey S remains unproven. I hope he is given enough space to make the transition (but somehow I doubt it).
Exclusive: NRL powerhouse set sights on Wallaby-in-waiting after ex-All Blacks boss snags Roosters star Manu
Doubtful. NRL players still shovel pass and their tackling technique has always needed to be upgraded once they start tackling players (much) bigger than they! And let’s ll introdduce them to the wonderful delights of a rolling maul never mind the breakdown! 😊
Exclusive: NRL powerhouse set sights on Wallaby-in-waiting after ex-All Blacks boss snags Roosters star Manu
Actually, it’s a nod to the other teams in the catchment. I’ve seen the other NZ teams do it as well. Can’t remember if the SA teams did it as well. Someone can enlighten me on that!
'Gutted': Edmed misses shot after siren as Tahs blow chance of going back-to-back against Kiwis for first time since 2015
UPDATE: I was thinking more like Newcastle or Illawarra colours but hey! If thinking SS keeps you happy ….!!!! 😁 😁
'Gutted': Edmed misses shot after siren as Tahs blow chance of going back-to-back against Kiwis for first time since 2015
Tahs may want to take a trick from that book.
Use a region’s jersey as an alternative strip. Help foster a sense of connection.
'Gutted': Edmed misses shot after siren as Tahs blow chance of going back-to-back against Kiwis for first time since 2015
There is a longer-term threat to NZ here.
The viability of the game in the Shaky Islands cannot be sustained long-term given all the demands being placed on NZ from the Island unions, potential NRL expansion, Euro talent raids and now Aussie rebuilding.
'It can be something great': Schmidt turns to 'scrum doctor' as next step in Wallabies rebuild