Australian rugby in trouble

http://www.espn.co.uk/australia/rugby/story/216117.html

Huge risks to the game in Oz from both financial and cultural competition. Time for private investment to ensure the current fashion for vertical integration in the sport by governing bodies doesn't turn it into an elitist sport, played at a few schools who provide test players for fifteen plus games a year.

NZRU tried to entice private investment into their S15 sides but without relinquishing any control and unsurprisingly didn't get much interest but what are the alternatives ?

the ARU are screwed. they are unwilling to meaningfully cut their star player central contract salaries and $10k per game match fees because they know that, like Giteau, they will come flooding over to France.

Top down administration of the game is fraught with huge dangers of "hollowing out".

Quins, I know you and I can see the potential danger in this structure. Then again if there is no appetite for a professional league in Oz should they not become the Brazil of world rugby, if that is all that the Oz fans are interested in following ?

Well, whether you are going to lose players or not, by paying more than you earn you are just declining the inevitable.

Meanwhile stacking up the debt.

If Aussie rugby is in trouble, I'd like a piece of that trouble in Scotland!

9.Genia 10.Cooper 11.Cummins 12.Barnes 13.AA-C 14.Ioane 15.Folau

I wouldn't even say that is nearly their best potential backline!

funnyExiledScot wrote:If Aussie rugby is in trouble, I'd like a piece of that trouble in Scotland!

9.Genia 10.Cooper 11.Cummins 12.Barnes 13.AA-C 14.Ioane 15.Folau

you may well get it, but only when they come join your clubs

Cut the sleeves off their jerseys.

Simple.

...oh and drop the socks

ChequeredJersey wrote:I wouldn't even say that is nearly their best potential backline!

True - but I can't spell most of the newer players to make the Wallabies XV.....

as an england fan i'm getting used to the spellings already

SecretFly wrote:...oh and drop the socks

Trevor Giles has a copyright, Fly. The Aussies are too late.

I'm not sure the NH press and commentators are aware of the competitive nature of Australian sport and the power of league. They are going to struggle. Here are some reasons:

1: League has signed a billion doller TV contract
2: They are spending money of junior participation. Unions behind AFL, Football etc.
3: League a highly competitive school boy league comp
4: League has a pro/semi pro under 20 and reserve grade competition.
5: League is free to air. Union's on Fox.

It's impacting NZ as well. AFL made a huge play in Wellington last year getting into all the primary schools. When League started it's Holden Cup (under 20's) they really started to target juniors in NZ. We are losing many of our best and brightest players (3 top players from the school boy comp last year) - I don't think it's surprising NZ has dropped of at under 20's in the last few years. The televising of schoolboy league games, and establishment of feeder schools means that 15 year olds are targeted (think Benji Marshall, who grew up playing union). That's NZ, can only imagine what Australia has to deal with.

I fear for the future of the Australian School of Scrummaging.......

I think Australias biggest problem is that Union is possibly the 3rd favorite sport over there...maybe even 4th with Football making huge inroads.

Competing against Rugby League, Aussie Rules and then Football in a big country with ultimately a small population is going to be difficult.

They do amazing when you consider all things.

Yes, given the competition, Union has a tough challenge and all the more reason why the ownership and decision making should be diversified to bring in more outside expertise and diversity. That in itself also has risks but the current set up only real short term option is more Tests and that is not going to happen.

We already have the world player of the year playing more times for the ABs than for crusaders - that cannot continue if domestic professional Rugby is to survive. The parallels with Wales are quite apparent.

quinsforever wrote:as an england fan i'm getting used to the spellings already

If you think the current pronunciations are difficult. You'll have problems if my English born Maori nephews ever make in rugby. Tongue twisters for the uninitiated.

Recwatcher wrote:Yes,  given the competition, Union has a tough challenge and all the more reason why the ownership and decision making should be diversified to bring in more outside expertise and diversity.  That in itself also has risks but the current set up only real short term option is more Tests and that is not going to happen.

We already have the world player of the year playing more times for the ABs than for crusaders - that cannot continue if domestic professional Rugby is to survive. The parallels with Wales are quite apparent.

Rec, I probably missed the start of your thread. I just wonder if private ownership models are the way down under. I think a mixed union/private ownership might be the answer. I don't honestly believe the issue totally relates to the union.

That's not to say that the union hasn't made mistakes and ultimately they've made some spectacularly unsuccessful decisions. However, they are competing with two bigger aggressive professional sports where many of the skills are transferable. This is particularly true for rugby league. This isn't the case in other countries. It's a tougher proposition than rest of us face. Their biggest loss is the lack of live free to air TV coverage.

There is a lot of test rugby. Whilst it's probably at it's maximum level. I don't believe it's negative. I don't think sports expand on club sport alone. You need international club comps and sports (e.g. the initial growth and development of football in Europe and South America and basket ball). It's a point of difference they have with their opposition. League and AFL are ultimately limited because they haven't/wont invest in meaningful international competition. It's about balance. IMO opinion I'd be looking to drop some games against the likes of Scotland and Italy to play the odd game against PI nations and other up and coming sides (e.g. Georgia, Canada, Uruaguay). Also pushing for inclusion of a PI team into super rugby (this eats away at the league base) and supporting the inclusion of teams based in the Pacific rim (e.g. Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo).