Australian Rugby / RA

[Bob_Jones]

Anyone have any information on the likelihood of the U20s program going ahead this year? I haven't heard anything official and with the U20's TRC only 2 or 3 months away and WC 4 months (if similar dates to last year) not much time to organise. Feels like the longer it goes with no info the less likely either competition is going to happen. Would be a real shame if there was nothing this year

I know that the teams are having trials over the next few weekends (ie. Brumbies U20 v Force U20 this weekend in Canberra and I think next week also.)

I understand that the potential players are also a bit in the dark about things.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Strong NSW Waratahs U20s Team Named for Match Against ACT Brumbies U20s

waratahs.rugby

Tahs v Brums tomorrow March 1st - Brums HQ
Tahs v Force March 8th - NSW HQ
Tahs v Reds March March 15th - Ballymore

Article is a dogs breakfast in regards to dates but I think I have pulled them together...

 

[JRugby2]

I thought the Reds had a "gaming partner"?

Edit, looks like it's over

Queensland Rugby Union signs three-year sponsorship with Crossbet

The Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) and Queensland Reds have today announced Brisbane-based bookmaker Crossbet as their official betting and wagering partner.

reds.rugby

Brumbies have been in bed at one point as well

Tabcorp Brumbies announce inaugural Super W cap initiative

Tabcorp Brumbies announce inaugural Super W cap initiative

brumbies.rugby

I think these will rapidly become a thing of the past.

Albo on The Grade Cricketers new pod recently flagged that despite their (in my view) pathetic response to the Peta Murphy report, that more was to come. Feels like they are playing a bit of a long game in putting heavy but private pressure on gambling companies to do less as the social licence has all but evaporated, and rather than legislate they'll be given time to change behaviour 'organically' (I suppose). Albo mentioned now we're probably likely to see less in the way of jersey sponsorships as one example.

Sportsbet have also announced they'll no longer do live odds pre game for the NRL and maybe AFL, but foggy on the exact details here.

 

[Derpus]

I think these will rapidly become a thing of the past.

Albo on The Grade Cricketers new pod recently flagged that despite their (in my view) pathetic response to the Peta Murphy report, that more was to come. Feels like they are playing a bit of a long game in putting heavy but private pressure on gambling companies to do less as the social licence has all but evaporated, and rather than legislate they'll be given time to change behaviour 'organically' (I suppose). Albo mentioned now we're probably likely to see less in the way of jersey sponsorships as one example.

Sportsbet have also announced they'll no longer do live odds pre game for the NRL and maybe AFL, but foggy on the exact details here.

That sounds... optimistic.

 

[Braveheart81]

As a betting man, I wouldn't be putting my money on the government (whoever wins the next election) seriously attacking the gambling industry.

I reckon you're more likely to see a big announcement that they've limited under 15s to three same game multis a week.

 

[KOB1987]

As a betting man, I wouldn't be putting my money on the government (whoever wins the next election) seriously attacking the gambling industry.

I reckon you're more likely to see a big announcement that they've limited under 15s to three same game multis a week.

Yep. Some people don't like it but gambling is a big part of the sporting landscape.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yep. Some people don't like it but gambling is a big part of the sporting landscape.

Also governments are absolutely spineless to take on powerful, vested interests.

 

[PhilClinton]

It is quite interesting watching it all unfold in the USA at the moment.

They're a bit of a different beast because for most sports, they don't have bulk advertising on the jerseys. So instead, they're belted with endless in-game advertising and virtually every major sports talking head has their own betting sponsor being spruiked 100 times on their podcasts.

 

[Adam84]

My issue is the targeted marketing at kids.. I hear my nephews talking about sports bets and odds.. my family don’t really gamble so the exposure is through the advertising, and 20 years ago this wouldn’t have been a thing

 

[tig]

Also governments are absolutely spineless to take on powerful, vested interests.

The worst gambling addicts in the country are the state governments. They can't survive without poker machine revenue.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

My issue is the targeted marketing at kids.. I hear my nephews talking about sports bets and odds.. my family don’t really gamble so the exposure is through the advertising, and 20 years ago this wouldn’t have been a thing

Not just advertising it has also filtered it's way into last journalism.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The worst gambling addicts in the country are the state governments. They can't survive without poker machine revenue.

I'm not sad we don't have them in WA. There are plenty of avenues to gamble over here, including a big old casino next to our flagship stadium.

 

[JRugby2]

As a betting man, I wouldn't be putting my money on the government (whoever wins the next election) seriously attacking the gambling industry.

I reckon you're more likely to see a big announcement that they've limited under 15s to three same game multis a week.

No I agree - my point is that it sounded like he was trying to silently pressure gambling companies to take action themselves rather than legislate them into action.

Rather than a large hammer, we may slowly see the reduction in advertising and promotion - my guess is it'll probably so slow that we don't notice it - and It won't be to the extent I'd say the majority of Australians want it to be.

But, in their mind they'll be able to claim under their watch we saw a reduction in gambling promotion - and they won't have another billion dollar industry lobbying against their government.

And the result will probably be that Australians retain their title as the population that gambles the most per capita across the globe. Awesome.

 

[PhilClinton]

And the result will probably be that Australians retain their title as the population that gambles the most per capita across the globe. Awesome.

We've held that title for a lot longer than Sportsbet and Ladbrokes were brainwashing kids.

I was lucky enough to play on a few rugby tours in the Pacific Islands during my playing career. About 20 years ago we were in Fiji and did a bus tour around Nadi.

We were driving through town and the driver said "And the American embassy is on your left (it was a McDonalds) and the Australian embassy is next door (it was their version of a TAB)".

Was quite funny and well delivered.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Who had our 2025 round 4 starting 10s as Declan Meredith, Lawson Creighton, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Ben Donaldson?

 

[Adam84]

Noah out until Round 5? When was he concussed?

 

[Dctarget]

Who had our 2025 round 4 starting 10s as Declan Meredith, Lawson Creighton, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Ben Donaldson?

Not particularly inspiring I must say

 

[Strewthcobber]

Noah out until Round 5? When was he concussed?

A fairly innocuous tackle attempt against the Drua

 

[Strewthcobber]

Actually, while googling, this came up - interesting and potentially concerning for Noah. No real concussion episode identified and now out for multiple weeks; probably not a great sign for him?

CONCUSSION-DETECTING MOUTHGUARD MISSES NOAH'S KNOCK​

The ACT Brumbies may need to further tweak their smart mouthguards after a potential concussion incident with star flyhalf Noah Lolesio was not detected by the device in-game.
Lolesio was found to have suffered a concussion following the Brumbies' victory over the Fijian Drua in round one as nausea symptoms emerged post-match, but in review, it was difficult for Brumbies staff to identify exactly when the concussion occurred.

The Instrumented Mouthguards are designed to detect potential concussion incidents using built-in Bluetooth to record the G-force of head impact. That data is transmitted to pitchside doctors who can then determine if a player needs to come off for a head injury assessment.
The mouthguards can help prompt teams to work on tackle technique with players that have high level events recorded, and data is also collected for academic research to help World Rugby set policies which reduce head acceleration events, enhancing player welfare.
The technology had some teething problems at the start of the last Super Rugby season, and Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said as a result of Lolesio's concussion last week, the flyhalf's mouthguard may have to be recalibrated.
"We know that there's thresholds that the mouthguard has to register and [Lolesio's hit] was under the threshold. Every time we record a concussion on the players, it goes back into the system and they re-calibrate the data," Larkham told The Canberra Times.
"We went through the game [footage] and there were a couple of instances where he did get some head contact - not head-on-head, or high tackles. He got hit late a couple of times when he kicked the ball, he made tackles where there was a bit of movement around his head, but nothing was picked up.
"In reviewing the game footage of the tackles and then just his ongoing symptoms, we made the decision that we have to go through the HIA process."

 

[Braveheart81]

Lolesio had a concussion in 2022 against the Springboks. Anyone have any recollection whether he's had others?