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This is true, but I think you're also underestimating how tiring constantly getting back the 10 metres is in defence in rugby league. Some of the forwards make 40 or 50 tackles a game and 15+ runs. Pretty sure a rugby league player would travel a greater distance during a game than any rugby...

Even if ball in play time increased by 10 minutes, it would still be less than the average ball in play time in rugby league (which I believe is around 60 minutes a match). Rugby League guys manage it fine. Lets not even mention AFL. I think pro rugby players could cope with 45-50 minutes...

In the long term the NRC shouldn't just be a player pathway. I don't think trialling some small changes to reduce time wasting and penalty goal kicking is such a bad idea. If they don't work, scrap them or try something else. But if they have a positive effect it will make for more entertaining...

By negative I basically mean playing for penalties. And it's not so much about who or what wins. Like you I am a rugby tragic. I watch a lot of it every week. I like the strategic complexity and that teams can win with different styles. But it doesn't mean I think it's perfect. The only...

The number of tries scored is not a big factor. It's the amount of rugby played and how it flows. Any time reduced taking shots at penalty goal means more rucks, mauls, scrums, lineouts, line breaks, tackles, offloads, drop goals, tactical kicking and all the other things that are more...

How is it worse than getting it wrong, or a ref interpretation leading to conceding 3 points from a kick at goal? Having a man binned for 2 minutes (or even 5) would hardly guarantee a try. I remember seeing a stat somewhere that the average yellow card results in a net deficit of 4-5 points...

Why would that stop people competing for possession? At the moment we have a 3 point penalty goal as the deterrent for infringements. Perhaps there are alternatives that provide a similar deterrent but don't take up so much match time and provide more entertainment than one guy taking a kick...

You're thinking with the mindset that the purpose of Australian rugby is to improve the Wallabies. I think this has been the number 1 problem in Australian rugby. It's what holds rugby back as a sport in this country. Because the Wallabies are just 1 team and they cannot always be winning...

Actually more like 11 minutes. From stats taken at the 2011 world cup anyway. Given that's the average, some matches would be closer to 20 minutes. http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/09/03/how-long-is-a-rugby-match-really/ Some highlights from the article above: Average in play time =...

Well I will go against the grain and say I think the points scoring system would be better if 2 penalty goals were worth less than a try. I'd keep 5 points for a try and 2 points for all types of goals. I don't see why, for example, two 50/50 ruck penalties 40 metres out from the try line...

One thing I'd like to see them trial in the NRC is less strictness around where the mark is for a quick tap on a penalty. I think as long as the tap isn't taken from in front of the mark it should be allowed. The level of pedantry about which blade of grass constitutes the mark can be...

How do you know that? If teams give away more penalties, especially in their own 22 (because their opposition are going for more tries) then they'll receive more yellow cards. That's good incentive to be disciplined in defence. I think some people have this perception that most penalties are...

The Rams should definitely try and sell some branded hats along those lines. I reckon they'd be pretty popular.

Obviously no certainties. But I think they would attract good ratings in Australia when playing the Australian teams and in NZ when playing the NZ teams. Certainly more than a Singapore team. I think they'd be everyone's 2nd favourite side. They can't be signed by other Australian or NZ teams...

You're saying the fact that the PI market is tiny means a PI team doesn't make financial sense. But the size of the PI market is irrelevant. I think as long as the team was financially sustainable it would be a good idea and help build the value of the competition (for broadcasters, sponsors...

Anyway, what I would love to see is a tendering process for new super rugby sides from 2016. See what interest there is from wherever in the world. I think they should do that before agreeing on number of teams and format to take to broadcasters. If there was no strong, sustainable bid for a...

I'm not missing the point. I just think it's a weak point. It doesn't matter that there's no money in the PI's. The reason to do it (in addition to helping rugby in the region) would be to increase the amount of quality content for the Australian and New Zealand markets without diluting the...

Actually the NZ super rugby coaches have advocated a PI team. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-02/nz-super15-coaches-want-pacific-island-team/4994264 I'm all for expanding into these other markets as well. But focusing purely on corporate support and new broadcast markets over quality of the...

I grew up in Western Sydney. The Waratahs have very, very few fans in Western Sydney - from say Parramatta out. A lot of rugby people in Western Sydney (even the North West areas where rugby has some strength) don't like the Waratahs - they see them as a North Shore, GPS dominated team, which...

The Tahs have very few supporters in Western Sydney. A Pacific team playing a couple of games a year at say Parramatta Stadium is not going to eat into the Waratahs anything. What they would be is a team the Waratahs could draw a crowd for. And the Blues have plenty of latent support...