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Aussie Player Exodus

Gnostic

Mark Ella (57)
The floodgates have opened so it is time to act. The A-League does just fine without being in a position to pay the country's best players. What is important is that the best players are representing your country. A weakened Wallabies side will do the game no favours. My point of view is that it's more damaging than a weakened club competition.

The problem is that unlike soccer the northern rugby comps have been shown not to provide the same level of conditioning and skills training that has kept the SH trio at the top of world rugby since 1987 excepting the magnificent English side of the early 2000s.

A weaker Super comp will weaken the Wallabies and the Bok and the ABs. It might make the NH appear stronger though.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
Voluntarily or by order of IRFU? And is there still the restriction of one NIQ player per position across the provinces, or has that been done away with? Lastly, is Connaught still allowed extra NIQ's & if so for how much longer?
The provinces are the IRFU so there isn't a question of compunction. The restriction on NIQs not being replicated is meant to still be in place but next year Saili, Bleyenthall and Teo'o will all be playing in Ireland in the midfield and Botha has signed a six month extension at Munster while Herbst is at Ulster. Herbst is qualifying to play for Ireland, SA must have some awesome tight heads to tell him he is not big enough, so that might explain the replication. White and Rodney Ah You have both played for Ireland iirc. Connacht do not face the same restrictions as the other provinces but are starting to produce more homegrown talent and the Mils Muliaina experiment proved to be a mistake. I have major reservations about the whole qualification business but every country does it and, it has mainly been used in Ireland to improve standards as much as getting players into the national side. Stander will come into the reckoning when he qualifies as will Herbst who is a beast of a tight head but I don't think many of the other project players will be pushing too hard for The Irish team.
 

the plastic paddy

John Solomon (38)
The depth of the Australian Squads is starting to look a bit thin, especially in key positions of 9, 10 and 3. Provinces may well be able to field a strong first pick but after that the squad will be light on experience and vulnerable to the inevitable injuries.

My long term fears of Test rugby becoming like soccer friendlies is coming closer. For years we have whinged about under strength northern sides coming to the SH. What is becoming apparent in France anyway, but I expect also to England as their clubs dictate more and more, is even in their own backyard they are become less than competitive. The premier game in France is no longer Test Rugby. The Clubs rule. The IRB can do two parts of sweet FA about it too.
Sadly the battle for control of European rugby was lost so the clubs are now in control. The raids on the SH are all part of the plan by the English and French clubs to undermine the international game, IMHO. Ireland is in the market for these SH players but I think is behaving in a much more sustainable way, Toulon have more SH test players by themselves than the whole of Ireland.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
and the FFA is broke again. Will reportedly post a bigger loss this year than the ARU, despite the level of investment from the Government over the last decade or so.

And and and... I'm a little tired of these comparisons to soccer as a measure of what works and what doesn't... Soccer is a completely different sport with a significantly higher level of market penetration and international appeal.... Whether it works for soccer has absolutely no bearing on whether it will work for Australia rugby.


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GaffaCHinO

Peter Sullivan (51)
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GaffaCHinO

Peter Sullivan (51)
From Twitter

@PatrickStackFOX: Aussies playing OS will be eligible to play for the wallabies, provided they have 7 years or 60 caps service. Massive boost for Aus Rugby!
 
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Reactions: BDA

BDA

Jim Lenehan (48)
Ioane must have played in Australia for 7 years. Not that he'd make the side.

It certainly affects the likes of Kepu, Cooper, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) , Genia, etc

We need some clarification on the scope of those grounds. "7 years service" if that counts having played rugby for a Super franchise for 7 years it would make Ben Mowen eligible.
 

Marcelo

Ken Catchpole (46)
I congratulate the ARU for this change policy. This is what I always wanted. This is great for those top class players who have contributed to Australian Rugby, they will be rewarded with better contracts in Europe and thus be more money for young players, with this policy, young players will have to play their best years in Australia and then find your retirement on the overseas. I can't find fault in this new policy, it's a great success.

Also this will make more attractive the Kiwis players than the Aussies for the European clubs because they continue their strict policy and the top class Wallabies will keep playing for Australia, so they won't be the sole property of their European clubs. Mayor ABs migration is beneficial to our objective of regaining the Bledisloe Cup :D:D:D
 

Bullrush

Geoff Shaw (53)
Alternatively, younger guys may choose to go earlier.

Let's say Kepu and Slipper head overseas next year as the 2 best Wallaby props.
A young guy may just decide there's no benefit to staying here and playing for the spot that would have been left vacant by these guys - they are still eligible and probably will continue to be top choice for at least another year or two.

May as well go and make some money in France or Japan for a year or two.

The sword cuts both ways.

I understand why the ARU is doing this and there are some benefits but to me, it doesn't add to the value of the Wallaby jersey. No matter how good you are, no matter how many years service you've given, no-one is more important than the jersey and if you value it enough, you'll stick around playing in the best non-Test competition in the world to prove it.

I truly hope the ABs don't follow this line at all in the future....
 

Chris McCracken

Jim Clark (26)
Alternatively, younger guys may choose to go earlier.

Let's say Kepu and Slipper head overseas next year as the 2 best Wallaby props.
A young guy may just decide there's no benefit to staying here and playing for the spot that would have been left vacant by these guys - they are still eligible and probably will continue to be top choice for at least another year or two.

May as well go and make some money in France or Japan for a year or two.

The sword cuts both ways.
This is what I think is the fundamental flaw with the plan.

Of course, it will sort itself out when all of the players with more than 60 caps living overseas actually retire. But then, we'll be left with underdone players in the country to fill any key spots that are left.

Of course, I could be wrong. I hope I am. We'll know by 2023.
 

USARugger

John Thornett (49)
Comparing the ABs to the Wallabies is as chalk and cheese as it gets.

Completely different mindset at some many levels. Time to stop deluding ourselves into believing otherwise, it sure hasn't helped much recently.

ABs are nearly a religious institution, the Wallabies are lucky to still be a sporting institution.
 
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