Rugbynutter39
Michael Lynagh (62)
Dan Carter is 33 - and last time I checked he was man of the match in a RWC final. 31 is hardly too old
Aussie Player Exodus
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Dan Carter is 33 - and last time I checked he was man of the match in a RWC final. 31 is hardly too old
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
It would be interesting to know exactly what the breakup of players in the Top 14 is.
You'd think there would be more French players contracted within the competition than their are Australians across the 5 Super Rugby franchises.
wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
In absolute numbers, probably.
But when a franchise is able to import as many mercenaries as they like there is less incentive to develop local talent. It's a helluva lot easier to buy established names, probably better for the box office, too.
Short-termism is trumps in France, and the results were laid bare during the Cup.
Surely it's a compromise between multiple things.
They also have the Pro D2 and then the Federale 1 below that so there's quite a heirarchy of professional down to semi-professional competitions.
A pro competition that is essentially a franchise competition will always present some challenges to development because there will always be the ability to just buy players from the levels below.
The challenge for French rugby is to ensure they can generate enough money from the game to support the grass roots to enough of a degree. France came 6th in the 2014 U20s and 4th in 2015 so the development of their younger players isn't out of line with their expected international results.
France were atrocious in their quarter final but otherwise performed to expectations.
They didn't exceed expectations which they often do at RWCs.
How do their playing numbers relate? Is the Top 14 full of many famous players (albeit plenty past their prime) increasing the interest of rugby in France making it more attractive for juniors to take up or is it damaging it because the locals don't like watching foreign players play?
It's a problem if the French Rugby Union is expecting privately owned professional teams to do all their player development.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Scary parallel thought that the ARU has almost totally contracted out the youth development part of the pathway to about 8 private schools in Sydney, and 1 schools association in SE Queensland, with the ARU Junior Gold Cup programme playing a distant second fiddle.
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
I don't think we need Kepu either to be honest. I'm sure we could do just fine without him, although I think Cheika will consider bringing him back for the Bledisloe. We'll need to strike while the iron is hot and 2016 and 2017 are our best chances to bring the Bledisloe home.
The thing I really like about the new rules we have in place is that Cheika has made it clear that as he approaches the next world cup, he'll look at whoever is overseas that can make us a better side and get them to the world cup. That could include the likes of JOC (James O'Connor), Cooper, PAE even Kepu.
zer0
John Thornett (49)
As was said above, in absolute terms they probably do have more players. The T14, after all, would only need ~36% of its match-day players to be Frenchmen for them to be fielding more players than the Australian franchises*.
The percentage of French/Australian players in the T14/Super Rugby starting XV's may be an even more interesting measure.
*Using a match-day squad of 23 as the basis to figure that out.
The ARU can only really control what happens outside those private schools.
The Junior Gold Cup is certainly second fiddle compared to GPS/CAS etc. but it would be detrimental for the ARU to attack the private schools that are actually investing in rugby. That's a reality that has existed for a long time and isn't going to change.
The ARU need to work hard on what they can control so there is a pathway for kids who don't go to private schools firstly to take up the game and then be able to excell at it.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
Yes, the AAGPS, CAS, and Qld GPS schools deliver great youth development benefits to the ARU, which is scarily exposed to small number of participating schools there. It is certainly not in ARU interests to try to interfere with what they are doing.
My fear is that in the main centres the JGC is a very distant second fiddle, and it appears to be contracting in the bush in NSW and QLD.
The good news is, that like the NRC, there does appear to be some good benefits coming through that programme from the ACT, Vic and WA.
Further debate is really for another thread.
My fear is that in the main centres the JGC is a very distant second fiddle, and it appears to be contracting in the bush in NSW and QLD.
The good news is, that like the NRC, there does appear to be some good benefits coming through that programme from the ACT, Vic and WA.
Further debate is really for another thread.
blindsider
Billy Sheehan (19)
I posted this in another thread, but it also may be interesting here too.
The ARU are rolling out a national tight 5 program to identify kids 12-19 who they/us think will benefit from monthly catch ups and intensive trainings with the state development guys and other talented kids their own age from across the state/city that they wouldn't come up against until colts or later.
I went to the NSW one on Sunday and it looks great. ARU have put money aside for scrum and lineout clinics which will be looked after by each state and their development guys. QLD will be starting there's soon too.
Good initiative IMO
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
kaze33
Frank Nicholson (4)
Figures for the season 2014 2015:
44.64% of foreign players (it was 19.54% in 2004)
23 represented countries:
1) France : 300 players (55.36 %)
2) South Africa : 58 players (10.70%)
3) New Zealand: 50 players (9.22 %)
4) Fiji : 26 players
5) Australia : 23 players
6) Samoa : 13 players
7) Argentina : 12 players
8) Georgia : 12 players
9) Tonga : 11 players
10) Wales : 7 players
11) England : 6 players
12) Romania : 4 players
Ireland : 4 players
Italy : 4 players
15) Scotland : 3 players
16) Czech Republic : 2 players
17) Namibia : 1 player
Uruguay : 1 player
Canada : 1 player
Belgium : 1 player
Netherlands : 1 player
Cameroon : 1 player
USA : 1 player
44.64% of foreign players (it was 19.54% in 2004)
23 represented countries:
1) France : 300 players (55.36 %)
2) South Africa : 58 players (10.70%)
3) New Zealand: 50 players (9.22 %)
4) Fiji : 26 players
5) Australia : 23 players
6) Samoa : 13 players
7) Argentina : 12 players
8) Georgia : 12 players
9) Tonga : 11 players
10) Wales : 7 players
11) England : 6 players
12) Romania : 4 players
Ireland : 4 players
Italy : 4 players
15) Scotland : 3 players
16) Czech Republic : 2 players
17) Namibia : 1 player
Uruguay : 1 player
Canada : 1 player
Belgium : 1 player
Netherlands : 1 player
Cameroon : 1 player
USA : 1 player
Highlander35
Steve Williams (59)
We're 4 for the next season. Max Evans switched to a ProD2 side, while Euan Murray joined Pau and Rory Clegg joined Oyannax. Most of our boys go to England. Of the 55 odd playing outside Scotland, 45ish are playing in either the Premiership or the Championship.
neilc
Bob Loudon (25)
Excellent initiative, hadn't heard about this. I've long thought that they should do a similar thing for inside backs - Australia has struggled for depth at #10 especially over the years and if you had a regular training group that could bring in some of the top former players in those positions (9/10/12) to help coach and mentor players and really help to develop their skills then it could develop depth overall and improve the skills base.
It would also be beneficial for this tight 5 program to include local coaches as part of it - club/school, so that they are having their tight 5 coaching understanding improved as well, after all, the more we improve our coaches the more we improve our players.
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
From Wikipedia, these are the Australians in French Top 14 squads. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_14. There are probably a fair few more in the Div 2 teams
Clermont
Brock James
John Ulugia
Bordeaux
Blair Connor
Sekope Kepu
Adam Ashley-Cooper
Brive
Poutasi Luafatu
Alfie Mafi
Chris Tuatara-Morrison
Grenoble
Ben Hand
Anthony Hegarty
Peter Kimlin
Henry Vanderglas
Toulon
Drew Mitchell
Matt Giteau
James O’Connor
UJ Seuteni
Salesi Ma’afu
Quade Cooper
Toulouse
Tala Gray
Montpelier
Ben Mowen
Sitaleki Timani
Nic White
Jesse Mogg
Ben Lucas
Andrew Smith
La Rochelle
Alex Northam
Malietoa Hingaro
Zack Holmes
Oyonnax
Leon Power
Stade Francais
Paul Alo-Emile
Hugh Pyle
Will Genia
Agen
Tom Murday
