Australian Provincial Rugby Competition

[rugbywatch]

With the ITM cup and Currier Cup's being so successful, it is time for the ARU to bring back or establish a Provincial Rugby Comp to run after the super 15 concludes.

Whats your thoughts? how it could work, teams, grounds, etc????

 

[Set piece magic]

IF we win the world cup it would be nice timing. Perfect time to seize the momentum of the additional temporary support and make it permanent.

 

[Fredfreduels]

It went so well last time.

 

[TOCC]

these threads only ever go one way....

 

[antipodean]

How much would the ARU pay the ABC to televise the matches?

 

[Nusadan]

Perhaps us old hands here should, by not posting anything, let the others here get room to voice their opinions in this hoary old chestnut of a thread to see if any new ideas/concepts can be brought to the surface...

 

[grievous]

Dont make JON angry, you wouldnt like him when he is angry

 

[Bowside]

We have this thread like every 3 months.

 

[REDinCPT]

i wasn't around for the last attempt by the ARU to get a national comp going. i understand that it folded because it was too expensive. saw a bit of it on south african tv and it didnt appear to be very well supported. there was one game, i do not remember the specifics, where you couldnt see a single person in the crowd.

it seemed like a national comp was unwanted by the general public.

if you really need a post super/3n/rwc fix, peel yourself off the sofa and get down to your local club. i'm sure if club rugby started to get decent crowds in both sydney and brisbane, combined city comp wouldn't be too far off and who knows after that.

 

[Nusadan]

i wasn't around for the last attempt by the ARU to get a national comp going. i understand that it folded because it was too expensive. saw a bit of it on south african tv and it didnt appear to be very well supported. there was one game, i do not remember the specifics, where you couldnt see a single person in the crowd.

it seemed like a national comp was unwanted by the general public.

if you really need a post super/3n/rwc fix, peel yourself off the sofa and get down to your local club. i'm sure if club rugby started to get decent crowds in both sydney and brisbane, combined city comp wouldn't be too far off and who knows after that.

Ha, that's an oxymoron there...how can you have a 'crowd' when there's not a single person there...but I do get the drift though!

 

[Lee Grant]

No getting involved this time.

Maybe next year - again.

 

[CarlUnger]

you couldnt see a single person in the crowd.

Doesn't help when broadcasted matches film from the view of the grandstands where most of the crowd sits. You only get to see the opposite side of the field where barely anyone sits. You get that with Warringah and Gordon games. Not that I'm saying they change it, it'd be alot of work setting up a camera tower on the other side of the field.

 

[farva]

APC as a national comp doesnt work.

Id like to see the Shute Shield expand to pick up teams in Qld, ACT and Vic in the short term with a view to pick up WA in the longer term.
Its how the AFL and NRL expanded and it works. Plus we keep the traditional teams going.

 

[rugbyisfun]

The ARC was a great idea. But the reality of the situation sank in when Australian Rugby's longest serving accountant (JO'N) stepped in and put a line through it.

The only way forward, taking all aspects into consideration (competition windows, funding etc) is to dis-band the academy system's at Super Rugby level and empower the established Rugby Clubs (local Rugby Academies?) to develop these next level players. Take Sydney for example. There could be North Harbour, South Harbour and West Sydney sections. All the clubs split into these sections. NSW Country contenders can beef up the West Sydney section as well.

Im sure everyone would be happy with Sydney Uni being stand alone. Why change something that is working? But I would INSIST the Uni don't get a leg up or funding.

Appoint a full time Academy Director (Head Coach) and a full time Strength and Conditioning Guru to each section. They are in charge of over-seeing the program in their region. Each of the Club 1st Grade coaches are seen as 'part-time' academy coaches. Give them a bit of money and a path way to become a better/professional coach. Each of the Clubs chips in with infrastructure/training venues etc.

Each 'Academy-Coach/Club Coach' is given a set of core-skills and values they are expected to cover. The S and C guy takes care of that side of things and checks on the guys at satellite gyms (at the Clubs?)

So, each Super franchise gets their 30-35 players (fulltime). All other players (Academy, part or full time) are signed to Clubs and regions (as above). They play rugby every week. They learn a bit about life. They learn culture. They still train 3 times a day. There could even be a bit of a round-robin at some stage? Uni v South v North v West? They get exposed to different coaching techniques and ideas, rather than being robotic, the list of advantages is endless.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

APC as a national comp doesnt work.

Id like to see the Shute Shield expand to pick up teams in Qld, ACT and Vic in the short term with a view to pick up WA in the longer term.
Its how the AFL and NRL expanded and it works. Plus we keep the traditional teams going.

It wont work from there either. Those two sports already had significant exposure for years on television and in the paper. We have too saturated a sports market in this country and we have to accept the fact that the current format is as good as it gets.

 

[rugbyisfun]

The ARC was a great idea. But the reality of the situation sank in when Australian Rugby's longest serving accountant (JO'N) stepped in and put a line through it.

So, each Super franchise gets their 30-35 players (fulltime). All other players (Academy, part or full time) are signed to Clubs and regions (as above). They play rugby every week. They learn a bit about life. They learn culture. They still train 3 times a day. There could even be a bit of a round-robin at some stage? Uni v South v North v West? They get exposed to different coaching techniques and ideas, rather than being robotic, the list of advantages is endless.

Sorry, I accidently clicked post before I was finished. So, with the abovementioned plans in place. There is then scope (if Brisbane goes the same way) to start playing some provincial level rugby. Sydney, QLD, Canterbury (NZ) (not their NPC team, the level below). ACT can put a team in. WA should be able to put a team in.

You have a bottom up approach to next level rugby. Rather than the top down approach that completely disregards the Grassroots programs/

 

[Jets]

I would think that the timing of such a competition would be best suited after a world cup as opposed to in the gap between the club season and the world cup. Also playing with ELV's made it a bit confusing to the casual rugby fan. I think the ARC was proof that is you get to many peoples opinion things don't work to well.

rugbyisfun has some good ideas but due to the political nature of rugby will never get the go ahead.

Also JON is not an Accountant he is a Banker (or does that start with a W instead of a B?)

 

[Jets]

To attack it from a completely different angle I would be interested in a National 7's comp played over the summer months between late October and February. You could have 10 tournaments played in Sydney x2, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Townsville and Newcastle.
Entry would be open to 22 regular teams with spots open for 2 local teams at each tournament.
It is up to the teams to finance themselves.
Games to be played on Saturday and Sundays so the players have Monday to Friday to work.
It would be up to the teams if they want to pay the players.
Teams would have to apply to be part of the competition and their selection would be based on player quality/availability, financial viability and LTPD. Teams can be from a single club, a joint venture between clubs or corporate teams.
The grounds used would have to be financially viable to host the tournaments. It would be better to use a good quality club ground than a big stadium that costs a heap to hire out.
Players would be enticed to play with 7's becoming an Olympic sport in 5 years time.
It would allow us to increase our 7's coaching depth.
Provide the Aust 7's program with a wealth of players to select from. Would be attractive for a TV station to show a highlights program and the final so teams get more exposure.
Would have rugby in peoples minds all year long.

 

[rugbyisfun]

Expenditures last year:
- ARU, High Performance (academies etc) = $11,000,000
- Waratahs Rugby Expenses = $11,000,000

Surely if you pulled apart these budgets you could re-allocate this 22,000,000 to better develop elite rugby in Australia via the Clubs and a provincial competition?

 

[Jets]

A big chunk of that would be player wages wouldn't it? RUPA wouldn't be happy.