Australian Rugby / RA

[Braveheart81]

Surely they can move the top 14 schedule a couple of weeks? The fact they won’t even entertain these things is more proof French rugby doesn’t give a monkeys about World Rugby and why we should take their opinions and do the exact opposite

I think it is more a case of the Top 14 being so rich and powerful that the FFR is largely beholden to them.

 

[PhilClinton]

Three very fun games and what I thought was a great initiative playing one of them on a Tuesday night which we appear to have completely turned our backs on

I wonder what the viewership would be like for a Monday or Tuesday night RC test during the crossover period of NRL/AFL finals.

You’d have to assume in person attendance would be quite bad, but it’s not like the test matches played on the weekend are selling out instantly either. Potentially something for a once a year regional test match - $20 tickets in Townsville or Wollongong but the real focus would be on generating TV viewership during what is a congested time of year.

 

[Tomthumb]

I think it is more a case of the Top 14 being so rich and powerful that the FFR is largely beholden to them.

Yeah but the fact there is zero public resistance from the union or players like Dupont to this nonsense makes them complicit IMO

They are big tough guys when it comes to criticism of World Rugby, cowards when it comes to the clubs. They’re a joke

 

[Omar Comin']

Surely they can move the top 14 schedule a couple of weeks? The fact they won’t even entertain these things is more proof French rugby doesn’t give a monkeys about World Rugby and why we should take their opinions and do the exact opposite

French rugby has arguably been THE primary driver of growth in international rugby due to the fact it's club competitions are so open to foreign players. All the top emerging/tier 2 nations would be significantly weaker without it and Argentina likely would never have got to where they are without it.

We in Australia and NZ should look at their Top 14 with envy.

 

[PhilClinton]

French rugby has arguably been THE primary driver of growth in international rugby due to the fact it's club competitions are so open to foreign players. All the top emerging/tier 2 nations would be significantly weaker without it and Argentina likely would never have got to where they are without it.

We in Australia and NZ should look at their Top 14 with envy.

So holding pacific island nation players hostage and not allowing them to play for their national sides is seen as a good thing now?

 

[Tomthumb]

French rugby has arguably been THE primary driver of growth in international rugby due to the fact it's club competitions are so open to foreign players. All the top emerging/tier 2 nations would be significantly weaker without it and Argentina likely would never have got to where they are without it.

We in Australia and NZ should look at their Top 14 with envy.

What does this have to do with them being unwilling to move the competition 2 weeks to accommodate Test Rugby? They actively discourage players from playing test rugby. Primary driver my ass

And by your logic the world should envy Super rugby due to the Drua and Jaguars?

 

[Omar Comin']

So holding pacific island nation players hostage and not allowing them to play for their national sides is seen as a good thing now?

Hostage? They get paid well to play in the top club league in the world. Before the Drua it was the only top level professional opportunities many of them had. They could be semi-pro or amateur and play for Fiji, or play professionally in Super Rugby etc but not play for Fiji (because all the other club competitions have very few spots for players not eligible for the nation of those clubs).

Fiji have become a genuine threat at test level because their best players can play at the highest level and still represent Fiji.

 

[Tomthumb]

Hostage? They get paid well to play in the top club league in the world. Before the Drua it was the only top level professional opportunities many of them had. They could be semi-pro or amateur and play for Fiji, or play professionally in Super Rugby etc but not play for Fiji (because all the other club competitions have very few spots for players not eligible for the nation of those clubs).

Fiji have become a genuine threat at test level because their best players can play at the highest level and still represent Fiji.

Only 2 players in Fiji's most recent 30 man squad play in France. 24 play Super Rugby

 

[Omar Comin']

What does this have to do with them being unwilling to move the competition 2 weeks to accommodate Test Rugby? They actively discourage players from playing test rugby. Primary driver my ass

And by your logic the world should envy Super rugby due to the Drua and Jaguars?

Nothing, it's to do with whether French club rugby has a positive or negative effect on world rugby. Without French rugby how many Argentinians, Georgians, Fijians, Tongans, Samoans, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch etc would be playing high level professional rugby? Those test teams are all much, much stronger, and no longer filled with amateur players because of French rugby.

The Drua is great for the sport in Fiji, but outside of this Super Rugby does nothing for international rugby. It is primarily a development competition for Australian and NZ players. French rugby is much more open.

 

[Omar Comin']

Only 2 players in Fiji's most recent 30 man squad play in France. 24 play Super Rugby

Yes because they didn't pick their French based players for the Pacific Nations Cup due to it clashing with the Top 14 (which employs its top players). Compare that to their world cup squad, and particularly their starting team in big games.

 

[Tomthumb]

Yes because they didn't pick their French based players for the Pacific Nations Cup due to it clashing with the Top 14 (which employs its top players). Compare that to their world cup squad, and particularly their starting team in big games.

That’s the whole point I’m making! How is a competition that doesn’t allow players to play international rugby, helping international rugby?

And for reference, the World Cup Squad had 7 French based players and 19 super rugby players

 

[Omar Comin']

That’s the whole point I’m making! How is a competition that doesn’t allow players to play international rugby, helping international rugby?

And for reference, the World Cup Squad had 7 French based players and 19 super rugby players

Because it allows their very very top players to be highly paid stars and still represent Fiji in their most important games, making them considerably more competitive. Top 14 is a big dog in the sport, world rugby needs a calendar that doesn't clash with it for important series.

Yes Fiji now benefit enormously from the Drua as well, but convenient you're not addressing the fact so many other tier 2 teams now have top level professional players, instead of only amateurs, due (almost solely) to French rugby.

 

[PhilClinton]

Hostage? They get paid well to play in the top club league in the world. Before the Drua it was the only top level professional opportunities many of them had. They could be semi-pro or amateur and play for Fiji, or play professionally in Super Rugby etc but not play for Fiji (because all the other club competitions have very few spots for players not eligible for the nation of those clubs).

Fiji have become a genuine threat at test level because their best players can play at the highest level and still represent Fiji.

Talk to a couple of PI players based in France and ask them about the conditions they need to sign in order to get paid the good money. A number of players have been threatened with leave without pay when asking to return home for a death in the family to attend a funeral or take time off with sick children. This is pretty widely known.

It is no wonder that once the Drua started, a lot of Fijians have preferred to play in Super Rugby than Top 14.

Don't act like the Top 14 are somehow all loving and glorious Frenchies giving these poor players a chance at the big time and it has been beneficial to their home nations.

 

[Tomthumb]

Because it allows their very very top players to be highly paid stars and still represent Fiji in their most important games, making them considerably more competitive. Top 14 is a big dog in the sport, world rugby needs a calendar that doesn't clash with it for important series.

Yes Fiji now benefit enormously from the Drua as well, but convenient you're not addressing the fact so many other tier 2 teams now have top level professional players, instead of only amateurs, due (almost solely) to French rugby.

That’s great, but they could do all that while moving the comps start and end date a couple of weeks, right?

The fact you seem to think because they throw money around it should mean they shouldn’t even try to find a middle ground speaks volumes as far as I’m concerned

Stop acting like these clubs are interested in any way helping anyone but themselves. They sign foreign players because they are often cheaper and there aren’t enough good French players available. then put the squeeze on them playing for their country any chance they get

 

[Wallaby Man]

I actually have no issue with clubs behaving like this. Yes it’s not great for the wider game and in an ideal world it wouldn’t happen. But there isn’t anyone pointing a gun at anyone’s head, there is always a choice for players to take a contract elsewhere (probably for less money) and get the conditions they want.

At the end of the day, rugby is a different workplace to what all of us would know, there is zero value in you unless you are on the field. It’s a strange example but what we essentially ask for would be like asking your workplace to go to another workplace for a period of time and potentially coming back with a broken arm and not able to perform your duties correctly but still been expected to be paid properly.

What probably needs to happen is the players in France to unionize and demand a shorter season, but most the clubs are losing entities and expect the owner to clear debts. Until value increases further asking them to play less games and therefore generate less income is expecting them to cover more debt over the year.

 

[Highlander35]

TPOASIWID

 

[JRugby2]

I actually have no issue with clubs behaving like this. Yes it’s not great for the wider game and in an ideal world it wouldn’t happen. But there isn’t anyone pointing a gun at anyone’s head, there is always a choice for players to take a contract elsewhere (probably for less money) and get the conditions they want.

At the end of the day, rugby is a different workplace to what all of us would know, there is zero value in you unless you are on the field. It’s a strange example but what we essentially ask for would be like asking your workplace to go to another workplace for a period of time and potentially coming back with a broken arm and not able to perform your duties correctly but still been expected to be paid properly.

What probably needs to happen is the players in France to unionize and demand a shorter season, but most the clubs are losing entities and expect the owner to clear debts. Until value increases further asking them to play less games and therefore generate less income is expecting them to cover more debt over the year.

Yes but in the case of international players - the value clubs are trying to extract has it's origins in that original 'workplace' being their international teams.

International rugby makes JRL1 and Top 14 better and more marketable, so there has to be give and take.

 

[Wallaby Man]

Yes but in the case of international players - the value clubs are trying to extract has it's origins in that original 'workplace' being their international teams.

International rugby makes JRL1 and Top 14 better and more marketable, so there has to be give and take.

I don’t buy that argument.

I’m not expected to pay back future earnings to my school, university or in other peoples case where they first applied their trade.

 

[Tomthumb]

I actually have no issue with clubs behaving like this. Yes it’s not great for the wider game and in an ideal world it wouldn’t happen. But there isn’t anyone pointing a gun at anyone’s head, there is always a choice for players to take a contract elsewhere (probably for less money) and get the conditions they want.

At the end of the day, rugby is a different workplace to what all of us would know, there is zero value in you unless you are on the field. It’s a strange example but what we essentially ask for would be like asking your workplace to go to another workplace for a period of time and potentially coming back with a broken arm and not able to perform your duties correctly but still been expected to be paid properly.

What probably needs to happen is the players in France to unionize and demand a shorter season, but most the clubs are losing entities and expect the owner to clear debts. Until value increases further asking them to play less games and therefore generate less income is expecting them to cover more debt over the year.

This isn't true though. The contracts are insured and the get paid out if any injuries happen while on international duty

 

[Derpus]

Not sure where to post this but seems like the Frenchies don't like our 20-minute red card suggestion.

France rugby to oppose 20-minute red card plans

French authorities are joining forces with players to oppose plans by World Rugby to change its regulations with the introduction of a 20-minute red card, saying it poses a health risk.

www.espn.com.au

Is there anything to like about French rugby except, maybe, begrudingly, Dupont?