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Australian Rugby / RA

hoggy

Nev Cottrell (35)
What are you suggesting? A referendum? A plebiscite? Some form of on-line voting? Would the majority rule?


Seriously, mate, commercial negotiations take place between the corporate entities that are contemplating some sort of contract or other agreement. You and a lot of others might not accept this, or like it, but RA are actually acting on our behalf during the negotiations. That is how commerce works.

Well haven't they acted well on behalf of the fan base for the last 20 years then. Maybe transparency is the word i should've used.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Well haven't they acted well on behalf of the fan base for the last 20 years then. Maybe transparency is the word i should've used.


No, the word you want is "hindsight". I might add that my memory of the health of the game 20 years ago differs markedly from yours. In my memory the game was absolutely booming.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
No, the word you want is "hindsight". I might add that my memory of the health of the game 20 years ago differs markedly from yours. In my memory the game was absolutely booming.
The more i contemplate the state of the game the less i think management has to do with it. The game 20 years ago was good, that's the thing. I watched that Bledisloe from '01 or whatever it was, and the speed and intensity were incredible. Very few breaks in play, fast set pieces etc.

Look at what we have now. Wales collapsing scrums for a full 4 minutes of the last 5 in a world cup match. Lengthy TMO reviews of everything. Match altering yellow and red cards handed out like candy.

It's a hard sell in a market with tonnes of options for fast paced, high intensity sport. Maybe Rugby has just gotten a bit shit.
 

formerflanker

Ken Catchpole (46)
An interesting detail coming out of the RA/RUPA agreement:
The agreement also permits up to six players to explore six-month sabbaticals in an overseas competition from 2021-23, a clause intended to ease some of their financial pain. If the high-profile players decide to exercise that option, they will not be paid by Rugby Australia or their Super Rugby teams while they are with their overseas clubs. (The Australian)
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Looking back over the last 20 years, I would say that biggest single mistake that was made was to can the ARC after one season. That's pretty much down to JON, although the district clubs bear a lot of the responsibility too. (Those grassroots!!!)


Another entity that bears a bit of the blame is the VRU, who are alleged to have been a bit profligate with their expense claims.




But I agree that the game itself was the problem. Too complicated and "slow" for us Aussies.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Looking back over the last 20 years, I would say that biggest single mistake that was made was to can the ARC after one season. That's pretty much down to JON, although the district clubs bear a lot of the responsibility too. (Those grassroots!!!)


Another entity that bears a bit of the blame is the VRU, who are alleged to have been a bit profligate with their expense claims.




But I agree that the game itself was the problem. Too complicated and "slow" for us Aussies.
It's not too slow just for Aussies - it wasn't in the 2000's. It's too slow period. It's too slow compared to what it used to be.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Rugby ain't the problem, Australia is. It's doing great everywhere else.
This line has been trotted out a lot - but i don't think it actually is. It's not financially viable in the UK without clubs fairly substantial losses being borne by private investors. In France the international game is in decline and the clubs are just rich people's playthings.

People talk about tier 2 or 3 growth but i haven't seen any of that bear out in results - except for maybe Japan.

Where is it actually growing?
 

WorkingClassRugger

Michael Lynagh (62)
This line has been trotted out a lot - but i don't think it actually is. It's not financially viable in the UK without clubs fairly substantial losses being borne by private investors. In France the international game is in decline and the clubs are just rich people's playthings.

People talk about tier 2 or 3 growth but i haven't seen any of that bear out in results - except for maybe Japan.

Where is it actually growing?


Spain.
 

waiopehu oldboy

George Smith (75)
The end is nigh again but this time maybe for real:

"Kiwi Raelene Castle's position as CEO of Rugby Australia is hanging by a thread after 11 former Wallabies captains co-signed a letter calling for leadership change at the cash-strapped organisation.

"The Australian newspaper is reporting that Nick Farr-Jones, George Gregan, Michael Lynagh, Simon Poidevin, Phil Kearns, Rod McCall, Jason Little, Nathan Sharpe, Stirling Mortlock, George Smith and Stephen Moore have all signed the letter."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-sign-letter-calling-for-raelene-castles-head
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
Eleven former Wallaby captains (mostly Phil Kearns and his mates) have signed a letter requesting the Rugby Australia administration stand aside.

The list is Farr-Jones, Lynagh, Poidevin, Kearns, McCall, Little, Gregan, Mortlock, Sharpe, Smith, Moore.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...a/news-story/423a1b5e6c1e622b6ea8f9d5e25515de

Stephen Moore signing it is perhaps the most interesting as he is further removed from Kearns but on the whole I don't find it overly convincing.



“We speak as one voice when we say Australian rugby needs new vision, leadership and a plan for the future. That plan must involve, as a priority, urgent steps to create a much-needed sustainable, commercial rugby business.

“No doubt there are now good people with good ideas and we must include them in the renewal. There has also been considerable work done in the background to quickly establish a list of urgent initiatives and action items.

“A number of highly experienced rugby and business leaders are standing by to mentor and lead.”

It strikes me that their new vision would seemingly be the most rusted on old boys network we've ever had.
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
If Raelene clinches a reasonable Optus broadcasting deal their whining will be moot. Hopefully she can resurrect what was reportedly a near done deal and we can forget about all this god damned nonsense.

Also, where were all these calls when Clyne and co were busy actually running the game into the ground? I guess it's easier to railroad a woman from NZ.
 

Finsbury Girl

Trevor Allan (34)
Can't see how an Optus deal broadcast in glorious 720p is a win for footy fans.

Hilarious how concerns raised are just laughed off "they're just Kearnsie's mates" "that old buffer was around in the 70's what the fark would he know" "old boys network clueless old cnuts" etc
 

Derpus

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Can't see how an Optus deal broadcast in glorious 720p is a win for footy fans.

Hilarious how concerns raised are just laughed off "they're just Kearnsie's mates" "that old buffer was around in the 70's what the fark would he know" "old boys network clueless old cnuts" etc
What are the concerns? all i see is Trumpesque 'make rugby great again' rhetoric without ever identifying or suggesting how.

To be honest, i wouldn't expect a bunch of blokes who spent the first 10-15 years of their careers getting their heads smacked to know.
 
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