Australian Rugby / RA

[grievous]

Thats a leap....

Makes perfect sense, RA have always made the wrong calls when pressed by NZ other than going alone in 2003 when Jon said bugger off.

 

[formerflanker]

The Daily Telegraph is reporting the players have been asked to take an additional paycut through to the end of the year and they are considering striking in response.

The reported details are:

All 192 professional players had accepted an average 60 per cent pay cut until September 30​

But despite a revised deal with broadcaster Fox Sports for the five-team Super Rugby AU tournament, cash-stricken RA has asked players to accept a 40 per cent pay cut from October 1 until December 31.​

It means since April, the players will only have earned half their agreed salaries for the remainder of 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.​

The players have said they’re only prepared to accept an average 20 per cent pay cut.​

I wonder if the 20% figure is an ambit claim and they are simply using that number to negotiate for a better deal, with the threat of strike action also a threat not a desired action.​

For 192 players to actually take such drastic action would be unbearable for the fans.​

 

[Dan54]

Can I say I watched Breakdown (again) last night and the new chairman Hamish McLennan was on having a chat to them, I don't know him or read anything about him, but I will have to say I liked the cut of his jib! Seems ok.

 

[Silverado]

Details of the annual report

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2020/06/24/rugby-australia-annual-report-2019

 

[PhilClinton]

You know things aren't great when the All Blacks would rather play a hybrid game against the Kangaroos as their big blockbuster game this year, as reported by news outlets today.

 

[Shaker]

You know things aren't great when the All Blacks would rather play a hybrid game against the Kangaroos as their big blockbuster game this year, as reported by news outlets today.

Might have been the dumbest thing ive read in a while. Utterly ridiculous nonsense and sad NZ Rugby are even considering it.

 

[Derpus]

League players arent suddenly going to be able to scrum, maul, ruck or throw a lineout. It really just means ABs playing league.

I can't see why that would ever happen.

 

[I like to watch]

Might have been the dumbest thing ive read in a while. Utterly ridiculous nonsense and sad NZ Rugby are even considering it.

Don’t believe everything you read in the papers......

 

[KOB1987]

Let them go at it, it's pointless. All Blacks will shit in the union half and Kangaroos will shit in the league half. Will prove nothing.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

What a great idea - let’s promote league in Australia by playing the all blacks - yep NZRU must be really serious about creating a strong trans Tasman super rugby competition -NOT

 

[Shaker]

Don’t believe everything you read in the papers..

I sincerely hope this isnt true. For some reason i feel like its incredibly disrespectful to Australian rugby if they go ahead with it.

 

[Dan54]

I sincerely hope this isnt true. For some reason i feel like its incredibly disrespectful to Australian rugby if they go ahead with it.

I hate the idea, not sure how true it is etc, I know everyone is desperate for money etc, but apparently they have talked before, not sure how seriously, and Robinson has said the idea has been mooted but NZR is putting rugby internationals as main criteria.

 

[KOB1987]

its been talked about for years here but never got off the ground because no-one could agree on a set of rules that worked for both (read both parties wanted rules that favoured their own) plus imagine if e.g. the Beaugan got necked by Gallen. There's just no point in it, too much risk and zero upside.

 

[PhilClinton]

If you'd told me 12 months ago that this was even being considered, I wouldn't have believed it.

But after everything that has happened in the last 3 months, you can see why these organisations are clawing for whatever events they believe can help them recoup their losses from this year.

From the NRL's point of view I daresay they believe the All Blacks are recongised in Australia as the best 'ball sport' playing team of all time. It's a bit muddier when trying to look at it from the NZR's perspective, if they were looking for some sort of clash of the titans they're about 6 years too late to take on the great QLD SOO side.

 

[Quick Hands]

Let them go at it, it's pointless. All Blacks will shit in the union half and Kangaroos will shit in the league half. Will prove nothing.

Don't think it's meant to prove anything. It's simply a money making activity.

 

[Quick Hands]

If you'd told me 12 months ago that this was even being considered, I wouldn't have believed it.

But after everything that has happened in the last 3 months, you can see why these organisations are clawing for whatever events they believe can help them recoup their losses from this year.

From the NRL's point of view I daresay they believe the All Blacks are recongised in Australia as the best 'ball sport' playing team of all time. It's a bit muddier when trying to look at it from the NZR's perspective, if they were looking for some sort of clash of the titans they're about 6 years too late to take on the great QLD SOO side.

The fact that it's even being talked about shows what NZRU really think about RA I'd suggest.

 

[qwerty51]

"zero upside"

Apart from a shit load of cash.

 

[zer0]

Well why don't we have a look at what the NZR CEO says of it:

"We've had an approach. We'll work that through and go through the proper process..... if we feel it has merit to take further."

"It's one of the many different options ..... we are considering," Robinson said. "It's not new. The last time NZR had an approach was in 2017."

"[NZR's] priority is on the All Blacks to play international rugby".

And compare that with the League side of things:

Meninga told The Courier-Mail the two parties "are in serious negotiations"

“I’m keen to make this happen. We want to play the All Blacks, hopefully, we can get the concept off the ground."

"This would take the Kangaroos to the world. There will be global recognition," Meninga told The Courier-Mail.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...all-blacks-v-kangaroos-hybrid-crosscode-match

Seems very much to be League and possibly media driven. Also this seems to come up just about every other year, and nothing has eventuated. I'd guess a not insignificant part of that is because, aside from some cash, there doesn't seem to be anything in it for NZR. Definitely no long term gains.

EDIT: Also isn't the NRL in quite the precarious financial position? Might explain their eagerness. In the unlikely event that this match ever does eventuate, I'd hope NZR leverage that and take the NRL to the cleaners. No need to play nice with them like they might do with the Warriors.

 

[KOB1987]

"zero upside"

Apart from a shit load of cash.

and maybe that's a proper consideration in this covid world. But more for the ARL than the NZRU as zer0 eloquently and rightly points out.

 

[wamberal]

The fact that it's even being talked about shows what NZRU really think about RA I'd suggest.

Why? It shows that they will do anything to make money in a time of crisis for professional sport. What has that got to do with "how they think of us"?