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Australian Rugby / RA

Sir Arthur Higgins

Dick Tooth (41)
For example, here is a quote from the article: "Rugby has become so specialised, and so different from league (never mind AFL), that you could probably count on one hand the number of NRL players who would make any sort of the difference to the Wallabies."

Say this is true (although I'm certain it isn't). Tino and David Fifita may not have a transferable skillset. The problem is that the next-gen equivalents never even play Union in the first place because it doesn't register in the hearts and minds of youngsters and as such never become Wallabies. Is Paul Cully seriously naive enough to suggest if Payne Haas hadn't played as a number 8 from 10-18 he wouldn't have anything to offer Rugby Union?
I’m more of the view that we should stop trying to poach current league players.
Its hard to say if he’s saying that (tho I think he is) versus younger league players in general.
I think Suli is probably a waste of $$ unless he is the next folau.
we do need more props and locks etc and I agree that some of those have maybe gotten snapped by league at 16 and we don’t get the chance to specialize them.
 

Rob42

Nicholas Shehadie (39)
This again is the wrong thinking. There is plenty of guys 14-15 that are elite athletes that could train to become a prop. This means different strength and conditioning, etc. a guy identified at that age for rugby league of course isn’t going to be a 130kg bohemian because the program he’s been on for 4-5 years won’t allow that to happen. Just have a look at the amount of ex rugby pros once they stop their strength and conditioning turn from massive prop to skinny rake or outside back to overweight slob. What is happening at this age is any kids with relative talent to excel at a lot of sports is pushed to a specialized program generally towards the program that’s offering the most cash and incentives to join them. Just have to look around the world of sport and the amount of elite talent that were national level stars of multiple sports but at 14-15-16yrs chose one over the rest.

The rugby community has really struggled to get their heads around this. Most American athletes are on their path the success from an extremely young age, football is signing kids up at 6yrs old, NRL is chatting to kids at 12-13 getting them in a system for school, etc.
Yes, it's the young teenage group where we really struggle to compete with league - they can afford to throw a bit of money at a lot of teenagers, and keep them in their systems for years. Rugby can't afford to try to pick winners at that stage, especially for props.
 

half

Dick Tooth (41)

Agreed, this article really got my goat. No one talking about the challenges League poses to Union is under the impression that our problems aren't of our own making. But to just handwave them away is ignorant of reality.

It also reflects an arrogance towards League in certain sections of the Union community that I think is unfairly used to beat our game as a collective. I don't believe the vast majority of Union fans think this way. Most are reasonable, normal people who are capable of appreciating two sports at once, even if they have a preference. The simple fact is League has been professional for 100+ years, Union for 28. It stands to reason that there is a professionalisation gap between the games as a sheer result of this fact and burying your head in the sand and saying we have nothing to learn is pretty stupid. I think we have a lot to learn, especially on the development side of things.

Regarding coaching and ideas, the notion that Union doesn't have anything to learn off League is pretty moronic. Strip away the contest and set piece and the two games are incredibly similar. I bet my bottom dollar the the ABs and Springboks coaches take inspiration from League as well. Just as I'm sure League coaches take a look at Union for inspiration. It doesn't have to be a zero-sum game.

This article demonstrates IMO part of our current issues, in that it talks about the best competition, nothing to learn etc. For the love of Mary we should look to learn.

The US franchise system, the EPL in England, Tennis majors etc. all these models work well, Super Rugby does not work well for Australia

Actually the NRL & AFL system structures work reasonably well, abet, they have no internationals. In its own way so does the A-League as they have internationals matches.

One day Mr Cully and his type, may take a look at MLR [Major League Rugby] in the US, modelled off the MLS, which in itself had small changes to other US franchises systems.

OK and HHHHmmmmm anyone who has not should spend a little time looking at MLR in the US what and how they are doing. So much we could have done but when leaders and key journalists seem so intent on defending the status que its just frustrating.
 

The Ghost of Raelene

Simon Poidevin (60)



This article demonstrates IMO part of our current issues, in that it talks about the best competition, nothing to learn etc. For the love of Mary we should look to learn.

The US franchise system, the EPL in England, Tennis majors etc. all these models work well, Super Rugby does not work well for Australia

Actually the NRL & AFL system structures work reasonably well, abet, they have no internationals. In its own way so does the A-League as they have internationals matches.

One day Mr Cully and his type, may take a look at MLR [Major League Rugby] in the US, modelled off the MLS, which in itself had small changes to other US franchises systems.

OK and HHHHmmmmm anyone who has not should spend a little time looking at MLR in the US what and how they are doing. So much we could have done but when leaders and key journalists seem so intent on defending the status que its just frustrating.
You’ve been preaching MLR for about a week now.

I watch a bit of it and it’s fairly shit. A good grade player can go over there and be a marquee player. I get the concept you are talking about in regards to it’s set up but they are almost playing with free money. It’s a stab in the dark at trying to make something go from non existent to slightly valuable in the worlds biggest sporting market. They are looking at taking PE deals currently which I think was the goal from the start.

The teams have a 500k salary cap per side with the average wage being 40k. Marquees can earn more but it’s going to stop at 100k.

It has no real affiliation with US or Canadian Rugby which needs to be fixed for any real affect nationally even though Rugby is completely dead in Canada. Some teams are full of Aussies like Chicago and others like Houston full of South Africans

We would have massive issues if we had 2 teams kicked out and 2 moved within the first 5 years.

If we were to ever look at a smaller scale sport that is doing well in Australia it’s the NBL. They work with limited resources in and international sports.
 

cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
One day Mr Cully and his type, may take a look at MLR [Major League Rugby] in the US, modelled off the MLS, which in itself had small changes to other US franchises systems.

OK and HHHHmmmmm anyone who has not should spend a little time looking at MLR in the US what and how they are doing. So much we could have done but when leaders and key journalists seem so intent on defending the status que its just frustrating.
Status....
fawlty-towers.gif
 

Goosestep

Jim Clark (26)
This again is the wrong thinking. There is plenty of guys 14-15 that are elite athletes that could train to become a prop. This means different strength and conditioning, etc. a guy identified at that age for rugby league of course isn’t going to be a 130kg bohemian because the program he’s been on for 4-5 years won’t allow that to happen. Just have a look at the amount of ex rugby pros once they stop their strength and conditioning turn from massive prop to skinny rake or outside back to overweight slob. What is happening at this age is any kids with relative talent to excel at a lot of sports is pushed to a specialized program generally towards the program that’s offering the most cash and incentives to join them. Just have to look around the world of sport and the amount of elite talent that were national level stars of multiple sports but at 14-15-16yrs chose one over the rest.

The rugby community has really struggled to get their heads around this. Most American athletes are on their path the success from an extremely young age, football is signing kids up at 6yrs old, NRL is chatting to kids at 12-13 getting them in a system for school, etc.
Yes..

the problem with rugby in Australia is that we don’t embrace this specialisation .. on one hand we want to be rugby on the other we want to impress the leaguies by playing a anti northern hem / hybrid game …. this is a recipe for disaster ….



The truth is only we don’t priorities speciality positions, props locks etc … we don’t educated the public the way the NFL does with say offensive / defensive linesman .. we don’t appreciate the different sizes players come in and the skills they possess.


and we don’t not nurture the Youth!
18 year old schoolboys are still only allowed to push 1m in the scrums… These kind of rules incentivise schools and clubs to pick lighter faster front rowers (aka loose forwards) in the front row, to gain advantages at the breakdown .. this might be a good tactic at the junior level but is such a detriment to the future of rugby at the senior level where the big boys dominate ..
 

Bullrush

Geoff Shaw (53)
This again is the wrong thinking. There is plenty of guys 14-15 that are elite athletes that could train to become a prop. This means different strength and conditioning, etc. a guy identified at that age for rugby league of course isn’t going to be a 130kg bohemian because the program he’s been on for 4-5 years won’t allow that to happen. Just have a look at the amount of ex rugby pros once they stop their strength and conditioning turn from massive prop to skinny rake or outside back to overweight slob. What is happening at this age is any kids with relative talent to excel at a lot of sports is pushed to a specialized program generally towards the program that’s offering the most cash and incentives to join them. Just have to look around the world of sport and the amount of elite talent that were national level stars of multiple sports but at 14-15-16yrs chose one over the rest.

The rugby community has really struggled to get their heads around this. Most American athletes are on their path the success from an extremely young age, football is signing kids up at 6yrs old, NRL is chatting to kids at 12-13 getting them in a system for school, etc.
What ‘elite athletes’ are gonna train to be props? The elite athletes all want to be backs and maybe back-rowers.

At 14yrs old, the tight 5 don’t get enough props - excuse the pun lol. Slow fat kids go to prop and either tall or easy-to-lift kids get put in at lock. There aren’t a lot of the ‘elite athletes’ playing tight 5 because they are usually either the fastest or the the kids with the best feet/best steppers. All the attention and glory goes to these kids and occasionally the big, strong kid who no-one can tackle.

To be fair, this is just speaking from watching my son go through the rugby grades for the last 6yrs.

Most of the kids I see playing prop don’t jump out as elite athletes and who cares if they aren’t. I’ll take good athletes who have a great attitude, want to work hard and aren’t secretly wishing they had 13 on their back cos they know their value to the team.

By the time that kid reaches 18-19, he is a rugby prop and isn’t really the right type of athlete league wants.

Honestly, I think the opportunities for these type of kids who aren’t necessarily the ‘elite athletes’ are awesome - if they are prepared to work hard and be tight 5, grunt men.
 
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shanky

Darby Loudon (17)
Cully’s article reads like a forum post…
”Man watches U18 tournament, discovers answers to Australia’s woes”
 

Slayer!

Herbert Moran (7)
Cully’s article reads like a forum post…
”Man watches U18 tournament, discovers answers to Australia’s woes”
To be fair, that's not a bad take.
Much better than the clowns Pandaram and Linden, who are shitting on their own jobs by continually talking down rugby at the behest of News Corp, who are still sulking over Raelene having the temerity to put the broadcast rights up for a (gasp) competitive process.
 

noscrumnolife

Bill Watson (15)
What is happening at this age is any kids with relative talent to excel at a lot of sports is pushed to a specialized program generally towards the program that’s offering the most cash and incentives to join them. Just have to look around the world of sport and the amount of elite talent that were national level stars of multiple sports but at 14-15-16yrs chose one over the rest.
Most American athletes are on their path the success from an extremely young age, football is signing kids up at 6yrs old, NRL is chatting to kids at 12-13 getting them in a system for school, etc.
Agree completely.

In some respects I understand it. I have a degree of discomfort with soccer for example training kids in academies from the age of 6. In an ideal world, I think kids should be left to be kids, to find their passion for the game on their own, to make their own choices and develop as people before they jump down the path of professionalism. Unfortunately that's not the world we live in. If a child from a lower socio-economic background has the potential to earn millions in professional sport, they (and their parents) will jump down that path.

Rugby in Australia has to get its head around this mindset. The arms race for talent doesn't take place at 18, it takes place from 10-16. And I don't think our administrators understand this fully, preferring to leave it to the big private schools.
 
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