@RugbyReg one area we could replicate is their development through the grassroots, they are amazing at that. Yes we don’t have the money to throw at development officers but we need to be so much better. The local primary schools in Brisbane 10-15 years ago had Ozkick everywhere and it was a great success. We need development officers hitting our schools and junior rugby clubs closely followed by our paid professionals in that state. Not once a year but every month, Rugby Australia simply does not invest into grassroots rugby and the lack of skills coming thru our u15’s, 16’s , 19’s is as clear as day. It will be a hard slow burn but Rugby Australia needs to act rather than the cheap talk it always does. I honestly don’t think Phil Waugh is any different, he talks about grassroots with no plan. I see zero leadership from him atm.
Just where do you think this magic "grassroots investment" money is coming from? Sheesh. Everyone's got a solution but no-one stops to consider how much it costs.
Tahs are broke, Brumbies are on life support, Rebels are doing Rebels stuff on the RA tit...
RA needs to be a bit more cost-centric (We could probably afford another dozen or so development officers from Hamish's RWC hotel bill), but the game is just squeaking through on funds. So who's going to pay for hading out balls in schools? Or flying Randwick to Crosby Park to play Brothers...
As a game we're better off focusing on what we've currently got and making it better (and longer - Super Rugby should be a full home and away season, or at least all AU sides playing each other twice), which will mean more games, which means more TV money.
NRL - 204 games a season - and AFL - 207 (not including finals). Super Rugby has 168. So there's an opportunity for about a 25% uplift in media rights...