Australian Rugby / RA

[LevitatingSocks]

It's not just QCup level guys getting paid either. When I coached Colts there were a number of guys who bailed from the club to play lower grades league for a few years. They'd get all their kit paid for, beers after the games for free and match payments (I think $50 back in the early 2000s) if they won.

Pay $500-600 in reg fee for a season (at least for QPR clubs) or receive match payments in league.

Would be a tough call if I were fresh out of school and wanted beer money to pick rugby over league if all else were equal. I wasn't delighted to pay my reg for grades this upcoming season despite loving those guys to death.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Rugby can still hold the bloke who may of been in the 4ths at school but wants to play a bit of Rugby. Some of the regos now are getting silly though. No wonder anyone over 25 who starts getting more costs in life decides to give it up.

League don’t play that game though and you’d be a moron to go out there for the love of it. Get your head reset every weekend. (On the field)

I know that bloke won’t win us a Bledisloe on the field but you have to keep them involved, engaged and want their kids to play it.

 

[Derpus]

Rugby can still hold the bloke who may of been in the 4ths at school but wants to play a bit of Rugby. Some of the regos now are getting silly though. No wonder anyone over 25 who starts getting more costs in life decides to give it up.

League don’t play that game though and you’d be a moron to go out there for the love of it. Get your head reset every weekend. (On the field)

I know that bloke won’t win us a Bledisloe on the field but you have to keep them involved, engaged and want their kids to play it.

All things flow from interest in the game. I don't think you technically need flogs like me rocking up hungover to flail around for a while to keep interest in the game - but it sure helps.

 

[stillmissit]

Rugby can still hold the bloke who may of been in the 4ths at school but wants to play a bit of Rugby. Some of the regos now are getting silly though. No wonder anyone over 25 who starts getting more costs in life decides to give it up.

League don’t play that game though and you’d be a moron to go out there for the love of it. Get your head reset every weekend. (On the field)

I know that bloke won’t win us a Bledisloe on the field but you have to keep them involved, engaged and want their kids to play it.

I agree that a big part is keeping the game alive at grassroots levels inc senior clubs lower sides who are struggling atm.
Many guys in the West Syd walked away from League to play union because they enjoyed the game's non-stop aspects and were bored with 6 up and change over.
That is why money ain't everything, if you don't have a decent story regarding playing union and are just stating 'you can play around the world if you make it' isn't enough for the average young guy. So if you have a full 'why play union' playbook that is attractive to young players. You won't win them all but we never have and most probably never will.
Calling for more money for the Academies at this time is a waste of time, and I would want to review what they have done in the last 10 years.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

All things flow from interest in the game. I don't think you technically need flogs like me rocking up hungover to flail around for a while to keep interest in the game - but it sure helps.

We do. We definitely do.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I agree that a big part is keeping the game alive at grassroots levels inc senior clubs lower sides who are struggling atm.
Many guys in the West Syd walked away from League to play union because they enjoyed the game's non-stop aspects and were bored with 6 up and change over.
That is why money ain't everything, if you don't have a decent story regarding playing union and are just stating 'you can play around the world if you make it' isn't enough for the average young guy. So if you have a full 'why play union' playbook that is attractive to young players. You won't win them all but we never have and most probably never will.
Calling for more money for the Academies at this time is a waste of time, and I would want to review what they have done in the last 10 years.

When did this supposedly happen?

 

[Pfitzy]

1] Super Rugby is killing rugby in Australia

Not as much as they levels below IMHO.

All our structures through to U20 need refreshing - schools in particular need to be aligned correctly.

 

[dru]

Not as much as they levels below IMHO.

All our structures through to U20 need refreshing - schools in particular need to be aligned correctly.

based on funding priorities it seems to me that there is a conflict. Worse than that there is no evidence that Super is consistent with local approach to pathways and development. in my mind the structures through to U20 are suffering as a result of Super, not in spite of it.

 

[Brumby Runner]

I agree that a big part is keeping the game alive at grassroots levels inc senior clubs lower sides who are struggling atm.
Many guys in the West Syd walked away from League to play union because they enjoyed the game's non-stop aspects and were bored with 6 up and change over.
That is why money ain't everything, if you don't have a decent story regarding playing union and are just stating 'you can play around the world if you make it' isn't enough for the average young guy. So if you have a full 'why play union' playbook that is attractive to young players. You won't win them all but we never have and most probably never will.
Calling for more money for the Academies at this time is a waste of time, and I would want to review what they have done in the last 10 years.

I might be wrong, but weren't the Super Rugby Academies shut down for a few years recently in favour of a central Academy run by RA (or ARU at the time)? I have in mind that the Super Rugby Academies only started up again around 4 or 5 years ago. Am I wrong?

 

[Adam84]

I might be wrong, but weren't the Super Rugby Academies shut down for a few years recently in favour of a central Academy run by RA (or ARU at the time)? I have in mind that the Super Rugby Academies only started up again around 4 or 5 years ago. Am I wrong?

Yes they were consolidated for $ savings and performance benefits but this was scrapped after a change of administration.

Super Rugby academies had to do a complete rebuild and talent(staffing) and continuity was lost in the process. From what I understand a few of them still don’t have the staffing and resourcing they did previously and relying on part-time and community volunteer support.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Yes they were consolidated for $ savings and performance benefits but this was scrapped after a change of administration.

Super Rugby academies had to do a complete rebuild and talent(staffing) and continuity was lost in the process. From what I understand a few of them still don’t have the staffing and resourcing they did previously and relying on part-time and community volunteer support.

Thanks Adam. Along the lines of what I thought. So, probably not much to be gained from a review of their operations over the past 10 years, as suggested by Stillmissit.

 

[stillmissit]

When did this supposedly happen?

Supposedly?? Get stuffed, the assumption that I am making it up pisses me off. What have you had to do with rugby in the West Syd next to bugger all I am thinking. If you had you would know this is not a minor incident. In Senior rugby, we had 4 guys who had given away league to play union. When I was coaching subbies 3 of first grade had played league in local comps and in one club we had a 'ghost' who had played SOO and added a player to our 3rd grade but as he was playing on the Sunday he didn't have to do much apart distribute the ball.

This was from 2008- roughly 2015 still not happy I am guessing.

 

[Adam84]

Thanks Adam. Along the lines of what I thought. So, probably not much to be gained from a review of their operations over the past 10 years, as suggested by Stillmissit.

State based academies were only started back up in 2014 after RA disbanded the national model after only 2 years. It was such a waste, previous state structures were disbanded and staff lost for something that lasted barely 24 months.

 

[stillmissit]

I'd never heard of this but I found this link https://greenandgoldrugby.com/aru-national-academy/ The stated jobs here are interesting.

The issue doesn't change, what are they doing to build skill sets, if they are doing this well then why are we going backwards in skills and fitness to play the game? Look at our S&C track record, who is training them? and why are our players breaking down too often, are they too heavy for their ligaments? I don't know the answer to these questions but someone in RA should be asking them before we commit more money that we don't have.

 

[stillmissit]

Thanks Adam. Along the lines of what I thought. So, probably not much to be gained from a review of their operations over the past 10 years, as suggested by Stillmissit.

BR it's 2024 - 10 years I think or near enough.

 

[Derpus]

Supposedly?? Get stuffed, the assumption that I am making it up pisses me off. What have you had to do with rugby in the West Syd next to bugger all I am thinking. If you had you would know this is not a minor incident. In Senior rugby, we had 4 guys who had given away league to play union. When I was coaching subbies 3 of first grade had played league in local comps and in one club we had a 'ghost' who had played SOO and added a player to our 3rd grade but as he was playing on the Sunday he didn't have to do much apart distribute the ball.

This was from 2008- roughly 2015 still not happy I am guessing.

Four guys...?

Its pretty normal for amateurs to give up League for Union. Its easier.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Supposedly?? Get stuffed, the assumption that I am making it up pisses me off. What have you had to do with rugby in the West Syd next to bugger all I am thinking. If you had you would know this is not a minor incident. In Senior rugby, we had 4 guys who had given away league to play union. When I was coaching subbies 3 of first grade had played league in local comps and in one club we had a 'ghost' who had played SOO and added a player to our 3rd grade but as he was playing on the Sunday he didn't have to do much apart distribute the ball.

This was from 2008- roughly 2015 still not happy I am guessing.

So you're entire position is based off a handful of guys who played. So what. That happened back when I was a junior. We'd have guys come over all the time. Doesn't mean anything if the situation is no better now than it was 25 years ago. Take my region for example. When I started playing there were 2 clubs in the region. Campbelltown and Camden. Today, there are still only two clubs in the same region. Campbelltown and Camden. Despite the population out in Camden for example having nearly tripled in that time.

Good for you that you coached. Still doesn't mean that the game is at best sparse in the region with interest even sparser.

 

[Brumby Runner]

BR it's 2024 - 10 years I think or near enough.

10 years with quite a few of them being in recovery from the attempt at centralising. I reckon one or two of the Academies are probably still suffering a bit. Have to say though that the Brumbies Academy seems to be bringing young players through to play at higher levels year on year.

 

[stillmissit]

10 years with quite a few of them being in recovery from the attempt at centralising. I reckon one or two of the Academies are probably still suffering a bit. Have to say though that the Brumbies Academy seems to be bringing young players through to play at higher levels year on year.

Good on them if they are performing with a limited budget, I guess Adam is not interested in a success story.
The weaknesses are there to a lesser extent in the Brumbies but it is on full show at the Wallabies and we can't move up until we fix this issue. The Academies are a part of the problem.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

10 years with quite a few of them being in recovery from the attempt at centralising. I reckon one or two of the Academies are probably still suffering a bit. Have to say though that the Brumbies Academy seems to be bringing young players through to play at higher levels year on year.

I’d say the Brumbies scouts are the best in the country. Watching the 19s this year showed that. Ability to identify the need and get players who will kick on.