Australian Rugby / RA

[Dan54]

Was just kidding really with my original post. At least we know where Melbourne will play their home games. Whereas it’s odd to me that MP (Moana Pasifika) (Moana Pasifika) plays a somewhat nomadic schedule in the north island of NZ, but are meant to represent the wider PI community. How good do the Drua games look in Suva? Surely a schedule with home games played in Samoa and Tonga, would be better for the franchise and those nations. So yeah, a merger isn’t a smart option for anyone involved

I agree , would love to see games in Samoa and Tonga, but guessing the ground etc are a problem? Personally would love to see them based in one of countries, but guessing no real infrastructure.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ playing in both Samoa & Tonga this year plus there's more PI in Auckland than Samoa & Tonga put together & I think that's where they're playing most of their other home games?

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

They need to go to an extended season of home and away games so there’s more games. That would enable rebels to play 2 homes games in Tonga and Samoa and still keep current Melbourne home games. Maybe that gets funding from WR (World Rugby) and those two countries. Other than that - an alliance I don’t know. We get their players and are Melbourne pasifika

 

[Drew]

^ playing in both Samoa & Tonga this year plus there's more PI in Auckland than Samoa & Tonga put together & I think that's where they're playing most of their other home games?

Yep, home games in NZ mostly Mount Smart, a game each Eden Park (home game v Blues), North Harbour and Whangarei (thanks WO for the correction).

 

[stillmissit]

Just read the RP article on Schmidt which sounds good to me. Along with Nucifora, Horne with PhiL Waugh and Dan Herbert running the show, I think we are about to start the rebuilding process with people of quality and with good intentions.
The report noted Joe Schmidt saying "He even joked he thought he’d retired once, back in New Zealand, but said witnessing the Wallabies’ plight in France last year had stirred something inside him." “That … was not an Australian team that I recognised, certainly not in my time,” he said.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Yep, home games in NZ mostly Mount Smart, a game each Eden Park (home game v Blues), North Harbour and Whangarei (corrected spelling).

 

[Drew]

^Thank you and fixed.

 

[Clubhouse coach]

I expect that there is going to be extra discussion on alignment, now that McLennan and Jones can no longer have an influence on possible outcomes.
With Schmidt , Horne and Nucifora having experience in similar systems and enjoying a higher level of trust and respect from the five Super Rugby franchises.
We should be able to move forward to a system most suitable for Australian Rugby.

 

[zer0]

FWIW, the Irish system seems to be based on a few elite schools producing most players.

Irish Rugby Player Pathway | Evolution of a Player Development System - Setanta College Blog

Former Director of Fitness with the IRFU, Dr. Liam Hennessy, looks at the creation and evolution of the Irish Rugby's Player Development System (LTAD).

www.setantacollege.com

Where players come from
Players that go on to represent their country seem to come from key schools as they transition through the provincial sub-academies and academies to the professional game. Typically between 70% and 85% of players who represent Ireland graduate upwards from these key schools. The close link between schools and the academies and their outreach regions (mainly clubs) in particular seems to be the true ‘key’ in the pathway of development. For example, the Leinster sub-academy has what can only be considered an outstanding conversion rate of 85% to the professional game. Of significance is also the fact that approximately 65% of the current Irish international players come through the Leinster sub-academy spearheaded since its founding by Dave Fagan. While this is a great tribute to the work of Dave and his colleagues, it does highlight a possible gap in other development sections. Once addressed they can also contribute to a greater extent to the development of elite players.

Summary
The development of the Irish Rugby player over the last 3 decades was initiated by Stephen Aboud, who is now the Italian Rugby Technical Director. He and his colleagues within coaching, fitness, physiotherapy, and nutritional fields guided this development pathway long before a formal staged pathway (LTAD) was popularised in the 2000s.

In assessing the evolution of the pathway it is clear that Ireland has benefitted significantly from this early phase of player development. It may surprise many but there is still a limited number of schools who literally produce the majority of Ireland’s players.

From this structured development, where training age is increased especially from the junior stage through to the final secondary school year, players then transition to the sub-academy within the provinces. These academies are arguably the most productive academies in the world of team sports. There are still opportunities to forge a more effective development pathway, mainly through continued and greater support of schools, (sub) academies, and more focused support of clubs at all stages of development. Nevertheless, the current synergy between schools and academies is seen as a world-class development pathway, regardless of the limitation in player numbers.

 

[PhilClinton]

I actually feel like there is a bigger gulf now between the sides and 'alignment' than there was 6 months ago.

I know the term centralisation has been scrapped, but you'd have to think the teams are even more cautious now that the financial skeletons of a couple of franchises have been made public.

Sure, that may not stop the teams 'aligning' on what their goals are to achieve success at a domestic and international level, but you'd have to think sides are quite wary of getting too tied up with each other.

 

[Wilson]

FWIW, the Irish system seems to be based on a few elite schools producing most players.

I'd be very surprised if we adopted the Irish system wholesale. The demographics and politics are very different here to Ireland and it doesn't make sense for us to invest heavily in one province, all the way down to a few schools feeding it in the way they have.

The knowledge guys like Nucifora have of that system should make it pretty clear to them that it won't work here and you'd be wasting the resources and natural strengths we do have.

 

[Jimmy_Crouch]

I'd be very surprised if we adopted the Irish system wholesale. The demographics and politics are very different here to Ireland and it doesn't make sense for us to invest heavily in one province, all the way down to a few schools feeding it in the way they have.

The knowledge guys like Nucifora have of that system should make it pretty clear to them that it won't work here and you'd be wasting the resources and natural strengths we do have.

Horne was very clear in the Schmidt announcement presser that Australia needs to develop our own model. That it wouldn't be a copy paste job of Ireland and/or NZ.

 

[LeCheese]

I actually feel like there is a bigger gulf now between the sides and 'alignment' than there was 6 months ago.

I know the term centralisation has been scrapped, but you'd have to think the teams are even more cautious now that the financial skeletons of a couple of franchises have been made public.

Sure, that may not stop the teams 'aligning' on what their goals are to achieve success at a domestic and international level, but you'd have to think sides are quite wary of getting too tied up with each other.

If RA had their time again, I'd imagine they'd only push for high-performance alignment and still let the clubs manage their own commercial ops.

Still somewhat baffles me that, not only did RA not have a clear picture of clubs' finances, they clearly didn't do their pre-takeover DD if they were surprised by NSW's debts. Although, I guess the events following the request to have a look at the Brumbies' books is pretty clear evidence of the relationships at play...

 

[dru]

If RA had their time again, I'd imagine they'd only push for high-performance alignment and still let the clubs manage their own commercial ops.

Still somewhat baffles me that, not only did RA not have a clear picture of clubs' finances, they clearly didn't do their pre-takeover DD if they were surprised by NSW's debts. Although, I guess the events following the request to have a look at the Brumbies' books is pretty clear evidence of the relationships at play...

One reason I have not at all (yet) bought into the Waugh-mesiah thing.

 

[LeCheese]

One reason I have not at all (yet) bought into the Waugh-mesiah thing.

I don't think any really sees him as a messiah, just someone who has made positive moves thus far. With the current rugby landscape in Australia, there can't really be a single individual that drives change - it requires a collaborative effort between RA and the states, and it feels like Waugh is working hard behind the scenes to lay the foundations. Genuine change is never quick, easy, or without road blocks.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I don't think any really sees him as a messiah, just someone who has made positive moves thus far. With the current rugby landscape in Australia, there can't really be a single individual that drives change - it requires a collaborative effort between RA and the states, and it feels like Waugh is working hard behind the scenes to lay the foundations. Genuine change is never quick, easy, or without road blocks.

Even travelling to the Wallaroos games in NZ was a positive sight after it seemed they had been ignored for the previous few years. No wonder they keep landing in the NRLW

 

[LeCheese]

Even travelling to the Wallaroos games in NZ was a positive sight after it seemed they had been ignored for the previous few years. No wonder they keep landing in the NRLW

Yeah it seems the Women's and 7s games are (deservedly) getting a greater share of the marketing spotlight too, which can't be accidental. The next step is giving them a bigger piece of the funding pie - not that there's much to go around at the moment.

 

[dru]

I don't think any really sees him as a messiah, just someone who has made some positive moves thus far (to be proven) and personally involved in a complete debacle (the initial approach ti centralisation) let alone that issue regarding existing (selective) relationships. With the current rugby landscape in Australia, there can't really be a single individual that drives change - it requires a collaborative effort between RA and the states, and it feels like Waugh is working hard behind the scenes to lay the foundations. Genuine change is never quick, easy, or without road blocks.

Clarified the statement a touch for you.

 

[SouthernX]

Even travelling to the Wallaroos games in NZ was a positive sight after it seemed they had been ignored for the previous few years. No wonder they keep landing in the NRLW

don’t know if that’s as significant as people make out… free trip across the Tasman to watch the girls… I’m not turning that down if I was arm chair CEO of RA.

hopefully it’s the start for more productive financing on the woman’s game (I say productive because I don’t think any form of rugby is getting huge injections post RWC - we need to tighten our belts and prioritize what needs prioritising off the back of this loan to RA)

I personally think a lot of stuff can be done by zoom… and unneeded airfares should be culled

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Think there is a big difference in having your bum in a seat and watching them in person and no doubt interacting post game than saying yep, caught that game they really put in a great effort. Even if you did watch it, nobody believes you and it comes across as dismissive.