Australian Rugby / RA

[Highlander35]

It does not matter Half who is in charge it is the structure of the game here that is the issue, the business model does not work or it actually does work at a limited level but at the same time the game goes broke.
Until you have a better business model (and we all know what that is) all a better ceo can do is limit the damages.

I don't often agree with the specifics of half's proposals for obvious reasons, but an external appointment from an org with a good track record, who is completely unconcerned with establishment bullshit, is probably an appropriate move to make, rather than old boys and snake oil salesmen.

 

[half]

It does not matter Half who is in charge it is the structure of the game here that is the issue, the business model does not work or it actually does work at a limited level but at the same time the game goes broke.
Until you have a better business model (and we all know what that is) all a better ceo can do is limit the damages.

You got a point, but alas I came to the conclusion about 2 or 3 years ago to many people have their heads in the trough and earn a good living out of the existing system.

Radical change would see most out of a job. Maybe they can hang on to retirement or build a nice nest egg and get a good position on their CV.

What is so so so so so incredibly frustrating is the answer is all around us in Australia, and world over similar models work, its works in Europe, it works in the Americas, it works in Asia, it works across Africa.

You and I have often posted on the need for a NDC.

The key to what the new F1 [former AFL] guy said for me was, what worked in the pass will not work in the future and you need to continuedly update, change and adopt. Rugby in Australia has always fallen back to what worked in the past,.

Anyway, I posted I some time ago, we had passed the point where we can stop the fall. IMO as I originally posted roughly 10 months ago is we need Super Rugby today, as its the only revenue source we have that can fund the development of a NDC. But I think the powers have no intention of doing this, they simply hope it turns around.

The often not talked about in discussion pertaining to rugby, as most centres around national and Super Rugby teams performance is hhhhmmmm gggrrrr big call by me but the near elimination of Rugby heartland areas. My oldest son lives in Eastlakes and when we go visit its obvious the galloping greens nor Tha's have nowhere near the influence they once had and that the Swans and Easts, and Souths do. Equally in Epping / Eastwood / Ryde / Beecroft, yes a population demographic change but as a rugby heartland tis no more.

Over reliance on GPS schools, which themselves are under pressure to maintain Rugby at its current status for junior development, adds further to the stress. The fading of Rugby heartland areas further decreases GPS schools ability to find high quality players, and maintain Rugby at its current status.

Whereas once Rugby players were the pick of the crop in the Epping/ Eastwood area, they struggle today at junior level for players and often get the players rejected by other codes.

Hog, many many many many moons ago, I was working in NZ for an Australia / US corporation, we where losing money. Over comes this old hard head from Australia to help, he took me the lunch the first day he arrived, and set out his plan. His first and only lesson was you need to ask the right question, and identify the cause before you can fix things, because if you ask the wrong question you will won't get to the real problem. For years almost everybody on this site blamed not being on FTA as the big problem. Whereas the big problem was the competition structure, and the make up of those in charge of the competition structure.

We have spent years stressing, over the lack of coverage, when compared to all other codes besides League and AFL we got heaps of coverage and media. The issue was always the structure and if we changed the structure and those running lets say a NDC, then those people running the NDC would have got us on FTA anyway.

Anyway another day in the mad house.

For some on the forum [who for years argued against a NDC] .... Football, Football, Football, Football, Football, should make you happy now.

 

[Braveheart81]

You got a point, but alas I came to the conclusion about 2 or 3 years ago to many people have their heads in the trough and earn a good living out of the existing system.

Radical change would see most out of a job. Maybe they can hang on to retirement or build a nice nest egg and get a good position on their CV.

The overwhelming majority of people making a living out of rugby in Australia are the players and coaching staff.

They're the ones who would lose their jobs and also have the least ability to transition to something else.

 

[hoggy]

The overwhelming majority of people making a living out of rugby in Australia are the players and coaching staff.

They're the ones who would lose their jobs and also have the least ability to transition to something else.

And we should be employing two to three times as many players and coaches as we currently do.

But next year we won't have a professional rugby team in Melbourne but we will have $400 Lions tickets and enough red wine dinners to fund a small pacific nation.

 

[RugbyReg]

Sorry for the long post - just released by World Rugby.

World Rugby has outlined the next steps in the process of reimagining rugby’s entertainment factor, part of a wider mission to grow audience share over the next decade.

Following agreement on an action plan at the Shape of the Game forum earlier this month to examine ways to advance the rugby experience in a changing sports and entertainment environment, World Rugby has set out a five-phase approach to explore, adopt and trial the key outcomes.

With decisions being made through the lens of player and fan experience as rugby seeks to grow relevance and accessibility among a broader, younger audience, evolution is focused on enhancing ball in flow, reducing stoppages and increasing welfare outcomes.

First phase: Law Application Guidelines reinforcing existing law

From 19 March, there will be an expectation of strict application of current law by referees globally via the following Law Application Guidelines, focusing on speeding up play:

• Law 15.17: Players will be expected to use the ball more quickly when the ball has been secured at a ruck/breakdown. Referees will be asked to call “use it” earlier, which will begin the five second count to play the ball away.
• Law 19.10: Hookers will be expected to maintain a full brake foot to aid scrum stability and safety during the engagement sequence. Any adjustment must maintain the act of the brake.
• Law 6.29: Strict reinforcement of the 2022 law trial relating to water carriers entering the field of play.

Second phase: Law amendment recommendations for global adoption

A package of law amendments will be considered by the World Rugby Council at its 9 May meeting. Each is aimed at enhancing game continuity:

• Recommendation to make adjustments to Law 10 in relation to players being put onside when there are kicks in open play, as per the current Super Rugby Pacific trial which aims to reduce kick tennis.
• Removal of the scrum option from a free-kick at a scrum, reducing dead time.
• Outlawing the practice of the ‘croc roll’, reinforcing player welfare focus

Third phase: Closed law trials

Unions and competition owners will be encouraged to implement a package of closed law trials which can be adopted at domestic or cross-border level, aimed at enhancing game continuity:

• Expansion of the shot clock for scrum and lineouts and reduced kicking time.
• Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m line from a restart, promoting attacking options.
• The ball must be played after the maul has been stopped once, not twice.
• Protection of the nine at the base of the scrum, ruck and at the maul following successful trials in Major League Rugby in the USA and in elite and community competitions in New Zealand.
• Play on for lineout not straight if the throw in is uncontested.

Fouth phase: Specialist working groups

Specialist working groups will be established to further explore aspects identified by the Shape of the Game forum for further consideration. Recommendations will be made to Council.

• On- and off-field sanctions: Comprehensive review of the sport’s disciplinary and sanctioning processes with the objective of streamlining, increasing simplicity, consistency and fan understanding. A key consideration will be the potential to combine stronger off-field sanctions for foul play with a global red card trial where a carded player is removed for the duration of the match but may be replaced by another player after 20 minutes. The final proposal will go to World Rugby’s Council in May.
• Tackle/Ruck/Breakdown: A major review of safety and spectacle issues as they relate to the breakdown, e.g. the impact of contesting the ball on the floor, jackal as opposed to an upright driving game.
• Television Match Official (TMO) protocol: Determine the optimal remit for the TMO protocol, while setting new minimum standards for technology providers.
• Replacements: Examine the latest research on the impact of fatigue and the number and timing of replacements in the elite game to determine options that might create more space on the field while improving injury rates.
• Fan experience: Build rugby’s attention share via a fan-focused view of how the game is marketed, a consistent approach to presentation of the sport across all media environments and a focus on the moments in the game that really engage fans. This will include a thorough review of the language and terminology that is used within the game.
• Tackle height: Consider the results of the community tackle height trials across 11 unions and consider appropriateness for elite rugby.

Fifth phase: Examine impact of specific aspects of the game in new Rugby Labs

New Rugby Labs, which enable World Rugby to test out new aspects of law in a controlled environment evaluated by data and player feedback, will be utilised to examine the impact of aspects of the game that either have an impact on speed or safety. These are likely to include the scrum engagement sequence and the tackle/ruck area.

Next steps

New Law Application Guidelines will come into effect from 19 March globally. The World Rugby Council will consider a package of Shape of the Game forum recommendations at its next meeting on 9 May. Some measures will take longer consideration and will be introduced in line with the defined moratorium windows for the men’s, women’s and sevens formats.

World Rugby Chairman Sir Bill Beaumont said: “Change is in rugby’s DNA. Two hundred years ago we were born from a desire to change, and we are harnessing that same spirit to excite the next generation of fans and players. The moves that we are making are grounded in our commitment to increasing relevance on a global basis and born from a desire to change for the better.

“That means being bold, embracing change by dialing up the entertainment value, making our stars more accessible and simplifying terminology and language used to explain rugby to those who are yet to fall in love with it.

“We have moved quickly. It has taken a special unity and commitment from across the sport to be able to present a package of enhancements to the Council in May. I look forward to the discussions.”

The plan was designed by the game for the game via the multi-stakeholder Shape of the Game forum featuring international competition and professional club competition representatives, coaches, International Rugby Players and International Rugby Match Officials representatives, union representatives, community game, laws, welfare and fan-engagement experts.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

These mostly look like good changes. I was only thinking on the weekend that we should remove the option to have another scrum after a bent-arm penalty.

 

[LeCheese]

• Outlawing the practice of the ‘croc roll’, reinforcing player welfare focus

I wonder if this will have an unintended effect of more dangerous clean outs (i.e. shoulder to head)

 

[VassMan]

• Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m line from a restart, promoting attacking options.

I was thinking the other week that they should get rid of the mark altogether. It's another boring stoppage instead of either the fullback getting tackled and the ball being turned over or the fullback making an awesome break and scoring a 100m try.

 

[zer0]

Think it would take all of three femtoseconds for everyone will start firing bombs or chip kicks deep into the 22, aiming to flatten the fullback and either drive him back over the line for a 5m scrum, or spill the ball.

 

[Strewthcobber]

They should go the other way, and allow marks anywhere on the field. Introduce a bit of risk into the kick option

 

[hoggy]

They should go the other way, and allow marks anywhere on the field. Introduce a bit of risk into the kick option

My first thought was are you serious, but you may have a point add an element of risk, my only caveat would be the marker should be forced to play on quickly, tap & go. not allow for a slow build up of the defense line, keep the game moving.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I don't mind the idea of making it a faster phase of play but I'd be reluctant to turn it into a refs discretion call. We already blow up at them about the slight opinion calls.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I've always thought it pretty ironic that the penalty for wasting time in a ruck ("use it"), is a scrum to the opposition which inevitably takes 90s to 2 mins to resolve.

The "Use it" call should be 3 seconds, the turnover penalty should be a free kick with no scrum option, and it should happen multiple times a game, and every time someone joins a ruck after it's at the back to set up a caterpillar it should be called

 

[Derpus]

'Ability to mark the ball inside the 22m line from a restart, promoting attacking options.'

This one has the biggest impact IMO. The exit is basically a set piece these days and the territorial advantage a team who can exit well over a team who can't is pretty massive.

 

[Derpus]

I've always thought it pretty ironic that the penalty for wasting time in a ruck ("use it"), is a scrum to the opposition which inevitably takes 90s to 2 mins to resolve.

The "Use it" call should be 3 seconds, the turnover penalty should be a free kick with no scrum option, and it should happen multiple times a game, and every time someone joins a ruck after it's at the back to set up a caterpillar it should be called

Good in theory but highly subjective. Can you then join if an opponent attempts to go through the middle and turn it over?

 

[Strewthcobber]

Good in theory but highly subjective. Can you then join if an opponent attempts to go through the middle and turn it over?

I'm not going to say I have fully thought it through, but it's covered by the existing law anyway isn't it?

When the ball has been clearly won by a team at the ruck, and is available to be played, the referee calls “use it”, after which the ball must be played away from the ruck within five seconds

 

[Simon Tierney]

Hi all, my name is Simon and I am a Garda (Police Officer) in Galway, Ireland. I am running a fundraiser in aid of Little Blue Heroes charity wherein signed rugby jerseys (33 in total incl. Ireland, Wallabies, All Blacks, B&I Lions, & many many more) are up for grabs. For raffle entry its a small donation to www.idonate.ie/RugbyLBH (€5 - 1 entry, €8 - 2 entries, €10 - 3 entries). Raffle draw is 7pm this Sat March 23rd. For close-up pictures of all 33 signed jerseys see here https://myalbum.com/album/3oyHwL7tayn8ee/

 

[KevinO]

Don't like the removal of scrum option from a scrum free kick, if your defending a scrum on your 5m line you would want to give away a free kick to set a full line defense. Especially against a bigger dominate pack.

 

[Wilson]

Don't like the removal of scrum option from a scrum free kick, if your defending a scrum on your 5m line you would want to give away a free kick to set a full line defense. Especially against a bigger dominate pack.

You only get to do that once though, all the free-kick infringements at scrum time turn into a penalty on the 2nd occurrence.

 

[Highlander35]

You only get to do that once though, all the free-kick infringements at scrum time turn into a penalty on the 2nd occurrence.

That needs to be reffed properly though, the super refs have been very very lax in rewarding scrum dominance this year so far.