Australian Rugby / RA

[eastman]

I fail to see what point you're trying to make

Everyone else on this forum will (maybe not SMI).

 

[hifflepiff]

Oh well, better just fold up the card table shut the sport down then eh?

That's going to happen regardless.

Rugby Union needs some radical overhauls to not be dead in the water inside 15 yrs.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

How many years of consistent failure and tens of thousands of lost fans will you need to accept this is not the case?

SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) this season has actually proven that there is some life in the concept. If it is structured correctly and actually properly promoted. Which is a huge if considering those at the helm. And I say this as someone who has been a supporter of going down the domestic route myself. To do a domestic concept we'd have to add in at least a couple more teams one from likely NSW and Qld. As well as likely resurrect something in Melbourne. At a minimum. But that can be done as part of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) to. Could even do it as joint ventures between both Unions designed to be landing pads for overseas based players.

 

[Derpus]

SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) this season has actually proven that there is some life in the concept. If it is structured correctly and actually properly promoted. Which is a huge if considering those at the helm. And I say this as someone who has been a supporter of going down the domestic route myself. To do a domestic concept we'd have to add in at least a couple more teams one from likely NSW and Qld. As well as likely resurrect something in Melbourne. At a minimum. But that can be done as part of SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) to. Could even do it as joint ventures between both Unions designed to be landing pads for overseas based players.

I think I'd still prefer a domestic comp eh.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

That's going to happen either way.

Rugby Union needs some radical overhauls to not be dead in the water inside 15 yrs.

In this country at the professional level. There's this false narrative that the game is dying on it's arse worldwide. .It's not. We have more professional playing opportunities across the world than we ever have had. All of the NH leagues have recorded double digit growth in attendance and viewership this season. Even SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) has seen growth in that respect this season and Japan's JRL1 crowds grew by just under 50%. I actively follow MLR and it's definitely grown in those regards this season so has SRA.

There are issues but overall the pro game below Test Rugby has moved rapidly forward over the last 6 years. At the Test level if you look just below the surface of the 6Ns the REC this season was the highest quality and best attended edition yet. There is actually a lot of really positive growth in the game. It's just our aspire to mediocrity has blinded us to that growth.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I think I'd still prefer a domestic comp eh.

So would I but I don't get to make the decisions. So if we are going to stay in SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) then there's a few things that need to be done and accepted by those in charge. First, the season needs to be longer with more games. Second, the product is actually pretty entertaining (and I say this as a Tahs fan) and given the recent law variations should continue down that path. So, on that point they need to look engage with the market with the greatest potential for commercial growth by adding more teams. That being Australia. Third, and apologies for the language. But properly market the fucking thing. This includes getting more positive media coverage out there by those journalists that cover the game.

 

[hifflepiff]

In this country at the professional level. There's this false narrative that the game is dying on it's arse worldwide. .It's not. We have more professional playing opportunities across the world than we ever have had. All of the NH leagues have recorded double digit growth in attendance and viewership this season. Even SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) has seen growth in that respect this season and Japan's JRL1 crowds grew by just under 50%. I actively follow MLR and it's definitely grown in those regards this season so has SRA.

There are issues but overall the pro game below Test Rugby has moved rapidly forward over the last 6 years. At the Test level if you look just below the surface of the 6Ns the REC this season was the highest quality and best attended edition yet. There is actually a lot of really positive growth in the game. It's just our aspire to mediocrity has blinded us to that growth.

This is a fair point.

Rugby Australia (and the state unions) have somehow managed to take the game backwards despite the improving international context.

Truly impressive levels of incompetence.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

This is a fair point.

Rugby Australia (and the state unions) have somehow managed to take the game backwards despite the improving international context.

Truly impressive levels of incompetence.

Quite the achievement isn't it.

 

[SouthernX]

This is a fair point.

Rugby Australia (and the state unions) have somehow managed to take the game backwards despite the improving international context.

Truly impressive levels of incompetence.

No other rugby nation has to fight with its country love for a 2bit code like the NRL.

take away the fact our population prefers 5 tackles and a kick…. Imagine where the game would be if there was one rugby code fighting against AFL.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

No other rugby nation has to fight with its country love for a 2bit code like the NRL.

take away the fact our population prefers 5 tackles and a kick…. Imagine where the game would be if there was one rugby code fighting against AFL.

True. Which is why is was and still is important to make the right decisions on and off the field. Something our admins have failed to do since the turn of the century.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

I think I'd still prefer a domestic comp eh.

On a domestic comp. To pull it off it would require a complete restructure on how the professional game is run in this country. Probably to something along the lines of how MLR is run. Whereby it's a centrally controlled model around things like contracting etc. But whether the Unions are overly keen on this is a different story.

 

[Derpus]

On a domestic comp. To pull it off it would require a complete restructure on how the professional game is run in this country. Probably to something along the lines of how MLR is run. Whereby it's a centrally controlled model around things like contracting etc. But whether the Unions are overly keen on this is a different story.

Cut em out and start from scratch?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Cut em out and start from scratch?

The shit fight that would ensue. But it may be needed. A separation of the Unions and the professional game. But with some sort of link between the two. How the MLR works is the franchises form the ownership group but all commercial and administrative works operate out of the central office. Including contracting. So while clubs actively recruit and sign talent the central office actually holds the player rights.

 

[Mick The Munch]

True. Which is why is was and still is important to make the right decisions on and off the field. Something our admins have failed to do since the turn of the century.

So England doesn’t have League?

It’s even on the same channel (Sky) - the game here has been mismanaged in epic proportions

 

[Strewthcobber]

Cut em out and start from scratch?

Would require constitutional change at RA, and the member unions and Super Rugby rugby teams to vote themselves out of existence.

Most of the issues being discussed here, requires this step. Which is why it hasn't happened and probably will never happen

 

[SouthernX]

So England doesn’t have League?

It’s even on the same channel (Sky) - the game here has been mismanaged in epic proportions

league is a joke outside of Australia.

Super league over in UK is on the brink of going belly up.

I’m not giving RA a free pass on this just understanding the extremities we are faced with.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Would require constitutional change at RA, and the member unions and Super Rugby rugby teams to vote themselves out of existence.

Most of the issues being discussed here, requires this step. Which is why it hasn't happened and probably will never happen

Haven't NSW Rugby essentially handed over responsibility of operating the Waratahs to RA while still being in place to run and manage the game in NSW? Which is essentially what would be the model adopted in a more centralized domestic model. I'm not sure constitutional change would be necessary though likely used as a justification for not doing so.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Remembering that RA currently represent the member unions, the super Rugby teams, and current professional players, and it's not working.

Everyone blames RA, but that's a bit too simplistic. RA do what their voting members tell them too.

This is the root of why the game is in the state it's in.

Who should make up the voting members of RA under the constitution? Until thats sorted all the rest is kind of academic.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

league is a joke outside of Australia.

Super league over in UK is on the brink of going belly up.

I’m not giving RA a free pass on this just understanding the extremities we are faced with.

Haven't heard that about the Super League. But essentially yes. I was actually talking about the US with a co-worker who is obsessed with League recently. Kept harping on about the Vegas event. Until I told him that there are only 21 League teams in the US total.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Haven't NSW Rugby essentially handed over responsibility of operating the Waratahs to RA while still being in place to run and manage the game in NSW? Which is essentially what would be the model adopted in a more centralized domestic model. I'm not sure constitutional change would be necessary though likely used as a justification for not doing so.

As an RA chair recently found out, RA operates in accordance to how their voting members want, and the potential for losing control of the Super Rugby teams is not what enough of the members currently want