Australian Rugby / RA

[Derpus]

Is transparency an issue? They are usually pretty transparent about the awful decisions they are making.

 

[Wilson]

It's absolutely fine that the QRU doesn't want to cede control of Ballymore which is a real asset they own.

I disagree that they can reasonably stand in the way of centralisation of the high performance side of the game regardless of whether or not they feel like the plan hasn't been well enough explained.

The game is at a crossroads and each state is entirely reliant on financing by RA to be able to run their professional team. There's no option but to sign on because they are immediately insolvent if RA doesn't distribute money to them.

This is true, but in part because RA negotiates and distributes the super rugby broadcast deal in Australia. This is a major issue I have with this argument (and the seperate Aus/NZ/Pacific deals and distributions). Each of these teams has a right to be paid for their contribution to the content sold to broadcasters, and realistically they should be paid from an even base as they are all providing the same amount of content. For RA to adjust the distributions and then turn around and argue they're not solvent and it should take over seems like blaming the underfed orphan for being unhealthy.

Certainly there is a need for reform to get the states and teams (as seperate entities) to a sustainable and ideally profitable place, but the suggestion that they're currently entirely reliant on RA for funding, or that these funds are RAs to do with as they please doesn't sit well with me. Not when it's these teams producing content for the broadcast deal and the states drumming up participants that ultimately fund RA.

 

[Tazzmania]

The game is at a crossroads and each state is entirely reliant on financing by RA to be able to run their professional team. There's no option but to sign on because they are immediately insolvent if RA doesn't distribute money to them.

The reason being is that the broadcast money, the main revenue stream for super rugby goes directly to the RA to decide what to do with it. It is not paid to the super rugby teams that generate the content.

Ah! now here a thought why do we not give the super teams a fixed percentage of the broadcast revenue based on the percentage of content they supply the broadcaster may make them a lot more finiancially viable?

 

[noscrumnolife]

Kristal feels Rugby Australia doesn't do enough for First Nations players — that's why her family is moving to New Zealand

Kaylan Morris is a 16-year-old who dreams of representing the Wallabies. But he'll be playing in New Zealand next year, as his mother believes Rugby Australia needs to lift its game in developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent.

www.abc.net.au

Good article, discusses an aspect of our game the administrators across the board should be genuinely ashamed of IMO.

I had a grim chuckle at this part:
"Waratahs head of talent management Andrew Cleverley maintains the NSW Combined High Schools — commonly referred to as the CHS — is still regarded as "another big pathway" for junior representative teams. He says he and his staff actively work with CHS schools in both metropolitan and regional areas, conducting what are known as 'discovery days' as part of their program. Cleverley disagrees with any suggestion that Australian rugby is too reliant on private schools."

Can anyone on this forum provide any insight into these 'discovery days'? You have to wonder how he can say the last sentence with a straight face when there is by my count only 3 waratahs who went to an Australia public high school.

 

[Wallaby Man]

Kristal feels Rugby Australia doesn't do enough for First Nations players — that's why her family is moving to New Zealand

Kaylan Morris is a 16-year-old who dreams of representing the Wallabies. But he'll be playing in New Zealand next year, as his mother believes Rugby Australia needs to lift its game in developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent.

www.abc.net.au

Good article, discusses an aspect of our game the administrators across the board should be genuinely ashamed of IMO.

I had a grim chuckle at this part:
"Waratahs head of talent management Andrew Cleverley maintains the NSW Combined High Schools — commonly referred to as the CHS — is still regarded as "another big pathway" for junior representative teams. He says he and his staff actively work with CHS schools in both metropolitan and regional areas, conducting what are known as 'discovery days' as part of their program. Cleverley disagrees with any suggestion that Australian rugby is too reliant on private schools."

Can anyone on this forum provide any insight into these 'discovery days'? You have to wonder how he can say the last sentence with a straight face when there is by my count only 3 waratahs who went to an Australia public high school.

I generally agree with a lot of your posts however the private school thing is a tired argument. Most of these kids that go through the private school system are public school kids that get scooped up by the private system. So would stand to say that obviously there isn’t going to be many kids coming from public schools because the elite talent gets directed elsewhere.

 

[Slayer!]

Thats a huge loan, has to paid by the end of the world cup, together with other borrowings.

Interest rates going to remain high as well for that time period.

Lucky Hamish is gone.

One of PEPS commitments to their investors is:

PEP takes environmental, social and governance factors into account throughout its investment activities and supports the efforts of our industry to promote the highest standards for ethical investing and improved transparency.

Not sure how hands off they are going to be!!!

It's a draw down facility, not a loan. So, a credit card, rather than a mortgage.

 

[Slayer!]

It's absolutely fine that the QRU doesn't want to cede control of Ballymore which is a real asset they own.

I disagree that they can reasonably stand in the way of centralisation of the high performance side of the game regardless of whether or not they feel like the plan hasn't been well enough explained.

The game is at a crossroads and each state is entirely reliant on financing by RA to be able to run their professional team. There's no option but to sign on because they are immediately insolvent if RA doesn't distribute money to them.

Rugby Australia had the chance to invest in Ballymore.
Hamish reneged on the agreement and left QRU to pick up the funding RA had agreed to provide to the Qld Government.
More fool him.

 

[cyclopath]

They won't. Was listening to BRett Clark and Les Kiss yesterday. And they are still supportive of it. They probably think it shouldn't be called centralisation but rather collaboration or integration, which seems to make sense.

Let's call it Kumbaya and hold hands around the campfire...
...or is that the whole place burning...?

 

[half]

Thats a huge loan, has to paid by the end of the world cup, together with other borrowings.

Interest rates going to remain high as well for that time period.

Lucky Hamish is gone.

One of PEPS commitments to their investors is:

PEP takes environmental, social and governance factors into account throughout its investment activities and supports the efforts of our industry to promote the highest standards for ethical investing and improved transparency.

Not sure how hands off they are going to be!!!

According to the OZ the main other borrowing are as follows.

RA’s financial position remains precarious. While the latest published accounts showed a return to operating surplus of over $8m, there exists a loan of $24.8m attracting interest at 7 per cent above the bank bill swap rate and an obligation to repay advanced funding of $10m provided by World Rugby …. also attracting interest.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

So how do you fix that 70% with less players, less fans, Less supporters, less money, less tribalism, less viewers, less TV rights.

That 70% becomes just another Wishlist.

Absolutely.
They have a small window to get it absolutely right.
World Cup and lions help but they HAVE to be competitive fast otherwise if both those pass and the wallabies suck, rebels and force fold and it’s three super teams again

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

According to the OZ the main other borrowing are as follows.

RA’s financial position remains precarious. While the latest published accounts showed a return to operating surplus of over $8m, there exists a loan of $24.8m attracting interest at 7 per cent above the bank bill swap rate and an obligation to repay advanced funding of $10m provided by World Rugby …. also attracting interest.

Borrowing more to pay off loans
Probably lower attendance at test matches this year too unless super teams can put in a showing and build excitement

 

[shanky]

Kristal feels Rugby Australia doesn't do enough for First Nations players — that's why her family is moving to New Zealand

Kaylan Morris is a 16-year-old who dreams of representing the Wallabies. But he'll be playing in New Zealand next year, as his mother believes Rugby Australia needs to lift its game in developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent.

www.abc.net.au

Good article, discusses an aspect of our game the administrators across the board should be genuinely ashamed of IMO.

I had a grim chuckle at this part:
"Waratahs head of talent management Andrew Cleverley maintains the NSW Combined High Schools — commonly referred to as the CHS — is still regarded as "another big pathway" for junior representative teams. He says he and his staff actively work with CHS schools in both metropolitan and regional areas, conducting what are known as 'discovery days' as part of their program. Cleverley disagrees with any suggestion that Australian rugby is too reliant on private schools."

Can anyone on this forum provide any insight into these 'discovery days'? You have to wonder how he can say the last sentence with a straight face when there is by my count only 3 waratahs who went to an Australia public high school.

Yes
in my experience and recollection they are not regular and were a bit of a one-off. Usually one for metro and one for country.
I recall a couple of lads making the CHS team but the CHS team is (anyway) usually jammed-full of leaguies moonlighting to union to get a rep jersey and boost their stocks.

 

[Ignoto]

Borrowing more to pay off loans
Probably lower attendance at test matches this year too unless super teams can put in a showing and build excitement

We had two inbound tests this year......

 

[Crashy]

www.deadlyrugby.com.au

 

[noscrumnolife]

I generally agree with a lot of your posts however the private school thing is a tired argument. Most of these kids that go through the private school system are public school kids that get scooped up by the private system. So would stand to say that obviously there isn’t going to be many kids coming from public schools because the elite talent gets directed elsewhere.

Probably should have clarified that the shameful part was the lack of Indigenous representation at the top level in Rugby Union. Its simply astonishing, especially compared to the other major codes.

 

[wamberal99]

Probably should have clarified that the shameful part was the lack of Indigenous representation at the top level in Rugby Union. Its simply astonishing, especially compared to the other major codes.

Not really. League and AFL have always been the favoured games for our indigenous brothers and sisters (more recently). That is partly because of the nature of the games themselves, and also that both codes were professional and poor kids could aspire to earn money to help their families: okay there are some opportunities in our game, but 100 times as many in the other two.

It's hard to get to the top level if you simply do not play the game.

 

[noscrumnolife]

Not really. League and AFL have always been the favoured games for our indigenous brothers and sisters (more recently). That is partly because of the nature of the games themselves, and also that both codes were professional and poor kids could aspire to earn money to help their families: okay there are some opportunities in our game, but 100 times as many in the other two.

It's hard to get to the top level if you simply do not play the game.

I mean I agree with everything you say. But would characterise what you've written as a description of the problem - Indigenous kids don't see a pathway for them in Union, don't see themselves represented in our player stocks and so don't engage with the game. Its incumbent on Rugby to create those pathways and demonstrate there are legitimate opportunities.

 

[stillmissit]

A mate of mine reckons the biggest problem, in terms of getting more boys to play rugby is the domination of female teachers in schools.

 

[Slim 293]

A mate of mine reckons the biggest problem, in terms of getting more boys to play rugby is the domination of female teachers in schools.

Is he aware they now have the right to vote?

 

[Pfitzy]

A mate of mine reckons the biggest problem, in terms of getting more boys to play rugby is the domination of female teachers in schools.

The biggest problem is the schools programs themselves. They cut a kid off from the rugby community and answer to nobody in the hierarchy but themselves. Simultaneously, they promote themselves as proud "rugby nurseries" and brag about their rep players.

(Cue all the boaters talking about how the duty is to the student, not to rugby we can do both, you chuds...)