Australian Rugby / RA

[Inside Shoulder]

The main lesson is that rugby is strong in New Zealand now because it has always been strong. Not sure what we can learn from that.

In all those words that's what you got out of it? No wonder the game's in the state its in in this country.
What about the bloke in charge of community rugby whose "mission statement" was to keep people playing the game for as long as possible, even despite lack of apparent talent, on the basis that this would strengthen the whole structure?
To me that is an aim that could be transferred to the ARU without altering a word.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Not quite sure where to put this but the Brumbies have called the police in to investigate the sale of its headquarters in 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-...e-anomalies/6802698?&section=sport&date=(none

 

[TOCC]

I'd imagine it will be along the lines of misappropriation of funds, did the Brumbies use a board members company in the sale of its headquarters?


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[Dave Beat]

I like the above mentioned concept, linking it to some sort of heritage or history couldn't hurt.

But if rumours are true then the Waratahs will be taking control of the NSW NRC teams in 2016 and culling two of them. I'm which case, all of the hard work of the Rays, Rams, Eagles and Stars will be thrown out the window.


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I agree - it'd be great getting the anchor back, and the selection of that team ??? / I'll think about.

I'm concerned about giving the Waratah's taking control, and also having 2 teams, just the same as being concerned about how much talent we are loosing off shore. By reducing the teams only forces players off shore because they get the shits with the set up.

This is a pyramid;

• Wallabies.
• Super Rugby
• NRC
• Shute Shield / QLD Premier.

I'd like to see the ARU concentrate on the bottom which lifts the top, and allows the others push up filling / retaining the gaps. The attached may not stop the travel offshore / it is one of the great things about rugby (ITS GLOBAL) but I think the foundations need to be looked at.

I put together a Rays team through the year based on current players (around the world), tried to keep a balance between seasoned players and youngsters coming through.


It resulted in a team that would compete in the Super 15.

• The NRL makes their 16 team comp the premier show piece.
• Super Rugby is doing its thing, each franchise is its own business.
• I'd love to see the ARU make Australia Rugby their business.

I've always said Australian Rugby is the people and the grass roots, the punters who follow the game.

 

[wamberal]

Dave, there is no doubt that the grass roots is vital.


Who are "the people"? Tragics like you and me, who have probably played and supported the game all our lives, follow a club team (probably played for it), either attend or watch on the box all the games we can, have memberships at club and Soup level, etc etc.?


Without people like us the game would not exist.


But without finding ways to appeal to people who do not have our background is the challenge. A huge and growing percentage of the population are from backgrounds where our game might exist, but is dwarfed by other games, particularly soccer.


At the grass roots of society (not just the rugby patch) kids are growing up who have never played the game and have either never watched it - or, if by chance they do see it on the box, do not understand it.


That's the huge grass roots that is the big challenge for the ARU. How do we get some of them into our game, as players and/or supporters and/ or viewers?


It is a problem which needs some top-down ingenuity (and cooperation from other rugby nations and Whirlex Rugby) as well as well-targeted work at the school and club level.

 

[Dave Beat]

Dave, there is no doubt that the grass roots is vital.


Who are "the people"? Tragics like you and me, who have probably played and supported the game all our lives, follow a club team (probably played for it), either attend or watch on the box all the games we can, have memberships at club and Soup level, etc etc.?


Without people like us the game would not exist.


But without finding ways to appeal to people who do not have our background is the challenge. A huge and growing percentage of the population are from backgrounds where our game might exist, but is dwarfed by other games, particularly soccer.


At the grass roots of society (not just the rugby patch) kids are growing up who have never played the game and have either never watched it - or, if by chance they do see it on the box, do not understand it.


That's the huge grass roots that is the big challenge for the ARU. How do we get some of them into our game, as players and/or supporters and/ or viewers?


It is a problem which needs some top-down ingenuity (and cooperation from other rugby nations and Whirlex Rugby) as well as well-targeted work at the school and club level.

Club rugby whether it be shute / premier (or subbies) can have families and kids running around safely kicking the footy.

Last year out at Emu Park my young little one ended up running around playing with young big islander boys on the warm up paddock. They all had fun together - you can't get that at a Test match / Super Game / NRL game or a soccer game. We have it we just need to sell it.

I've have many a family come down, and say how good is this, and make it a Saturday arvo for the home games.

We have it - we just need to sell it.

 

[wamberal]

A nice sunny afternoon at a suburban rugby match, grade or subbies, is a pleasant outing, for sure.

I guess if we had 10,000 Daves working hard throughout Australia we could make some inroads!

 

[Dave Beat]

A nice sunny afternoon at a suburban rugby match, grade or subbies, is a pleasant outing, for sure.

I guess if we had 10,000 Daves working hard throughout Australia we could make some inroads!

Hah hah, whether it be kids hill at TG, Nth Sydney oval hill, Manly Oval, and the many others. Throw in a couple of Intrust Jumping castles and the ARU support who knows grows.

Maybe the ARU grants are used to get junior clubs through the gate. So the the more you can engage the village clubs the bigger the grant. I.e. dont just have your hand out.

 

[TOCC]

ARU set to announce their 5 year strategic plan next week, a few snippets have already come out:

Funding:
-Professional Rugby funding to increase from $44million to $60million
-Community Rugby funding to increase from $5million to $10million
-Establish a Western Sydney Performance Centre
-Increase development officers by 21 taking it to 74 nationally

Objectives:
-Double women's participation from 26'000 to 52'000 by 2020
-Continue roll out of Viva7's targeting 5/6/7yr olds


Shute Shield/Premier Rugby will reportedly get no increase in funding, junior levies will remain.

 

[Crashy]

I notice Bobbie Dwyer is getting his knickers in a knot re the lack of funding that is going to the Shute Shield clubs viz the new TV deal. At a high level I tend to agree as historically a large chunk of these clubs spent most of their allocation on paying over the hill mungos and other journeyman over-inflated wages to play.

Don’t get me wrong I’m a massive Shute Shield fan but I can see why Bill is playing hard ball.

Saying that, surely the ARU can pay their insurance and other levies rather than write a cheque. Would only cost $10k per club but would give them something at least.

 

[Quick Hands]

It's refreshing to the that the ARU seem to be taking a big picture approach.

I'd like to see the junior levy consigned to the dust bin of history though.

 

[p.Tah]

I don't see the issue with the levy in NSW or perhaps I'm missing something. Just signed my kids up $190 for first kid, $100 for second. It's not that cheap but it's on par with the other winter sports and substantially less than the other activities my kids do. Don't get me started on the cost of ballet my daughters do.

 

[I like to watch]

Yeah it's on par cos the guys at the coal face know where the price point is,and fundraise harder and spend less on the kids involved,to keep fees competitive.
BP levying the efforts of volunteers and their kids is just a crap idea.

 

[Quick Hands]

I don't see the issue with the levy in NSW or perhaps I'm missing something. Just signed my kids up $190 for first kid, $100 for second. It's not that cheap but it's on par with the other winter sports and substantially less than the other activities my kids do. Don't get me started on the cost of ballet my daughters do.

I'm not complaining about the overall cost, I just find it grossly offensive that the professional arm of the sport is being subsidised by children.

 

[TOCC]

Some more Objectives for 2020:

-Winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup
-Winning The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup
-Achieving viewership of 100,000 for every Super Rugby game and more than one million for Tests in Australia
-Increasing average number of games attended from 1.2 to 2.2



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[Strewthcobber]

I'm not complaining about the overall cost, I just find it grossly offensive that the professional arm of the sport is being subsidised by children.

If the current spend on community rugby is $5m, as above then no need to be offended - the fees collected are less than the money allocated. And that's even more true if the allocation goes to $10m

The ARU fee for seniors is $33, less for juniors - so there would have to be 150,000 people paying the fee, and there aren't that many playing.

They are subsidising development officers if anything.

Whether they should be doing even that - is another question.

 

[Jets]

I have looked at a variety of sports for my kids to participate in over the winter months and rugby is pretty cheap. I pay $290 at our local club and get training shirt, shorts and socks as part of that. My oldest son played soccer last year and it cost me $350 and only a team cap was included. My youngest wanted to do a martial art and they charge $20 a lesson with extra fees for attending competitions and the like. Even swimming lessons are $19 a pop (I understand the last two are someones business and not community clubs run by volunteers).

In saying that the levy on junior players surely doesn't raise to much money compared to the PR disaster that it has caused.

 

[barbarian]

This is worth a read: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...n/news-story/e110058fd53eadb145ae25dcc170f905

I have to say the ARU are making all the right noises here. Targetting public schools, Western Sydney and women, all areas they have neglected in the past.

The proof will be in the pudding, but I'm impressed. By increasing development officers and funding or schools we may actually get tangible gains.

When you look at the last 12 months, is it possible that....... deep breath....... the ARU are actually doing a good job???

Lucky we've got Richard Graham or else we might have nothing to talk about here!!!
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[TOCC]

I still have doubts Barbarian...

Even before the 2016 season has started the Wallabies have lost Tomane, Holmes, Gill, Dennis, To'omua and potentially Pocock. You add in the loss of Kepu and Australian Rugby has lost its two best THP's within 12 months of each other.

And what have they retained, Foley and Folau are on flexi-contracts and will be playing an unprecedented amount of rugby over the next couple of years, Moore has been retained but is nearing his test expiry date anyway. I think Hooper has re-signed which is good news, Lealifano as well, but still not a solid core group of players.


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[barbarian]

Fair points. But how much impact does the ARU have over those decisions?

After a RWC year there is always going to be player drain, and it appears players are far more willing to do a stint overseas and forego Wallaby glory than in previous years.

It's an ongoing challenge to prevent this drain, and I don't think it's one you can ever win. More money for high performance from the new TV deal will certainly help, as will the implementation of flexible contracts and the 60 cap rule (which will hopefully keep players around for an extra season or two if they are in the 40-50 cap range).
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