Declining participation and ARU plans for the future

[wamberal]

The whole game is in trouble in Australia. Not for the first time. There are no easy answers. But those who truly love the game will stick with it.


When the Force bid was chosen ahead of the Victorian bid, it was on the basis that there was very substantial community support for a professional rugby franchise in the west.



With the benefit of hindsight, what part did the "Firepower" money play in this? We will never know. But what we do know is that support has dwindled.

 

[brokendown]

and support has not dwindled at the other franchises?

 

[wamberal]

and support has not dwindled at the other franchises?

All of them. It's a problem for the whole code, we will all feel the pain one way or another, sooner or later.

 

[Gnostic]

The whole game is in trouble in Australia. Not for the first time. There are no easy answers. But those who truly love the game will stick with it.





When the Force bid was chosen ahead of the Victorian bid, it was on the basis that there was very substantial community support for a professional rugby franchise in the west.







With the benefit of hindsight, what part did the "Firepower" money play in this? We will never know. But what we do know is that support has dwindled.

Just not necessarily the professional level, including the Wallabies, which is where the ARU top down funding model comes into play.

This is indeed what I see happening in the local sides with a lot of the blokes I know playing not watching any Rugby on TV and very very rarely attending any professional games. They participate themselves but do not have any buy in to the professional game. The code really has a massive issue when people who actually play the game do not watch the supposed top levels. That really highlights the disconnect between the "top" and the grass roots.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

If Force goes I will personally like many hundred other West Australians turn our back on rugby apart from local club, I will never ever ever ever go to another Wallabies match and have no interest whatsoever in other Eastern States teams, and will cancel our planned trip to the next World Cup, and am cancelling Fox subscription. Am totally disgusted in Puller & Cronies going back to Ewen's fiasco, so ARU - Shame, Shame, Shame!

Yep. I'll support my club, but that will be the end of it. I certainly won't be spending any of my coin on anything Wallaby related.

 

[Leo86]

I wish i could agree with "those who love the game will stick with it"

Ive stuck with the Force and will continue to do so. The sport though, well thats another issue altogether. The controlling body that props up 2 franchises heavily out of 5 is a little hard for me to accept that the "game" is for the fans...

I lost touch with the AFL coz of Vic thinking they are the be all and end all of the game. For 6 years a Vic team didnt win the premiership but they got the GF. $100 bucks for the so called most pastionate supporters to attend, thousand for the real supporters (match ticket, airfares, accomodation). Its widely known that the semi finals are the best atmosphere with true supporters than the out priced i just want to go to a GF crowd.

Anyway back to rugby, until recently - national, with SANZAAR somewhat international, RWC international. SHIT. This is "THE GAME". I plus many many others want in on.

Oh wait our governing body are starting to isolate the sport, their paying top dollars to other codes players and rejecting rugby players (essentially alienating their own players and supporters for a so called golden goose). Teams are tribes and for fuck sake ARU Japan is not fuckin Australia.

Side note, not a rugby background and def not a entitled one:

So to you "old boys club" heres the advice ive gotten my whole life. "You got to put in what you want out", in other words there aint no golden goose, get off the pasts tit, apply some effort/planning like your paid to do and grow/support/promote the game.

Rant over

 

[BAR]

This is indeed what I see happening in the local sides with a lot of the blokes I know playing not watching any Rugby on TV and very very rarely attending any professional games. They participate themselves but do not have any buy in to the professional game. The code really has a massive issue when people who actually play the game do not watch the supposed top levels. That really highlights the disconnect between the "top" and the grass roots.

Visibility of the professional game is a huge issue for Rugby - it's hidden away on pay TV. I do not have Foxtel and for my family there are more cost effective entertainment options. For my Rugby viewing, I record the Sunday morning free-to-air replay of one Super Rugby match (and sometimes I get the time to watch it). I do get to Waratah's matches when I can but the fact is I see more of the Shute Shield than anything else. If you want to grow a game you need to be able to put your product in front of as many people who might become fans/players as is possible and Rugby fails to even place its product in front of existing players/fans.

 

[wamberal]

BAR,


We all know the problem. What we do not know is the solution.


Any bright ideas?

 

[BAR]

BAR,
We all know the problem. What we do not know is the solution.
Any bright ideas?

Clearly given my comments I think a greater free-to-air exposure is part of the answer. How that is implemented is something I could guess at all day long but I'm a long way from the contractual and commercial arrangements that are in place and I understand it isn't likely be a simple change.

 

[TOCC]

BAR,


We all know the problem. What we do not know is the solution.


Any bright ideas?

We've offered you ideas previously... you didn't like them

 

[wamberal]

We've offered you ideas previously. you didn't like them

Obviously your ideas were not bright enough. Sorry. Try again. I promise to consider them.


BTW a bright idea is not necessarily a solution. A very nice old chap that I worked for many years ago, had a saying that I have never forgotten. "Is it a good, sound, idea, Wambers, or just an idea that sounds good?"

 

[TOCC]

Obviously your ideas were not bright enough. Sorry. Try again. I promise to consider them.


BTW a bright idea is not necessarily a solution. A very nice old chap that I worked for many years ago, had a saying that I have never forgotten. "Is it a good, sound, idea, Wambers, or just an idea that sounds good?"

nah your just a negative sod who exemplifies everything thats wrong with rugby union in this country, so set in your views and opinion that you refuse to believe there are viable alternatives out there outside of your scope of understanding..

I offered you a response the other day. you were a dick. I'm not doing it again

 

[Norfolk & Chance]

in the interest of thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution to the Australian issue, we need to take a broader view of the global game. i'll try and be as short as possible.
You need global appeal what do you need to do:
1. Stop the practice of stopping provincial rugby to play test matches.
2. both northern and southern hemispheres need to change their season timings so there is a period where no provincial rugby is played. I would propose June to End Sept. Super rugby Feb to may, Aviva/euro Oct to May.
3. In the June/Sept period only test rugby is played between the top 8 countries, with a secondary competition is run for second tier countries. With promotion and relegation play off at the end of the competition. (a mini world cup every year)
4. Let players play where ever they want to in provincial rugby and the national coaches pick from players all over the world. (like football (soccer) does now)
5. Have a salary cap for provincial teams, converted back to the home players currency, so UK teams don't have an advantage due to the exchange rate.


Now you have consistency in provincial rugby, i.e. not stopping mid competition to play test matches.
You have a series of test matches that gains global interest
You have player freedom
Kids will want to play Rugby like they want to play soccer, it is a global game.

Once you have all that, you grow the grassroots with the expected increased TV revenue.

I know it is a bit rough but something needs to change.

 

[Braveheart81]

in the interest of thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution to the Australian issue, we need to take a broader view of the global game. i'll try and be as short as possible.
You need global appeal what do you need to do:
1. Stop the practice of stopping provincial rugby to play test matches.
2. both northern and southern hemispheres need to change their season timings so there is a period where no provincial rugby is played. I would propose June to End Sept. Super rugby Feb to may, Aviva/euro Oct to May.

It has already been announced that after the 2019 RWC Super Rugby will run continuously and the mid year internationals will be played in July.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

in the interest of thinking outside the box and trying to find a solution to the Australian issue, we need to take a broader view of the global game. i'll try and be as short as possible.
You need global appeal what do you need to do:
1. Stop the practice of stopping provincial rugby to play test matches.
2. both northern and southern hemispheres need to change their season timings so there is a period where no provincial rugby is played. I would propose June to End Sept. Super rugby Feb to may, Aviva/euro Oct to May.
3. In the June/Sept period only test rugby is played between the top 8 countries, with a secondary competition is run for second tier countries. With promotion and relegation play off at the end of the competition. (a mini world cup every year)
4. Let players play where ever they want to in provincial rugby and the national coaches pick from players all over the world. (like football (soccer) does now)
5. Have a salary cap for provincial teams, converted back to the home players currency, so UK teams don't have an advantage due to the exchange rate.


Now you have consistency in provincial rugby, i.e. not stopping mid competition to play test matches.
You have a series of test matches that gains global interest
You have player freedom
Kids will want to play Rugby like they want to play soccer, it is a global game.

Once you have all that, you grow the grassroots with the expected increased TV revenue.

I know it is a bit rough but something needs to change.

That's the reasoning behind the changes being implemented to the calendar post 2019. Rugby allowing players to play where ever and still be selected regardless. I think it comes down to a few considerations for the future. Namely, where we look likely to be taking the professional game here in Aus. I think if we look to go down the A-League path. Elevate the NRC and look to set up more sustainable structures in may be an option.

 

[p.Tah]

A post on the Harlequins Facebook page, calling for help to develop the game in Tasmania because the future is looking shakey.

Yes, that is Luke Burgess, former Wallaby who is the new development officer.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...hrowback_story_fbid.633544436839120&__tn__=,;

 

[TOCC]

jobs for the boys...

 

[p.Tah]

jobs for the boys.

No idea. Advertised in May, think he started in August. May not have had many applicants and he would have had a decent rugby CV

http://www.catchajob.com.au/job/tas...-development-officer-full-time-in-hobart-tas/

 

[barbarian]

jobs for the boys.

Really? I think it should be encouraged. Great to see a former Wallaby go and help out at the coalface, especially in a non-traditional area.

Should be more of it.
.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Salary range of $40 to $50k. That will be a bit of a lifestyle change for a former Wallaby. Good on him. Tassie is the place to do it!