The ARU really needs to do some market research. Gnostic's views are similar to my own.
I just cannot see a way forward. We were able to survive as an amateur code, and we did pretty well in the first phase of professionalism, partly because of the Super League wars, partly because the Wallabies were pretty successful, as were the Brumbies in particular, and we made the transition to professionalism better than any other nation.
The simple truth is that for a professional game to survive here, we have to generate enough revenue to meet the costs of running (and developing) the game.
No doubt we can still rely for a while yet on the free inputs of GPS schools and the district clubs. But these inputs are diminishing in quantity, and arguably in quality.
I was very optimistic that this year would be a turning point, led by a rising Wallabies side (and with the counterpoint of a dimished New Zealand, at both Soup and national level, with the turnover of star players).
It now looks as though New Zealand rugby, far from being dimished, has actually gotten much stronger after the post-RWC pruning. So we almost certainly cannot look forward to a successful RC.
We desperately need a turning point, some master stroke that will regenerate interest in the game. The last one was had was Izzy's signing, and that was accidental. Does anybody else lie in bed at night and wonder where we would be if he had gone to the Eels?
Market research might give the leaders of our game some insights into what the actual and potential playng and supporting market is, and what the market really wants. Not too radical a thought, is it?
