Global Rapid Rugby

[Aurelius]

Hawaii is a long way away.

I'm not saying it is Buenos Aires ridiculous however it is still a bit too far, IMO.

I expect that any team playing in Hawaii would play in Fiji the week before, while the Hawaiian side would play all their away fixtures in a single tour.

 

[kiap]

Yeah, something like that would be needed - in the style of a saffer soup tour.

Maybe two tours if there's a double round-robin.

 

[ForceFan]

Christ you are kidding! Hawaii is hardly a rugby stronghold, I worry that the comp is starting to sound like a 3rd to 4th grade comp!

Consider a number of key features:

• No salary cap.
• Minderoo funding a number of marque players for each team.
• Hodgson has already listed any number of International players interested in playing in WSR (especially after the RWC).
• Any new competition has to be better than Super Rugby.
• Hawaii has the be a better home than the cold/snow of the Nthn Hemisphere.

People keep talking about the standard of play without acknowledging the potential of the competition.
Anything has the be better than the dross currently being handed out by RA and Super Rugby.

 

[Rebelsfan]

Hawaii may not be a rugby stronghold, but an athlete with the appropriate pass, catch, run and kick skills who fails to make the nfl might just be interested as an opener

 

[Dan54]

There's a surprisingly vibrant and growing scene there. Not saying it's a stronghold but that doesn't mean its a wasteland either. More and more Hawaiians are beginning to make their way into the upper echelons of USA Rugby these days.

In that case sounds good.

 

[Dan54]

Consider a number of key features:

• No salary cap.
• Minderoo funding a number of marque players for each team.
• Hodgson has already listed any number of International players interested in playing in WSR (especially after the RWC).
• Any new competition has to be better than Super Rugby.
• Hawaii has the be a better home than the cold/snow of the Nthn Hemisphere.

People keep talking about the standard of play without acknowledging the potential of the competition.

Anything has the be better than the dross currently being handed out by RA and Super Rugby.

I hope you right FF (Folau Fainga'a), seems a lot hanging their hats on a comp that doesn't yet exist, with teams that don't yet exist, and hoping to get enough marquee players that have finished their international careers, after the WC. As I said I hope you get what you want, but I think I will stick with Super rugby until I actually see something to make me think there is a better comp! Let's face it if Force was still in Super rugby WSR wouldn't even be talked about , and I suspect you would of remained a fan. That's not a criticism of you, or anyone wanting WSR, just stating facts!

 

[kiap]

I hope you right FF (Folau Fainga'a), seems a lot hanging their hats on a comp that doesn't yet exist, with teams that don't yet exist, and hoping to get enough marquee players that have finished their international careers, after the WC. As I said I hope you get what you want,

Obviously, being a newly proposed comp, it doesn't yet exist.

But I reckon there won't be so many greenfields as you suggest. Many teams purported for WSR (should it eventuate) are, by and large, existing sides.

Marquee players can be a small and useful component but the competition won't just rely on superannuated former internationals. Having players being paid will generate interest region wide - including from guys playing within Oz and in the PIs (from a wider net than Fiji).

but I think I will stick with Super rugby until I actually see something to make me think there is a better comp!

No one is forcing you to do otherwise, Dan.

However, plenty others want out of Super Rugby … and have been steadily heading for the exits.

Let's face it if Force was still in Super rugby WSR wouldn't even be talked about

True

and I suspect you would of remained a fan. That's not a criticism of you, or anyone wanting WSR, just stating facts!

The dogs have been barking on Super Rugby for a long, long time.

Well before the Force were axed.

 

[chibimatty]

Hawaii's interesting considering the Japanese-Polynesian cultural cross-over. If the league is quite Japan-centric say with two or more Japanese teams, Hawaii may become a viable bedfellow, supported by both the Polynesian and Japanese populations of the state.

 

[Dan54]

By the Kiap and FF (Folau Fainga'a), can I make it clear I am really wanting this comp to take off and be successful, I just not trying to build up my hopes too much. I am a complete and utter rugby fan, and I want any comp to do well and will support it. My only difference perhaps to you is your wish for Super rugby to collapse etc, I want it to keep going as well as WRC to be up and running successfully. I such a rugby tragic I even going to Wales etc at xmas just so i can watch and support some club rugby up there. And I would hope if WRC is going properly in a few years I would do same!

 

[wamberal]

Hawaii's interesting considering the Japanese-Polynesian cultural cross-over. If the league is quite Japan-centric say with two or more Japanese teams, Hawaii may become a viable bedfellow, supported by both the Polynesian and Japanese populations of the state.

From what little I know about club rugby in Japan, it is financially supported by the big corporations: Toshiba, Panasonic, Yamaha, et cetera, and most of the players are actually employed by those corporations.

Does this mean that the Japanese diaspora in other countries will support the game?

 

[kiap]

By the Kiap and FF (Folau Fainga'a), can I make it clear I am really wanting this comp to take off and be successful, I just not trying to build up my hopes too much. I am a complete and utter rugby fan, and I want any comp to do well and will support it.

Well, fine!

My only difference perhaps to you is your wish for Super rugby to collapse etc,

No, I am predicting it will crash; there's a difference. But, either way, one individual mug punter is irrelevant; what counts is the massed trend - and that trend is down on almost any measure for Super Rugby.

Let me say again what I mean though when I say Supe is dead. It's that this six month, four continent, round-the-world club comp is not going to last. (For similar reasons, I'm also skeptical about Hawaii in WSR). Without a significant turnaround in soup fortunes, Sanzaar will cut their cloth.

Does that mean every team has to disappear in smoke, never to play again? No. They will look to reboot another way to keep some brand of pro rugby going. Maybe even carry over the name and pretend it's all on an upward trend. But I think rugby in these parts is in trouble.

I want it to keep going as well as WRC to be up and running successfully. I such a rugby tragic I even going to Wales etc at xmas just so i can watch and support some club rugby up there. And I would hope if WRC is going properly in a few years I would do same!

Let's hope it's on desso …

I used to fly four people to watch Wallabies games every year - what an idiot! These days I don't see the value in stumping up for tickets even without the flights.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I don’t wish for super rugby to crash but just better competition which involves oz sides to watch, which could be hopefully both wsr and improved super rugby (and hopefully rebranded) competition.

 

[chibimatty]

From what little I know about club rugby in Japan, it is financially supported by the big corporations: Toshiba, Panasonic, Yamaha, et cetera, and most of the players are actually employed by those corporations.

Does this mean that the Japanese diaspora in other countries will support the game?

Who knows? Suppose there's only one way to find out really; but I would also be hoping for Polynesian support also. Bear in mind too, that this would be Hawaii's only major sports franchise, so if they market to the mainstream population, as they did this year in Perth, they'd be giving them a decent start.

But I will say this, Hawaii is a big part of Japanese culture, in a similar way that Bali is part of Australiana- it's their "go to" vacation spot that every man and his dog have visited. Plus, there's a very large Hawaiian-based Japanese community who've been there for hundreds of years. If they are looking at basing teams in Tonga or Samoa, especially with the financial risk and small populations, then I'd certainly consider the option of a Hawaiian-based franchise. Also, if there aren't any teams west of Perth, Singapore and Hong Kong in the competition, then Hawaii is only an actual two hours difference from Fiji.

I'm working on the premise too, that WSR will be organised and marketed better than Super Rugby, as they have already shown in Perth, so it could be workable if done correctly.

 

[hoggy]

I don’t wish for super rugby to crash but just better competition which involves oz sides to watch, which could be hopefully both wsr and improved super rugby (and hopefully rebranded) competition.

That is pretty much what i was hoping for, but sadly I just can't see it happening as there are to many people with vested interests in the current set up, and in some ways understandably all are looking after there own interests. My point is that the RA even if they want to are incapable of initiating that change.

But without far greater growth at a domestic level, there is little chance of rugby in Australia remaining a major code.

Yet the RA are 99.9% focused on the Wallabies a brand that is slowly but surely becoming irrelevant in the sporting landscape here, yet they are utterly reliant on Wallaby success for income and growth, without accepting it that it is 100% guaranteed to slowly but surely fail.
You cannot build something from the top down when you ultimately need to rely on its foundations, when you have none.

 

[chibimatty]

Relying solely on the Wallabies brand is such an unfortunate example of putting all your eggs into one basket. I must admit, I thought the All Blacks, Wallabies, and Springboks were the only brands in town for a long time; but after this season's WSR exhibition series, I realise there is a market out there for people who want more than just that. The fact that the Hong Kong and Panasonic games got such good attendances showed me as much.

Rugby needs to embrace a lot more of what it has, what the public have forgotten, and grab it and show people it's still there; they are starving for something different, they just want to go to a game and enjoy it, like they used to. I think the WSR and the Shute Shield finals attendances are an indicator of this.

 

[dru]

That is pretty much what i was hoping for, but sadly I just can't see it happening as there are to many people with vested interests in the current set up, and in some ways understandably all are looking after there own interests. My point is that the RA even if they want to are incapable of initiating that change.

But without far greater growth at a domestic level, there is little chance of rugby in Australia remaining a major code.

Yet the RA are 99.9% focused on the Wallabies a brand that is slowly but surely becoming irrelevant in the sporting landscape here, yet they are utterly reliant on Wallaby success for income and growth, without accepting it that it is 100% guaranteed to slowly but surely fail.
You cannot build something from the top down when you ultimately need to rely on its foundations, when you have none.

We've been far from a major code in Australia for many, many years. The question at this point is whether or nor professional rugby can survive on it's dwindling foundations.

 

[wamberal]

We've been far from a major code in Australia for many, many years. The question at this point is whether or nor professional rugby can survive on it's dwindling foundations.

And how to ensure we survive. Step one: set achievable objectives. Step two: work together in a cooperative spirit to achieve those objectives.

 

[AFL_Converted]

And how to ensure we survive. Step one: set achievable objectives. Step two: work together in a cooperative spirit to achieve those objectives.

What? You mean the administrators become as professional as the players? Good Lord Man, the world would end !

 

[ForceFan]

And how to ensure we survive. Step one: set achievable objectives. Step two: work together in a cooperative spirit to achieve those objectives.

This thread is actually about World Series Rugby.
World Series Rugby is being established with the financial support of Minderoo/Andrew Forrest to safeguard/maintain professional rugby in Western Australia.

Rugby Australia by its actions has shown that it has ZERO interest in helping professional rugby survive in WA.
The RA stated development pathway for WA rugby players is Club Rugby - NRC - Super Rugby for a team in the East.
RA funding for WA Rugby is now less than that offered to Northern Territory, Sth Australia or Tasmania.

Minderoo has offered $$s to assist RA build the game outside of WA but its offers (Grass Roots Rugby & Western Sydney) have been rejected.

Clearly it's NOT Minderoo's role to help professional rugby survive in the rest of Australia.

The announcements re WSR in 2019 are close.
It looks like an exciting development to grow the professional game in WA and throughout the Indian-Pacific/Asia region.
There was evidently a great amount of media interest in the new competition at the Sports Media conference in Monaco.

Minderoo HAS set achievable objectives and IS working together in a cooperative spirit with all of the Unions in the region, and with World Rugby, to achieve these objectives.

It's up to RA to do the same in Australia. I'm not going to hold my breath.........

Can we please get the thread back to World Series Rugby
(or whatever it's going to be called in an effort to keep everybody - including World Rugby - happy).

 

[wamberal]

Enjoy yourselves.