Global Rapid Rugby

[WorkingClassRugger]

Geerob:

block the rebel league in western Sydney and across the Tasman until after 2020 …​

LOL >> Boom! There it is.


Not unexpected. Disappointed for W. Syd although no NZ team is no real loss.

We still await the actual comp. It needs to get the ball rolling.

Disappointing and short sighted in my opinion. Which is par for the course I guess. Probably could look at inviting another Japanese squad to fill the gap. Plus, start a dialogue with the group looking at Hawaii.

 

[kiap]

Disappointing and short sighted in my opinion. Which is par for the course I guess. Probably could look at inviting another Japanese squad to fill the gap. Plus, start a dialogue with the group looking at Hawaii.

Yep. We know how oz rugby (doesn't?) work.

Although six teams should be enough to get WSR a start.

Hawaii? Maybe. Personally I'd leave them to Super Rugby and the Kiwis … well, such as they are.

But who knows?

 

[Lorenzo]

He should just do it anyway.

 

[Slim 293]

He should just do it anyway.

Well, he can't without the approval of the sports governing bodies..........

 

[kiap]

Yep. Western Sydney is done.

He should just do it anyway.

Then it really would be a "rebel league". [/georgina]

Otherwise, short of paying a squad of players in Sydney to play exhibition games of hybrid rugby (speaking of league … ) or somesuch, it ain't gonna happen.


BTW, it's a novelty to watch some of those games. Dwyer and Ella were spruiking it at one stage, but it's hard to see a way forward for it.

 

[wamberal]

Hybrid rugby is potentially a way forward. Maybe not yet. But it is not totally beyond the bounds of possibility, particularly if there is some sort of new media vehicle which needs sporting content. Uncle Rupert Mark II in other words.

 

[Strewthcobber]

How can you limit where players are sourced from?

You ask Twiggy to guarantee he won't poach players from existing super rugby, ITM Cup or Shute Shield sides, and if he won't you block the Sydney and New Zealand teams until after 2020

 

[kiap]

You ask Twiggy to guarantee he won't poach players from existing super rugby, ITM Cup or Shute Shield sides

I remember as a 5 y.o. kid asking my mother to buy me a pet monkey.

It didn't work.

and if he won't you block the Sydney and New Zealand teams until after 2020

They were doing that anyway.

RA and NZR don't own players. Players can (and will) go wherever they can get a suitable deal.

It's not like guys were going to be breaking contracts. And it's not like WSR teams have one owner either.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I remember as a 5 y.o. kid asking my mother to buy me a pet monkey.

It didn't work.


They were doing that anyway.

RA and NZR don't own players. Players can (and will) go wherever they can get a suitable deal.

It's not like guys were going to be breaking contracts. And it's not like WSR teams have one owner either.

You're completely right, which is probably why RA are so worried about the competativness, and hence financial viability of the remaining 4 Super Rugby teams with 2 new Australian based pro rugby teams and X number of other teams looking to fill their rosters

 

[kiap]

I know what you mean.

IMO, they (RA) are trying to hold back the tide regarding players, though. Even if WSR disappeared totally before February next year, it's not going solve RA's dilemma on retaining talent by one iota. At least with a team like Western Sydney, a few more players would've been contracted here instead of departing.

But, as you say, it's not just about players.

The soup itself is in trouble. Sanzaar were supposed to be finalizing their vision for its new format within the next month or so.

Good luck with that.

 

[Lorenzo]

Well, he can't without the approval of the sports governing bodies....

Why not?

Can you clarify the legal basis on which anyone can prevent a professional rugby league being established, assuming you drafted your own laws (heavily influenced by prevailing laws)?

 

[Derpus]

Why not?

Can you clarify the legal basis on which anyone can prevent a professional rugby league being established, assuming you drafted your own laws (heavily influenced by prevailing laws)?

I have often wondered how this works, but have never been bothered to do the research. Sounds complicated.

I assume (pure assumption) that World Rugby and Rugby Australia's authority isn't based on voluntary submission of the hundreds of different sporting bodies they govern. There must be some legal basis.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think that one incentive would be that if you want to interact with any established teams or unions, you'd need to be at a minimum using (some or all of) the WR (World Rugby) laws, which might be complicated if you are an adversary in some respect.

 

[Bandar]

Why not?

Can you clarify the legal basis on which anyone can prevent a professional rugby league being established, assuming you drafted your own laws (heavily influenced by prevailing laws)?

They can't prevent the establishment of a new league - however if they don't sanction it the players will not be eligible to play in any WR (World Rugby) sanctioned event (international rugby) WR (World Rugby) also would not supply referees therefore they would also need to become rebels and also give up on any international representation. WR (World Rugby) may also ban players, referees, coaches, administrators for a period of time maybe permanently like they did with league players in the amateur days.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think that if you offered a genuine alternative for a material number of (genuinely professional) players, the existing governing body would be forced to come to the table.

Obviously, you've gotta be passionate about burning a shitload of money on it.

 

[Strewthcobber]

They can't prevent the establishment of a new league - however if they don't sanction it the players will not be eligible to play in any WR (World Rugby) sanctioned event (international rugby) WR (World Rugby) also would not supply referees therefore they would also need to become rebels and also give up on any international representation. WR (World Rugby) may also ban players, referees, coaches, administrators for a period of time maybe permanently like they did with league players in the amateur days.

No insurance coverage either.

 

[Bandar]

No insurance coverage either.

I'm sure Twiggy could organise some insurance.

I don't think the Fiji, Hong Kong, Singapore Unions would risk joining a rebel league especially with Fiji already in the world cup and Hong Kong still in with a chance to qualify. I doubt the existing Japanese clubs would do the same and be removed from the Japanese top league.

 

[kiap]

They can't prevent the establishment of a new league - however if they don't sanction it the players will not be eligible to play in any WR (World Rugby) sanctioned event (international rugby) WR (World Rugby) also would not supply referees therefore they would also need to become rebels and also give up on any international representation. WR (World Rugby) may also ban players, referees, coaches, administrators for a period of time maybe permanently like they did with league players in the amateur days.

Pretty much this.

In terms of setting up a "rebel league", I think questions like insurance and the rules could be overcome.

The issue really comes down to the willingness of the participants to cut ties with rugby union. Andrew Forrest himself doesn't have too many ties to worry about, but the others in a prospective WSR do.

As you say, players, officials, administrators, etc, spending some time in the cold.

And moreover the teams themselves as currently proposed: from Japan, Fiji, HK, Singapore, et al., (either affiliated to their national unions or owned/controlled by said unions) are not going to quit World Rugby.

They don't need to, anyway, if WSR kicks off without Aus/NZ. Simple enough, I reckon.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

One of the most disappointing aspect is that it misses an opportunity in my opinion to transition the NRC into a fully professional structure by combining the teams from the two competitions to develop a true national championship. And potentially another commercial property.

 

[kiap]

potentially another commercial property.

Indeed.

I think the kybosh on WSR is also driven from the distressed state of Sanzaar/soup - moreso than this sort of filler from the NSWRU:

"To try to put a professional team in by next March - nobody's got the resource probably outside Twiggy's group at this stage. Because at the end of the day we've got to look after 100,000 rugby players in our own state. With everything else going on it's a lot of work."​

​

Georgina Robinson has in fact updated her article to report that "World Series organisers told Fairfax Media they believed a 2020 timeline was feasible and would welcome the new entrants at any point." And why not? It's not as if a team couldn't be setup in even 4-5 months. The Force were rebooted very quick.

However, RA/NZR are sweating on the future of Supe and TRC which is troubled, IMO. They're clinging on hard and can't consider alternate options.