National Rugby Championship 2014

[Joe King]

The 'law changers' idea stirs media interest, and prevents the nay-sayers from other codes pouring cold water on the new comp by saying 'who cares, rugby's boring anyway'. Suggesting law changers gets a lot of unfamiliar faces to be interested in having a look once it gets up and running.

However, I reckon we'll only see a few tweaks to the Laws (e.g. stopping the clock for scrums, no penalty shot at goals out side the 22, etc). It won't be enough to dramatically prevent proper player development for Super Rugby or Test rugby.

When rugby is played well, with real flow, it's just so thrilling to watch! I think rugby's main issue, as part of the professional entertainment industry, is being a bit more consistent in this. We all know rugby is a much more dynamic game than league. But this can be a strength and weakness. You can get a free-flowing type game, or a stop/start type game. At test level, this doesn't matter as much because you just want to win the arm wrestle. At the NRC level, it will matter a little more if it is to gain wider interest beyond the normal rugby crowd.

 

[Dave Beat]

Disagree with this, mate (although obviously it is not up to me).

Keep it in the main Rugby Discussion forum. Does Super Rugby have its own sub-forum? Hell no!

There is no surer way of reducing the number of views for something than to bury it in a sub-forum. People don't visit them as much (I certainly don't, even after posting here for years).

The NRC season takes up after the Super Rugby season ends so it shouldn't be a problem having both in the main forum. The Soup traffic goes down and the NRC traffic goes up, and vice-versa.

Interesting thoughts.

I use to have a number of rugby links in my favorites, generally go straight to GAGR now.

My suggestion of own Forum was a way to promote it more, I note Uni now have it's own thread in club rugby. Manly even have their link on their website, have a look - http://www.manlyrugby.com.au/manly-marlins-sponsors-mainmenu-56

Surprises me how many avid rugby follows have still never heard of GAGR.

I'm sure ARU have valued and benefited from considerable input over the past 12 months, it it be great if they and the Super teams included it on their web page?

 

[Melbourne Terrace]

Those are all very successful and widely identifiable sports brands....

If you think they're "stupid" maybe that's a clear sign that this is a subject you're not qualified to judge?

Any name can be marketed successfully if you throw enough cash behind it, again this doesn't make it a good name but rather shows how good their administrators are. Rugby here doesn't have the resources that American or English teams have.

It might surprise you that You can have a good name with local and historical relevance and still have a successful brand. Surely that is preferable than making life difficult with shit names to start with.

 

[Braveheart81]

I find it hard to believe that a single fan will be turned off following the teams in Melbourne, Perth or Canberra because they aren't called the Rebels, Force and Brumbies respectively.

 

[Joe King]

Am I right in thinking the NSW Country team will NOT be called the Cockatoos? The two teams are not the same, right?

I'm really glad the NRC teams will not use the Super Rugby brand names. The Vikings and Spirit continue on from the ARC. Be funny to see some people dust off the old merch from 2007 and reuse it.

And along with the Rising, they remind us that these are not the Super Rugby teams. They are a stepping stone between the clubs and Super Rugby teams. In Sydney I'm really glad that the new teams are being run from the bottom up rather than a top down.

I love the name North Harbour. It gives a clear geographical area that people will want to identify with I reckon. And with the clubs aligned to it, it carries a bit of tradition (wish there was a 'South Harbour' team)

I reckon Greater Sydney Rams called also be a winner. It carries the association with Western Sydney from the ARC days. But without the name 'western', it may actually have more appeal to a wider area. When I used to live in the 'Hills' area of Sydney, I remember people really disliked being called/associated with Western Sydney. But Greater Sydney may work OK. Though, I hope it still connects with Western Sydney.

 

[Lindommer]

The Western Sydney Rams took their geographical area to include country NSW, all the way to Broken Hill! Hence the ram. The (attempted) connection to rural NSW didn't seem to gel so well, and I'm sure that link won't be revived due to the Easts/Randwick/country NSW team operating out of Moore Park (is this new partnership doing any recruiting on Lord Howe Island?, why stop there?)

The GSRs have embraced the 3rd tier concept enthusiastically, as did the WSRs. And, it would seem, so has the North Harbour consortium. One of my contacts at West Harbour advised me they were working on a submission last year as soon as the new comp was mooted. Eastwood, Parra and Penrith were on board from the first meeting, Southern Districts were late starters as they missed out on a partner when the eastern suburbs musical chairs game finished.

 

[Pfitzy]

Well, true to fucking form, the NRC has barely had time to suck its first tit and shit its nappy and already there are a bunch of numpties lining up to whinge and bitch like old fucking women how it isn't being done right.

Jeez you shit me.

They've got until August, and while I don't think we should be busily giving each other the Head Boy treatment just yet, some of you little daffodils should better spend your time on the following:

A) Buying a Super Rugby membership if you don't already have one;
B) Getting onto the twitter feed of your new NRC club to voice your support; and
C) Quietly throw a few questions out to said twitter feed about how to get membership and show some support for the club

I disagree with wholesale rule changes, unless they're sanctioned by the IRB - who yes are a pack of useless old colostomy bags, but still hold the reins. A couple of small ones for the first season just to open the window and let the air in might be nice.

So put down the cheese and whine, because quite frankly if we don't get this one running then you can fucking forget about rugby as a growth sport in Australia.

Regards,

Rams #1 Member.

 

[scaraby]

if a tree falls in the forest, does anybody hear it? if a brilliant game of super rugby (or nrc) is played, do potential foxtel subscribers see it? no, the game never happened.

foxtel strategy when it comes to rugby should be. 1. increase rugby fans, get them hooked and wanting more. when fans start loving rugby like we do. 2. they might just pay for a subscription. but not before.

foxtel have to find a way to turn non-subscribers into rugby followers. in my opinion part of that mix is fta. doesn't have to be live games either. not even prime time.

Saturday 3.00pm ABC?

 

[Slim 293]

Any name can be marketed successfully if you throw enough cash behind it, again this doesn't make it a good name but rather shows how good their administrators are. Rugby here doesn't have the resources that American or English teams have.

It might surprise you that You can have a good name with local and historical relevance and still have a successful brand. Surely that is preferable than making life difficult with shit names to start with.

So then you realise that Vikings is a well known Canberra rugby identity and the club pouring money into the team?

 

[scaraby]

How many Lions have you seen on safari in Great Britain and Ireland?

I hear there are tigers in Leicester... and Balmain...

Have you done the running of the bulls in Chicago? Been dwarfed by giants in San Francisco?

Seen the Stars in Sydney???....doh...OK we can bag that one...

 

[Intruder]

In the team lists being posted in the various club threads, I can't see too many bolters from Clubland being named.

So far it seems only the Soup Players, EPS and WTS will be filling most slots in the various Gaggerlander fantasy teams for the franchises.

I reckon there will be a stack of the pros unavailable for the NRC due to the effects of Team Rehab selection, and player rotation and rest requirements.

The NRC Clubs will need to be dipping into clubland playing rosters.

The only team who will have bolters will likely be Sydney Stars. Syd Uni alignment with Balmain allows them a chance to further develop what's a very young 1st Grade squad this season. After the 16 Super players return their squad will likely fill the rest of the positions.

 

[Brumby Runner]

So, just to speculate 16 players not with the Wallabies:

Canberra

1. JP Smith
2. Siliva
3. R Smith
4. Power
5. Carter
6. Smiler
7. Butler
8. Auelua
9. Hoffman
10. Cronje
11. Coleman
12. Tatekawa
13. A Smith
14. Rathbone
15. Mogg

16. ?

Assuming Mowen and Murphy are not in the mix as they are heading os, and Poey remains injured and not allocated. the options are :

Ala'alatoa; Mann-Rea; Whetton; MacCaffrey; Dowsett; Van der Walt.

That has Pat McCabe in the Wallabies' squad.

Where would Whetton and van der Walt go if not allocated to the Brumbies? Both are os origin. Assume Ala'alatoa, MacCaffrey and Dowsett would fit back into Sydney teams quite easily. Does that leave Josh Mann-Rea to fill No 16.

 

[Slim 293]

Mann Rea played for NSW Country against the Lions so I figure he would turn out for them.........

 

[Brumby Runner]

If the NSW Country franchise can't use the name "Cockatoos), maybe they could be called the Bandicoots - coots also being a term used in early days referring to blokes.

 

[Tex]

Well, true to fucking form, the NRC has barely had time to suck its first tit and shit its nappy and already there are a bunch of numpties lining up to whinge and bitch like old fucking women how it isn't being done right.

Jeez you shit me.

They've got until August, and while I don't think we should be busily giving each other the Head Boy treatment just yet, some of you little daffodils should better spend your time on the following:

A) Buying a Super Rugby membership if you don't already have one;
B) Getting onto the twitter feed of your new NRC club to voice your support; and
C) Quietly throw a few questions out to said twitter feed about how to get membership and show some support for the club

I disagree with wholesale rule changes, unless they're sanctioned by the IRB - who yes are a pack of useless old colostomy bags, but still hold the reins. A couple of small ones for the first season just to open the window and let the air in might be nice.

So put down the cheese and whine, because quite frankly if we don't get this one running then you can fucking forget about rugby as a growth sport in Australia.

Regards,

Rams #1 Member.

I support every delightfully rude and salty line of this.

 

[scaraby]

So have we worked out a name yet for the mighty Country+ex pats team. Cockatoos would be great but for some reason its a no no for some.
Lets keep everyone happy we could call them the "galloping green beastly bunyips"...
.need an association between the country and the Eastern suburbs....we could call ourselves" the Landrovers" I suppose.....tata sponsor all things Rugby..has to work doesnt it??

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Well, true to fucking form, the NRC has barely had time to suck its first tit and shit its nappy and already there are a bunch of numpties lining up to whinge and bitch like old fucking women how it isn't being done right.

Jeez you shit me.

They've got until August, and while I don't think we should be busily giving each other the Head Boy treatment just yet, some of you little daffodils should better spend your time on the following:

A) Buying a Super Rugby membership if you don't already have one;
B) Getting onto the twitter feed of your new NRC club to voice your support; and
C) Quietly throw a few questions out to said twitter feed about how to get membership and show some support for the club

I disagree with wholesale rule changes, unless they're sanctioned by the IRB - who yes are a pack of useless old colostomy bags, but still hold the reins. A couple of small ones for the first season just to open the window and let the air in might be nice.

So put down the cheese and whine, because quite frankly if we don't get this one running then you can fucking forget about rugby as a growth sport in Australia.

Regards,

Rams #1 Member.

This. A thousand times this. Fuck me we can be a negative lot at times. Just enjoy the fact that what we've been screaming for, a third tier comp like the NPC or Currie Cups, is being launched here and get on bloody board with it.

 

[kiap]

My suggestion of own Forum was a way to promote it more

It's a fair suggestion, but compare the forum stats for the Club Rugby forum for example:

Rugby Discussion vs Club Rugby

Discussions: 4,137 vs 229​

​

Messages: 256,774 vs 27,489​

It drops off like a cliff. I'd reckon 90% of eyeballs to even just glance at the topics (let alone click on them) are gooooooooone.

I virtually never even open the Club Rugby forum. Plenty of others are the same. Even if they know it is there, they don't care.

 

[swingpass]

I disagree with wholesale rule changes, unless they're sanctioned by the IRB - who yes are a pack of used old colostomy bags, but still hold the reins.

Regards,

Rams #1 Member.

fixed for you

 

[en_force_er]

I reckon the Perth/Victorian bids will be propped up with a couple of QLD Premier Rugby & Shute Shield players

Maybe "a couple" in the literal sense but seeing as they'll probably get 16 Rebels (the sometimes quoted number) and the amount of locals who were bumming around Sydney that are training with the Rebels in preparation for this comp, I think we'll be fine.

Same goes for WA and ACT.