Priorities For The New ARU CEO

[p.Tah]

^^^ I agree about the comment regarding improving junior club rugby. The obvious reason is that not all schools offer rugby, but the key concern is leaving the development of the game to a third party (I.e. Schools). Hypothetically say the private schools decide to stop offering rugby, the sport will be in a bit of trouble.
In my view both pathways, schools and club should be fostered.

 

[wamberal]

If the private schools stop offering rugby, that would mean that the game is dead.


My state school used to have a good rugby involvement, now, like all selective schools, sport is a joke. It would be interesting to see a proper audit of rugby in state schools. Interesting, but scary.


But, again, no schools rugby, no rugby. Why would kids play the game for a junior team, how would they even know about the sport without the schools competitions, most of which (sadly) are now in the private sector.

 

[TOCC]

cant speak for NSW, but junior club rugby is quite strong in QLD its only when they reach the U14age bracket and players have to choose between school and club that the player numbers drop off...

Rugby wouldn't die if the schools stopped offering it, club rugby would likely benefit from this..

 

[p.Tah]

Why would kids play the game for a junior team

Perhaps we should ask TPN, Kane Douglas, Rob Horne. . .

how would they even know about the sport without the schools competitions, most of which (sadly) are now in the private sector.

I think that then is a key priority for the CEO

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Have we an accepted Gaggerland nickname for Bill Pulver yet?

I propose "Ensign Pulver" be adopted as the nickname.

Ensign Frank Thurlowe Pulver was played by Jack Lemmon in the original "Mister Roberts" movie (1955).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048380/

 

[wamberal]

Perhaps we should ask TPN, Kane Douglas, Rob Horne.


I think that then is a key priority for the CEO

My understanding is that TPN was introduced to the game by one of his teachers at high school.

So, that leaves Kane Douglas and Rob Horne. Douglas played junior league, didn't he? Maybe Horne did as well? The point stands, without schools rugby the game is dead.


To put it another way, if all the schools that are currently playing rugby were playing some other winter sport, or no winter sport, what would happen to the game?

 

[barbarian]

Come on HJ, a movie from the 50s? Really?

As much as I don't want to alienate our older fanbase, I would appreciate something a little more current. At the very least something after Dwight Eisenhower left office.
.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

barbarian

The tagline "The man with the most original mind in [the US Navy] Australian Rugby" fits.

Kevin Bacon played Ensign Pulver in a 1984 remake.

This may even give ARU's own Bill "Ensign" Pulver a Bacon Number of 1.0.

 

[barbarian]

It's a very niche reference, that's for sure.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It's a very niche reference, that's for sure.

perfect for a niche sport?

 

[barbarian]

No

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Today is Ensign Pulver's first day in Office isn't it?

How long before we see the first major announcement/presser from St Leonards outlining the Pulver Doctrine and Manifesto in plain speak?

He seems to be a man of action, so it may not be too long before we get some meat on the bones of what he outlined when his appointment was announced.

Big Issues seem to be Grass Roots, Juniors and Schools, Maximising Lions Tour revenue without alienating the Rugby family, Governance (Arbib Report Implementation), and Organisational and structural reform, Growth in Outer Sydney (incl Illawarra, Hunter and Central Coast), TV coverage, Facilities that Facilitate a National Team, setting and achieving realistic revenue and profit KPI's.

After that he can set about resolving conflict in the Middle East, ending famine in Africa, controlling Global warming and climate change, nuclear disarmament, and restoring environmental flows in the Murray/Darling system without impacting on irrigators entitlements. Phew.

 

[TOCC]

The point stands, without schools rugby the game is dead.

it would be significantly weaker... but not dead

 

[boyo]

barbarian

The tagline "The man with the most original mind in [the US Navy] Australian Rugby" fits.

Kevin Bacon played Ensign Pulver in a 1984 remake.

This may even give ARU's own Bill "Ensign" Pulver a Bacon Number of 1.0.

Does this mean that we get to play "The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" game?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

it would be significantly weaker. but not dead

Without Schools support, the Heavensgame would be fighting off Field Hockey for numbers, ovals, government recognition, FTA and Fox TV coverage.

It would take a generation or so for the game to get to that stage.

Exposure to any sport is the Schooling system, public or private, is critical to the flourishing of that particular sport.

Otherwise kids interest, participation, growth and development in a non-school "endorsed" sport would be shaped by parental preferences and prejudices.

 

[wamberal]

The opposition codes are able to put huge amounts of money into development officers, and other support for junior sport. We can't.

 

[Scott Allen]

Realistically it will take Ensign a couple of weeks to even make initial contact with all of the people he needs to talk to so I doubt we'll hear too much, too soon

 

[Gagger]

Have we an accepted Gaggerland nickname for Bill Pulver yet?

THE PULVERISER

 

[Braveheart81]

THE PULVERISER

Sorry Hugh Jarse but that's much better than a reference to a 1950s movie that no one has heard of.

 

[Gagger]

His special power is that he vanishes into a puff of dust whenever confronted with a taxing issue