Priorities For The New ARU CEO

[Hugh Jarse]

References to obscure things is a hallmark of many of my postings.

The Pulveriser is good. Hope he lives up to it.

 

[Aussie D]

I thought 'servo' for a nickname, as in his initials BP. Possibly even 'scoutmaster' as in Baden Powell..... (maybe that is even more obscure than the 'ensign' nickname')

 

[Inside Shoulder]

References to obscure things is a hallmark of many of my postings.

The Pulveriser is good. Hope he lives up to it.

Is that the new High Performance Boss he's arm wrestling with?
As good as any other selection criterion!

 

[Braveheart81]

I thought 'servo' for a nickname, as in his initials BP.

I have to admit I was thinking along the same lines when I was trying to come up with a possible nickname.

 

[boyo]

Problem: Bill is short for William, so that makes his initials WP.

Should his nickname be "Nel"?

 

[Man on the hill]

surely someone who knows him from his school days can enlighten us

 

[qwerty51]

I reckon a #1 priority would be getting the IRB Sevens on free to air. Fox aren't fully committing to it and it would be a great way to get the masses interested in rugby.

 

[TOCC]

I reckon a #1 priority would be getting the IRB Sevens on free to air. Fox aren't fully committing to it and it would be a great way to get the masses interested in rugby.

If its like the RWC then the ARU has little input, the negotiations are primarily between the IRB and broadcaster with a commercial agent as a intermediary.

 

[wamberal]

I reckon a #1 priority would be getting the IRB Sevens on free to air. Fox aren't fully committing to it and it would be a great way to get the masses interested in rugby.

Fox Sports are telecasting the final day, in its entirety. They used to show both days, obviously the ratings were not worth continuing.

Please tell me that you are not seriously suggesting that a commercial network would be interested in televising both days. Plus, the only possible FTA interest would be in the tournaments in our time zone. Two. What about all the rest? Would you expect Fox Sports to give up the two most attractive tournaments, and still pick up the rest?

 

[qwerty51]

Obviously not a full day or even day 1. The Cup finals would be good for 2 hours on primetime Friday and Saturdays when AFL/NRL aren't on.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I concur with wamberal, The problem would be that if FTA get the gig for just the Finals (Bowl Final, Shield Final, Plate Final, 3rd vs 4th, and the Cup Final) of the IRB sevens and all the advertising revenue associated with that, then what incentive is there for Fox to show all of day 1 and most of day 2 except for the finals?

Apart from about 2000 Gaggerlander 7's Tragics, there wouldn't be too many eyes on the pool matches and early knock out games.

I'd rather stick with Fox, 'cause I can set Foxtel IQ to "tape" the 7's if I am otherwise engaged and watch the games at my leisure.

The demographic is not yet prepared to jump on the rugby 7's bandwagon.

Our boys need to start winning tournaments with regularity before that happens. At the moment we are building but a long way of the consistent excellent performances we come to expect from Fiji, NZ, SAM, and ENG.

 

[barbarian]

He certainly made all the right noises at the Rebels season launch, here is my favourite bit of the article:

But, speaking in Melbourne on Friday afternoon, Pulver, a successful businessman who has worked around the world, made it known he had a clear path to lift rugby union, which has suffered declining television ratings and poor attendances.

''We in Australia grew up with a game that was acknowledged as being smart, enterprising, creative, running rugby, and that's what we need to get back to,'' Pulver said. ''There needs to be a commitment across all levels of the game to get to smart, enterprising, creative running rugby.''

Pulver said the code had to act quickly and 2013 would be a pivotal year as he tried to implement an agenda that included increasing junior and female participation, lifting the investment in sevens rugby and reintroducing a third-tier competition. This last idea would be unlike the short-lived Australian Rugby Championships. Preferably it would be centred on Super Rugby academy players and provide a ''clear pathway'' to elite competition.

Sounds like a plan. Let's make it happen.
.

 

[p.Tah]

I particularly liked this bit from Pulver

The initiatives relating to women, sevens, a third-tier competition - I'd like to see many of those starting next year.''

 

[wamberal]

I particularly liked this bit from Pulver

He also made it pretty clear that the ARU has to live within its financial means.

 

[pine cone 3]

BP - "the quiet achiever" from petrol adds of the 70-80's.

The 1st thing needed is to restructure our junior development program because its outcomes are not worthy of the resources being spent. I'd rate it on par with the Minerals resource rent tax that Swanny has flown over a cliff.

 

[Scott Allen]

Two things come out of this comment for me:

"This last idea would be unlike the short-lived Australian Rugby Championships. Preferably it would be centred on Super Rugby academy players"

1. The current thinking must be that there will be a middle tier between clubs and Super Rugby - i.e. a genuine third tier; and
2. There are currently no Super Rugby academy players so the current thinking must be to abandon the National Academy and hand the academy roles back to Super Rugby franchises.

Look forward to more detail on both of these initiatives.

 

[TOCC]

Two things come out of this comment for me:

"This last idea would be unlike the short-lived Australian Rugby Championships. Preferably it would be centred on Super Rugby academy players"

1. The current thinking must be that there will be a middle tier between clubs and Super Rugby - i.e. a genuine third tier; and
2. There are currently no Super Rugby academy players so the current thinking must be to abandon the National Academy and hand the academy roles back to Super Rugby franchises.

Look forward to more detail on both of these initiatives.

Can't remember where I read it, but there was a suggestion that Pulver is not a fan of the current National Academy structure and plans to return it to the super rugby clubs.... Given that nearly every club opposed the national academy concept and Nucifora had resigned, it's an easy vote winner for Pulver to abandon it anyway.

 

[qwerty51]

When the Super rugby clubs had academies there were already a couple of fixtures between them weren't there? eg. Brumby Runners vs Juniors Waratahs. We need a competition and 5 teams isn't enough

 

[Gagger]

Two things come out of this comment for me:

"This last idea would be unlike the short-lived Australian Rugby Championships. Preferably it would be centred on Super Rugby academy players"

1. The current thinking must be that there will be a middle tier between clubs and Super Rugby - i.e. a genuine third tier; and
2. There are currently no Super Rugby academy players so the current thinking must be to abandon the National Academy and hand the academy roles back to Super Rugby franchises.

Look forward to more detail on both of these initiatives.

The RUPA Uni proposal ticks both these boxes

 

[Scott Allen]

The RUPA Uni proposal ticks both these boxes

No it doesn't - only meets the first.

The RUPA proposal will not get up because the Super Rugby teams want their Academy / Wider Training Squad players to train with them not at an academy/ uni or club that is outside their control.