Rugby by 2030

[Show-n-go]

Saw an interesting headline on the Roar discussing what the next 10 years looks like for rugby, with a new decade around the corner and silly season in full swing thought it would be a bit of fun

My predictions:

Australia will beat out SA and USA to host the 2027 RWC and will win the event. During this decade USA will be named host 2031 and SA 2035

France will make the 2023 RWC Final and it will not be against NZ

Both Reds and Brumbies will win a Super Rugby title (or equivalent)

B&I domestic league will form

Super Rugby will end and a new league with NZ, AUS AND JPN will form, players will be allowed to move between teams

GRR will survive for 5 years then disband with the Force re-joining the AUS, NZ, JPN league

Rugby Australia will have a decade of quality 10's similar to our past decade of quality 7's

A fairly minnow country (in rugby stakes) such as Germany, Russia, china will have a meteoric rise in both XV and 7's

USA will play finals footy at either 23 or 27 RWC

We will see greater influx of young NRL players to union, particularly ones like Creighton and Murray who were Union Schoolboys as they view Union as a more financially enticing code once an established pro athlete

Aus to win the Bledisloe Cup multiple times

NZ to spend an extended period of time (over a year) not ranked number 1 in the world

Rennie to have his contract extended with the Wallabies after 4 years

not particularly outrageous ones but i'm sure someone could come up with some better ones

 

[Brumby Runner]

I expect Australia to keep producing the cream of No 7s over the next 10 years. I also think Rennie will be ABs' coach after the 2023 RWC and either McKellar or Wessels will replace him.

Contingent on one of the youngsters making the grade at No 10, the Brumbies to win the Super comp in 2020 or 2021, or both, and the Reds to take it out in 2024 after the RWC exodus affects other teams more drastically.

I hope we see the amalgamation of the NRC and GRR into a 14 to 16 team competition by 2021.

 

[qwerty51]

If Rennie is the ABs coach in 2024 where is Scott Robertson?

 

[Brumby Runner]

^^^^^^ probably off overseas to get some experience coaching at national level in order to take over after Rennie.

 

[RugbyReg]

I expect Australia to keep producing the cream of No 7s over the next 10 years. I also think Rennie will be ABs' coach after the 2023 RWC and either McKellar or Wessels will replace him.

Contingent on one of the youngsters making the grade at No 10, the Brumbies to win the Super comp in 2020 or 2021, or both, and the Reds to take it out in 2024 after the RWC exodus affects other teams more drastically.

I hope we see the amalgamation of the NRC and GRR into a 14 to 16 team competition by 2021.

you generally think the Brumbies can win the comp next year? That would be an incredible outcome. I don't see it personally.

 

[wamberal]

you generally think the Brumbies can win the comp next year? That would be an incredible outcome. I don't see it personally.

But you are not of the one true faith, are you?

 

[Rugbynutter39]

I

But you are not of the one true faith, are you?

No I call it being a realist - brumbies lost critical players and were not top 2 teams so to suggest otherwise is ambitious to say the least. Sorry but there is no chance of any oz side wining Super Rugby competition next year.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Reg, as I said contingent upon one of the young, untested, No 10s stepping up to the mark in 2020. Otherwise, they have the strength in the forwards pack and the experience and talent in the backline to go the whole way.

There will be six Wallabies in the starting pack, Sio, Fainga'a, Ala'alatoa, Enever, Samu and Valetini, and one, Slipper, on the bench. The backline will contain the best No 9 in the country, Powell, with one of the brightest new talent in Fines and Lonergan battling for the bench. The centres will have the creative play of Simone coupled with the strength and guile of Kuridrani, and outside will be the finishing ability of Pulu and Hanson. Banks at the back adds attacking power as well as safety under the high ball.

Remember, all of the NZ and SA opposition have lost a lot of their recent national players. The opportunity will be there for a win in one of the coming years. Not too sure how they will go in 2030 though.

 

[Pfitzy]

Wow. Just... Wow.

There's a young bloke playing 9 at the Reds who might have a say about all this.

As for miracle 10s stepping up? Well, given the losses it'll probably need to happen

 

[Adam84]

Reg, as I said contingent upon one of the young, untested, No 10s stepping up to the mark in 2020. Otherwise, they have the strength in the forwards pack and the experience and talent in the backline to go the whole way.

There will be six Wallabies in the starting pack, Sio, Fainga'a, Ala'alatoa, Enever, Samu and Valetini, and one, Slipper, on the bench. The backline will contain the best No 9 in the country, Powell, with one of the brightest new talent in Fines and Lonergan battling for the bench. The centres will have the creative play of Simone coupled with the strength and guile of Kuridrani, and outside will be the finishing ability of Pulu and Hanson. Banks at the back adds attacking power as well as safety under the high ball.

Remember, all of the NZ and SA opposition have lost a lot of their recent national players. The opportunity will be there for a win in one of the coming years. Not too sure how they will go in 2030 though.

Powell is currently the Steven Bradbury of Australian halves because the remainder went overseas and McDermott is still a bit inexperienced. I think to say Powell is the best No 9 is like saying Matt To'omua is the best fly-half in the country. Might be true, but its not really saying much about about the depth in those positions.

 

[Adam84]

Wow. Just. Wow.

There's a young bloke playing 9 at the Reds who might have a say about all this.

As for miracle 10s stepping up? Well, given the last it'll probably need to happen

That Lomani bloke in Melbourne goes alright.

 

[Derpus]

you generally think the Brumbies can win the comp next year? That would be an incredible outcome. I don't see it personally.

They have more talent than any other Aus team - so if anyone was going to do it, it would be them. Also think a lot of the NZ teams are on a downturn - Crusaders excepted.

No one will stop the Crusaders though.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Wow. Just. Wow.

There's a young bloke playing 9 at the Reds who might have a say about all this.

As for miracle 10s stepping up? Well, given the losses it'll probably need to happen

Mcdermott is a very impressive young No 9 and will be in the contest for the Wallabies spot, but not the Brumbies which was the situation I was addressing.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

[quote="Brumby Runner, post: 1112434, member: 1034]...The opportunity will be there for a win in one of the coming years. Not too sure how they will go in 2030 though.[/quote]

Taking the very long view yourself, BR?

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/co...d-rugby-team-watch.12581/page-87#post-1111870

 

[Pfitzy]

The backline will contain the best No 9 in the country

This is the comment I was referring to

 

[Brumby Runner]

Powell is currently the Steven Bradbury of Australian halves because the remainder went overseas and McDermott is still a bit inexperienced. I think to say Powell is the best No 9 is like saying Matt To'omua is the best fly-half in the country. Might be true, but its not really saying much about about the depth in those positions.

Adam, here is an excerpt admittedly from the Brumbies website about Joe in 2017 :

"Powell really is an excellent half-back. The Maris College product finished top in Super Rugby for quality passes.

He also topped the scrumhalf ranks for offloads, line-breaks and was near the top in tackles as well. His delivery is precise, his kicking off the base is the best in Australia and is developing into a real threat when sniping around the edges."(my emphasis added).

While the observation about his kicking might be a sign of franchise bias, I'm sure the other claims could be verified by reference to published data.

And that was 2017. His form in 2018/19 was better again. Just not recognised widely by many fans of other teams.

I stand by my claim that Powell is currently the best No 9 in the country, and will add that he is up there near the best in his play.

 

[Brumby Runner]

[quote="Brumby Runner, post: 1112434, member: 1034].The opportunity will be there for a win in one of the coming years. Not too sure how they will go in 2030 though.

Taking the very long view yourself, BR?

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/co...d-rugby-team-watch.12581/page-87#post-1111870[/quote]

WOB, my reference to 2030 was intentional, in line with the topic of this thread - "Rugby by 2030". I was really acknowledging that the discussion had got off topic.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ damn, thought I'd caught you doing a sausage fingers.

 

[Adam84]

Adam, here is an excerpt admittedly from the Brumbies website about Joe in 2017 :

"Powell really is an excellent half-back. The Maris College product finished top in Super Rugby for quality passes.

He also topped the scrumhalf ranks for offloads, line-breaks and was near the top in tackles as well. His delivery is precise, his kicking off the base is the best in Australia and is developing into a real threat when sniping around the edges."(my emphasis added).

While the observation about his kicking might be a sign of franchise bias, I'm sure the other claims could be verified by reference to published data.

And that was 2017. His form in 2018/19 was better again. Just not recognised widely by many fans of other teams.

I stand by my claim that Powell is currently the best No 9 in the country, and will add that he is up there near the best in his play.

I’m not saying he is a bad halfback, I think he is serviceable at Super Rugby level and evidentially does well behind a dominant forward back, but he isn’t dominant half despite having a number of years experience and ample opportunity as the starting half to establish himself. But I think he is pretty average in attack, his running game and variety he provides at the scrum base is limited

I don’t think being a fan of another team has prevented me from backing non-reds players in the past. I simply don’t think Powell is a test quality halfback and claiming he is the best In the country is worth little, if he is, then I worry about the wallaby chances this year.

 

[stoff]

That Lomani bloke in Melbourne goes alright.

Isn't he Fiji capped?