New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[Matua]

They're small, but produce lots of players. With the small size of Super Rugby crowds in Australia it wouldn't be much worse hosting a game in front of 1k Tongans or Samoans.

The islands themselves don't produce lots on their own, it's the addition of NZers and Australians of PI heritage that contribute to their mass of players.

 

[flippikat]

Why can't some Saffers play against us in Union, is hardly RL talk mate.

I mean you are actually lamenting the games decline and longing for a better time.

Take it to Union fanboy site, like the one that @Wb1234 is a member of.

I don't think I was lamenting the decline of RU as much as speculating on what they could potentially do to arrest that decline.

Now that actually has relevance in a thread titled "New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby" because it's inevitable that RU will try something to revive it's fortunes - and anticipating that is part of the wider topic.

 

[final say]

They're small, but produce lots of players. With the small size of Super Rugby crowds in Australia it wouldn't be much worse hosting a game in front of 1k Tongans or Samoans.

The issue isn't with players. It's with paying attendees, sponsorship and broadcasting agreements... all of that wouldn’t even cover the flights.
Union is broke, the only prospects to grow Super Rugby are even more so.
Once a south island team enters the NRL and takes a large slice of their 1 viable market..Super Rugby as a whole will go into a complete death spiral.
What they're panicked about now is just the start.
It's over for Super Rugby- professional Rugby Union in the Pacific is in serious jeopardy over the next decade.
It will end up being semi pro with only contacted All blacks and Wallabies making the Lions share.

Once the NRL takes over the Pacific and becomes the premier professional sport of the Oceania region, the the NRL brand will be a symbol of the culture of an entire region of the planet and be an internationally recognised brand.

 

[MugaB]

The issue isn't with players. It's with paying attendees, sponsorship and broadcasting agreements... all of that wouldn’t even cover the flights.
Union is broke, the only prospects to grow Super Rugby are even more so.
Once a south island team enters the NRL and takes a large slice of their 1 viable market..Super Rugby as a whole will go into a complete death spiral.
What they're panicked about now is just the start.
It's over for Super Rugby- professional Rugby Union in the Pacific is in serious jeopardy over the next decade.
It will end up being semi pro with only contacted All blacks and Wallabies making the Lions share.

Once the NRL takes over the Pacific and becomes the premier professional sport of the Oceania region, the the NRL brand will be a symbol of the culture of an entire region of the planet and be an internationally recognised brand.

There's an upside to keeping those nz ru sides around for the nrl... 1st grade teams create 1st grade pathways, if union collapses, there's 6 teams in Nz that lose that pathway, yes we might pick up a few for a new nZ2 team, but that doesn't sustain or support a long term pathway to steal talent away from a non existent 1st grade union competition, we just need to be no.1 without killing it

 

[final say]

There's an upside to keeping those nz ru sides around for the nrl... 1st grade teams create 1st grade pathways, if union collapses, there's 6 teams in Nz that lose that pathway, yes we might pick up a few for a new nZ2 team, but that doesn't sustain or support a long term pathway to steal talent away from a non existent 1st grade unlimited competition, we just need to be no.1 without killing it

At one point in time, Rugby union was the producer of talent in Australia too. It's supply and demand. Eventually a semi pro league comp will rise in NZ, that's the last phase of the monumental shift in NZ right now . Hard to see it for close minded people but there's a culture shift from Union to League in NZ that is unfolding before our eye.. once a second NZ team is entered, it will become increasingly evident to most people.
The folks on here suggesting otherwise are only doing so because there best days are behind them and instead of evolving, they live in the past.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

The issue isn't with players. It's with paying attendees, sponsorship and broadcasting agreements... all of that wouldn’t even cover the flights.
Union is broke, the only prospects to grow Super Rugby are even more so.
Once a south island team enters the NRL and takes a large slice of their 1 viable market..Super Rugby as a whole will go into a complete death spiral.
What they're panicked about now is just the start.
It's over for Super Rugby- professional Rugby Union in the Pacific is in serious jeopardy over the next decade.
It will end up being semi pro with only contacted All blacks and Wallabies making the Lions share.

Once the NRL takes over the Pacific and becomes the premier professional sport of the Oceania region, the the NRL brand will be a symbol of the culture of an entire region of the planet and be an internationally recognised brand.

I hope you're right.

 

[final say]

I hope you're right.

It's more obvious, the more I look at it. You'll see

 

[titoelcolombiano]

f**k me, this thread is now just private school boys lamenting the decline of their favourite sport.

EAD lads

Agreed, who gives a f**k what happens to Union in Australia or New Zealand. Just tell me when the funeral is so I can piss on their grave

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It would be better having individual teams from Samoa and Tonga alongside Fiji.

Better for who? RU? f**k them

 

[Dark Corner]

At one point in time, Rugby union was the producer of talent in Australia too. It's supply and demand. Eventually a semi pro league comp will rise in NZ, that's the last phase of the monumental shift in NZ right now . Hard to see it for close minded people but there's a culture shift from Union to League in NZ that is unfolding before our eye.. once a second NZ team is entered, it will become increasingly evident to most people.
The folks on here suggesting otherwise are only doing so because there best days are behind them and instead of evolving, they live in the past.

My hope is that Rugby Union just becomes very near to Rugby League that money will dictate the codes becomeing one and if that happens how big would the NRL be incorporating/merging the Super Union teams.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

It's more obvious, the more I look at it. You'll see

I prefer to be more reserved when talking about the fortunes of the other game. Twenty-five years ago RU folk were proselytising the eminent death of rugby league. Their premonition never eventuated.

Even if professional rugby union were to fall over in Australia and New Zealand, it could still be a threat to our game. The FFR, RFU and JRU have plenty of resources.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Better for who? RU? f**k them

It would be good for RU players in Samoa and Tonga.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It would be good for RU players in Samoa and Tonga.

They can play RL instead

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

My hope is that Rugby Union just becomes very near to Rugby League that money will dictate the codes becomeing one and if that happens how big would the NRL be incorporating/merging the Super Union teams.

If a few rich promoters from America with vast resources played their hand right they could come close to merging the two codes.

Imagine a well funded professional US competition, based on rugby league rules but with competitive scrums?

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

They can play RL instead

RU would have pathways in these countries. We let them do the hard work then poach the best players. Saves us money.

 

[Dark Corner]

If a few rich promoters from America with vast resources played their hand right they could come close to merging the two codes.

Imagine a well funded professional US competition, based on rugby league rules but with competitive scrums?

It would also help the club game in England as well as both codes would get a increased tv deal together alongside a 2 or maybe free full time English leagues...whats not to like about that.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

It would also help the club game in England as well as both codes would get a increased tv deal together alongside a 2 or maybe free full time English leagues...whats not to like about that.

I'd like to see competitive scrums in RL. If we bring them back then RU loses the only thing they have over us.

 

[final say]

I'd like to see competitive scrums in RL. If we bring them back then RU loses the only thing they have over us.

Scrums are the dumbest things that we do as a species.
Not just: let's ram front on into each other but let's do it as a group!... Union is the dumb past time of the so called intellectuals who if pressed will come up with a convoluted explanation about wine and the intricacies of a line out.
Complete f**kwitts

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Scrums are the dumbest things that we do as a species.
Not just: let's ram front on into each other but let's do it as a group!... Union is the dumb past time of the so called intellectuals who if pressed will come up with a convoluted explanation about wine and the intricacies of a line out.
Complete f**kwitts

Our game refuses to eliminate scrums from restarts. If it's going to keep them in play then it should make them competitive. If not then get rid of scrums altogether. The only thing dumber than a competitive scrum is an uncompetitive one.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

It would also help the club game in England as well as both codes would get a increased tv deal together alongside a 2 or maybe free full time English leagues...whats not to like about that.

If a US league based on RL rules with competitive scrums provided a salary cap of $25M then the best players from the NRL, ESL, Super Rugby, French 14 and RFU would flock to it.