RU in Australia on “life support”

[Te Kaha]

Precisely. Initially there would be a bit of an adjustment period with the new set-up, but having a locally focused set of rivalries would get the public engaged in a way that they just aren't now.

The other thing it would do would be to revive the Qld v NSW rivalry, as we could revive both of those sides as genuine state representative teams like they used to be and run a Union State of Origin every year as a precursor to the EOYT.

We had a version of this with the initial Reds v Tahs rivalry, but the sting has gone out of the tail of their Super Rugby rivalry because Qlders in particular don't feel the passion with a non-representative team and the games are only small pieces in the wider SR context and thus just mean less.

You are never going to be able to pay for it. It would have worked in amateur days.But those days are long passed. You need to evolve or die. starting again is as good as giving up.

 

[Timbo]

You are never going to be able to pay for it. It would have worked in amateur days.But those days are long passed. You need to evolve or die. starting again is as good as giving up.

Honestly, it depends how it's run.

Rugby's biggest strength in Australia is it's entire fan base are upper-middle and high earners. You see it in it's sponsorship - it's not Toyota, Workers Comp Law and VB, it's Volvo, HSBC and Wolf Blass.

A smaller viewing audience for union has the same earning power as a larger one for league. It's sponsorship revenue reflects it. I've also heard people from the NSWRU and ARU speak in the past, and they have point blank said that one of the reasons they don't haggle with commercial networks to get the game on FTA is because 90% of union fans have pay tv anyway.

We're not talking about large stadiums and 20k crowds, we're talking about turning 20 semi-pro club sides that currently draw 4k on a Saturday arvo into 10 professional ones that draw 8k. I think this is where it needs to start in anycase.

 

[Te Kaha]

Honestly, it depends how it's run.

Rugby's biggest strength in Australia is it's entire fan base are upper-middle and high earners. You see it in it's sponsorship - it's not Toyota, Workers Comp Law and VB, it's Volvo, HSBC and Wolf Blass.

A smaller viewing audience for union has the same earning power as a larger one for league. It's sponsorship revenue reflects it. I've also heard people from the NSWRU and ARU speak in the past, and they have point blank said that one of the reasons they don't haggle with commercial networks to get the game on FTA is because 90% of union fans have pay tv anyway.

We're not talking about large stadiums and 20k crowds, we're talking about turning 20 semi-pro club sides that currently draw 4k on a Saturday arvo into 10 professional ones that draw 8k. I think this is where it needs to start in anycase.

You're assuming there will be any sponsorship. If it wont be televised what's in it for them? Good luck with that but there are plenty of examples of this failing badly and not many of it succeeding in this day and age. It would be a shame if Australia pulls out of Saanzar but we can hope the Bledisloe will be competed for again one day.

 

[Timbo]

You're assuming there will be any sponsorship. If it wont be televised what's in it for them? Good luck with that but there are plenty of examples of this failing badly and not many of it succeeding in this day and age. It would be a shame if Australia pulls out of Saanzar but we can hope the Bledisloe will be competed for again one day.

Pulls out of SAANZAR? That's never been on the table?

Something like 90 cents in every dollar for SAANZAR's TV deal is for internationals. The Super Rugby rights make up a tiny portion of it.

Australia would definitely look to remain in the Rugby Championship in the model RoosTah and I are advocating. And if it's a system that could provide a stronger Wallabies side over time, you'd think the other three teams would be on board too.

 

[Te Kaha]

Pulls out of SAANZAR? That's never been on the table?

Something like 90 cents in every dollar for SAANZAR's TV deal is for internationals. The Super Rugby rights make up a tiny portion of it.

Australia would definitely look to remain in the Rugby Championship in the model RoosTah and I are advocating. And if it's a system that could provide a stronger Wallabies side over time, you'd think the other three teams would be on board too.

From memory that 90% figure isn't correct. My understanding was that Super Rugby and Internationals made up the "90%" and other domestic comps e.g. Currie cup, Mitre 10 Cup made up the other 10%. That was until the completely domestic portion was removed form the package.

There is no way that NZR will support RA pulling out of Super Rugby and staying in the Rugby Championship. Why would they? It's to their detriment to do so. Super Rugby has made NZ Rugby stronger and while it needs to change, destroying it is not the answer. NZR has maintained that RA needs to sort their shit out without undermining the other Saanzar partners. And put simply NZR does not trust RA. After the backstabbing Job that RA did on NZ in the lead up to the 2011 WC vote the relationship has just gone downhill.

Added to this, you proposed comp will be third rate with the best players playing offshore. Its not going to help the Wallabies get any better for years... if ever.

 

[Teddyboy]

Honestly, it depends how it's run.

Rugby's biggest strength in Australia is it's entire fan base are upper-middle and high earners. You see it in it's sponsorship - it's not Toyota, Workers Comp Law and VB, it's Volvo, HSBC and Wolf Blass.

A smaller viewing audience for union has the same earning power as a larger one for league. It's sponsorship revenue reflects it. I've also heard people from the NSWRU and ARU speak in the past, and they have point blank said that one of the reasons they don't haggle with commercial networks to get the game on FTA is because 90% of union fans have pay tv anyway.

We're not talking about large stadiums and 20k crowds, we're talking about turning 20 semi-pro club sides that currently draw 4k on a Saturday arvo into 10 professional ones that draw 8k. I think this is where it needs to start in anycase.

Have Junior and Subbies Rugby played on a Friday evening/Saturday morning/lunchtime and get those players to the grounds in the Shute Shield etc.

 

[President Trump]

All will be irrelevant when Israel Folau sues RA into insolvency.

 

[Captain Apollo]

They'll be looking for the defibrilator now - https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...ut-ties-with-rugby-union-20191124-p53dlt.html

 

[axl rose]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...e-castle-or-israel-folau-20200221-p542zt.html


So the crossroads is here. Rugby’s best hope for survival in that competitive Australian marketplace might be for it to become a game shaped by, responsive to, and designed for, Australia. An autonomous breakaway competition, such as Andrew Forrest has proposed, might actually represent its only feasible future. What then of rugby’s international pretensions? Up to now, it has maintained the hope that it can be both a global and domestic code. But perhaps that stretch is too far, and now, to save itself, it has to choose which it wants to be.



A breakaway Super League style competition is a terrible idea. As a start, they should go all out for Ponga and Crichton and hope like hell they assist in at least one of the franchises winning consistently again. If they have money to pay a Fijian winger close to a million a year for the Reds then surely they have room for these guys who have indicated their openness to returning to Rugby. With a bit of luck maybe the Wallabies will start winning again and create some interest because at the moment there is zilch.

 

[YoHadrian]

Bring back Izzy. It'll be the most entertaining thing to happen off & on the field for Rugby since well, anything ever.