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Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,112
from my limited knowledge it seems that NRL, Super league and Irish RU are operating based on money that they actually have
Think Japan and French RU are being topped up by sugar daddies/corporations
That's not strictly true. The French have a range of clubs, some are money pits for their owners (by choice) and others are mostly sponsorship funded. However, unlike the NRL tv rights money doesn't make up a significant portion of a clubs funding. That's probably a good thing for the comp, if the TV rights deal falls over it doesn't endanger the comp as much as it would if a large portion of their funding came from those rights (see Oz rugby recently where NZ rugby has had to help bail them out when their tv rights shrunk).

Japanese rugby appears to just be corporation based.

Either way, "money that they actually have" doesn't really mean anything. It all comes from somewhere, and can disappear at any time.

@Dark Corner Irish rugby has very few spots for non Irish players so wont be attracting that many players.
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,467
I am happy that the NRL has a reasonable salary cap and not stretch finances for short term "wins". Better to put money into making the competition more popular and ensuring there are enough players coming through for the future.
Yes the cap is important to keep a level playing field, we don't want to end up like the ESL or EPL where the same 4 clubs win for ever.

But when a player has a legitimate offer from Union why can't the NRL top up thier contract to match Unions offer ? Both Manu and Suallii have said thier preference would be to stay in league, they are going purely for the money. It seems we are loosing 2 star players needlessly.
 

JamesRustle

First Grade
Messages
8,049
Wasn't the Dragons offer close to French offer of 1.2m per season ? Doesn't say much for the Dragons if he'd prefer to move to the other side of the world rather than play for them lol

For those that have a better understanding of the NRL salary cap, when will NRL clubs be able to pay an elite center 1.2m ? Within 10 years??
The quality of French fluff is dismal in the Gong.
 
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gerg

Juniors
Messages
2,487
Yes the cap is important to keep a level playing field, we don't want to end up like the ESL or EPL where the same 4 clubs win for ever.

But when a player has a legitimate offer from Union why can't the NRL top up thier contract to match Unions offer ? Both Manu and Suallii have said thier preference would be to stay in league, they are going purely for the money. It seems we are loosing 2 star players needlessly.
Manu had a million dollar a year offer on the table from the Warriors only last year, or year before? But chose to stay for less.

TBH it's not a bad career move. Going from one of the toughest competitions in the world to one where his biggest injury concern is catching a cold in the outside backs. Probably extends his career another 3 years.
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,467
Manu had a million dollar a year offer on the table from the Warriors only last year, or year before? But chose to stay for less.

TBH it's not a bad career move. Going from one of the toughest competitions in the world to one where his biggest injury concern is catching a cold in the outside backs. Probably extends his career another 3 years.
Manu also had a 1.1m offer from the Dragons.

In fairness to the Top 14 it's the world's premier Union comp, he'll play close to 40 games a season, 26 in Top 14 and extra games depending how far his team progresses in the Challenge/championship cup.

If he wanted a bludge he should start learning Japanese....plus I hear the sushi is good over there.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,112
Manu had a million dollar a year offer on the table from the Warriors only last year, or year before? But chose to stay for less.

TBH it's not a bad career move. Going from one of the toughest competitions in the world to one where his biggest injury concern is catching a cold in the outside backs. Probably extends his career another 3 years.
My god that's a stupid comment. Are you a Wb multi?
 

bazza

Immortal
Messages
30,698
Either way, "money that they actually have" doesn't really mean anything. It all comes from somewhere, and can disappear at any time.
From that I meant spending money based on how popular the competition actually is
Of course that can change over time - but less of a shock than a big backer pulling out (unless it was easy enough to find another one such as for a top Premier League club)
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,112
How many runs and tackles do Union centres make per game?
I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the game if you think those are the only two metrics to measure a rugby midfielder's involvement in a game.

It's like a rugby fan who watches three early hit ups down the middle and then concludes all league outside backs do is walk up and down and then jump for the kick on 6.

Add to that, as @taste2taste notes they play a lot of games up in the NH.
 

Chins get the wins

First Grade
Messages
8,276
I think there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the game if you think those are the only two metrics to measure a rugby midfielder's involvement in a game.

It's like a rugby fan who watches three early hit ups down the middle and then concludes all league outside backs do is walk up and down and then jump for the kick on 6.

Add to that, as @taste2taste notes they play a lot of games up in the NH.
Ok so they do a lot less gottcha
 

astreizix

Juniors
Messages
320
How many runs and tackles do Union centres make per game?
if I had to summarize top14 french RU game I would say:

ping pong rugby (above all, do not take initiative with ball in hands);

pick and go session close to the scoring line usually ending with a knock-on or a referee's decision;

hard battle in the scrum, essential in French rugby union culture (long time to handle it, get set up, collapse, restart and at the end a foul whistled by the referee tossing a coin, nobody understand why)

long stopage to control anything and everything on video (the funniest for me is when they control, try or no try with a bunch of players above the ball)

So a great game made for an outside back player, :D IMO
 

firechild

First Grade
Messages
8,062
Yes the cap is important to keep a level playing field, we don't want to end up like the ESL or EPL where the same 4 clubs win for ever.

But when a player has a legitimate offer from Union why can't the NRL top up thier contract to match Unions offer ? Both Manu and Suallii have said thier preference would be to stay in league, they are going purely for the money. It seems we are loosing 2 star players needlessly.
So you're suggesting the NRL top up contracts for a couple of Roosters players? I'm sure nobody would take issue with that.
 
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Dark Corner

Juniors
Messages
1,588
if I had to summarize top14 french RU game I would say:

ping pong rugby (above all, do not take initiative with ball in hands);

pick and go session close to the scoring line usually ending with a knock-on or a referee's decision;

hard battle in the scrum, essential in French rugby union culture (long time to handle it, get set up, collapse, restart and at the end a foul whistled by the referee tossing a coin, nobody understand why)

long stopage to control anything and everything on video (the funniest for me is when they control, try or no try with a bunch of players above the ball)

So a great game made for an outside back player, :D IMO
What happened to the french flair or has the club game always been like that.
BTW 2nd Divison Pro 2 seems to get some great crowds.
 

gerg

Juniors
Messages
2,487
My god that's a stupid comment. Are you a Wb multi?
Nope. I'm someone that grew up playing more rugby union than league actually. Even back then ... talking amateur days ... I drifted from the centres to breakaway to be closer to the action. And since those days it's got even worse.

Even the most ardent rugby union supporter has to admit that the game has become stale and pretty dull to watch. Teams kicking penalty goals to win. Having a gameplan that revolves around the set piece. But if that floats your boat, good for you. f**k off and go watch it instead of trolling a rugby league site.
 

astreizix

Juniors
Messages
320
What happened to the french flair or has the club game always been like that.
BTW 2nd Divison Pro 2 seems to get some great crowds.
French flair for me mythology created and nourished by french communicators and french press.
For me (sure it's a league point of view, maybe not objective 😂) actual french union game is 3% "french flair" 50% boring 45% downtime 2% brutality.

Great crowd because union game is the place to be.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,112
Ok so they do a lot less gottcha
Mate, a club (amateur) rugby midfielder switched to league two years ago and is now a four nations winner and regular first grader - at prop. Surely that transition would be too hard for a soft rugby back.

They're different sports with different requirements, you can beat your chest about how tough league players are and how rugby backs don't do anything in comparison, but that's just bollocks.
 
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Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,112
Nope. I'm someone that grew up playing more rugby union than league actually. Even back then ... talking amateur days ... I drifted from the centres to breakaway to be closer to the action. And since those days it's got even worse.

Even the most ardent rugby union supporter has to admit that the game has become stale and pretty dull to watch. Teams kicking penalty goals to win. Having a gameplan that revolves around the set piece. But if that floats your boat, good for you. f**k off and go watch it instead of trolling a rugby league site.
Rubbish, midfielders are way more involved in games now than "back then". I don't believe you've even watched a Top14 match.

But since you're being the internet tough guy I'll reply in kind, you go f**k yourself, I like both sports, watch both sports, and like you claim played both sports, and I'll keep calling out b/s comments like yours because we shouldn't give delusion a free reign.
 

taste2taste

Juniors
Messages
2,467
if I had to summarize top14 french RU game I would say:

ping pong rugby (above all, do not take initiative with ball in hands);

pick and go session close to the scoring line usually ending with a knock-on or a referee's decision;

hard battle in the scrum, essential in French rugby union culture (long time to handle it, get set up, collapse, restart and at the end a foul whistled by the referee tossing a coin, nobody understand why)

long stopage to control anything and everything on video (the funniest for me is when they control, try or no try with a bunch of players above the ball)

So a great game made for an outside back player, :D IMO
Always good to hear from you, these boards need more French posters :D
 

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