Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

[baselinepanther]

thats the point, ones big domestically, ones big internationally. Some players like the idea of playing an international sport regularly. Its the only drawcard RU has really.

being big internationally has not helped toffball one iota in Australia

soccer too for that matter
being big elsewhere is massively overated

 

[Colk]

He’s famous for his nephew

Good old Terry. Too bad he had those injuries otherwise he could have progressed to be an amazing player.

There was a little spurt there where he was absolutely incredible

 

[taste2taste]

The only reason Rugby is bigger than league is because the northerners didn't do anything to grow the game 100 years ago ( and still don't today ) the southerners were introducing every man and his dog to Union and cricket. Even today South Africans, Argentina's..etc would have no idea what league is.

The Toronto Wolfpack showed there is a market of new fans out there, we just need to find a billionaire willing to get it up and running.

The USA is still the holy grail for both codes, the first to get a semi successful competion up and running will likely be the more dominant code. The chance to play in America on good money will have every league and union player knocking at thier door.

Things would be so different if those stubborn southerners had agreed to the rule changes. League would be one of the major sports on the world.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

The only reason Rugby is bigger than league is because the northerners didn't do anything to grow the game 100 years ago ( and still don't today ) the southerners were introducing every man and his dog to Union and cricket. Even today South Africans, Argentina's..etc would have no idea what league is.

The Toronto Wolfpack showed there is a market of new fans out there, we just need to find a billionaire willing to get it up and running.

The USA is still the holy grail for both codes, the first to get a semi successful competion up and running will likely be the more dominant code. The chance to play in America on good money will have every league and union player knocking at thier door.

Things would be so different if those stubborn southerners had agreed to the rule changes. League would be one of the major sports on the world.

I think union once had/has a small presence in some of the fancier colleges, don’t they? George Dubbya Bush used to play back in the day. Don’t know why RU haven’t tried to expand on the niche they currently have, they’re as dumb as RA

 

[Dark Corner]

err think it might be, play at twickenham in front of 80k, meet the queen and get to see london for free is the enticement, not just going on hols. lol

3 Things a Union player wouldn't want to do is play at Twickers, see London and meet the Queen...sound's like hell.

 

[Dark Corner]

The only reason Rugby is bigger than league is because the northerners didn't do anything to grow the game 100 years ago ( and still don't today ) the southerners were introducing every man and his dog to Union and cricket. Even today South Africans, Argentina's..etc would have no idea what league is.

The Toronto Wolfpack showed there is a market of new fans out there, we just need to find a billionaire willing to get it up and running.

The USA is still the holy grail for both codes, the first to get a semi successful competion up and running will likely be the more dominant code. The chance to play in America on good money will have every league and union player knocking at thier door.

Things would be so different if those stubborn southerners had agreed to the rule changes. League would be one of the major sports on the world.

No English Rugby Union did not want to expand the game unlike Soccer and Rugby League was late at the table...but then again if any sport was going expand it would of been Gridiron and Aussie Rules but they didn't.

 

[Rhino_NQ]

I think union once had/has a small presence in some of the fancier colleges, don’t they? George Dubbya Bush used to play back in the day. Don’t know why RU haven’t tried to expand on the niche they currently have, they’re as dumb as RA

they have a Major League Rugby competition that is slowly growing, few old wallabies getting some decent pay packets. Matt giteau living up in LA at the moment. Saw a short doco on it on espn. The USA stringing some 7's competitions wins together and having one of the world circuit stops in Vegas has done it alot of favours. Rugby league has done basically sweet FA.

Had a chuckle at another story that popped up on espn sometime earlier this year about one of the top comps game individual tackle tally being broken with a ................34. Even aaron woods can managed that

 

[Perth Red]

being big internationally has not helped toffball one iota in Australia

What? Its the only thing that keeps kick and clap financially viable and any sort of relevance in Australia!

 

[Captain Apollo]

Campese wasn’t playing at that stage (late 1990’s) but yeah he had ability.

My bad, I overlooked the "late 1990s" bit

 

[Perth Red]

Union converts were very helpful to the international game in the 90's. After the flogging of the 80's tours GB and Wales were boosted by the likes of Davis, Offiah, Quinell, Gibbs etc to be competitive again in the 90's (arguably one of the GB v Oz peak periods). Its a shame they went legit professional and English RL stopped being able to sign them.

 

[taste2taste]

i watched a english rugby union game a while ago. after 10mins my neck was killing me following the ball like a rollercoaster awful game, but over here its king and league is a minority sport played by northerners.

If the super league dies a slow death they only have themselves to blame. They had the opportunity of a life time with North American teams wanting to join ( Toronto, Ottawa, New York and potentially Boston) at no expense to the supper league with billionaires happy to foot the bills.

But the geniuses who run the game in England decided they didn't want them....yeah, why have Toronto when you can have Hull :/

 

[taste2taste]

they have a Major League Rugby competition that is slowly growing, few old wallabies getting some decent pay packets. Matt giteau living up in LA at the moment. Saw a short doco on it on espn. The USA stringing some 7's competitions wins together and having one of the world circuit stops in Vegas has done it alot of favours. Rugby league has done basically sweet FA.

Had a chuckle at another story that popped up on espn sometime earlier this year about one of the top comps game individual tackle tally being broken with a ................34. Even aaron woods can managed that

Pro Rugby in the USA is an interesting one, at the moment they are barely bigger than your local subborban comp. Crowds of 1.5k and TV audiences less than I Love Lucy reruns. BUT if they can gain some traction in the next 10 to 20 years they will become the premier comp in the world. If they can get crowds of 20k and a half decent TV deal it's not unrealistic to think teams could have a salary cap of 30mil, about triple the NRL or any Rugby comp.

Using the NBA as an example. USA Rugby would be the comp every player around the world would want to play in . Every other comp around the world would loose it's stars. The NRL, Top 14, Super Rugby etc would be like the NBL, players who aren't good enough to make it in America

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Pro Rugby in the USA is an interesting one, at the moment they are barely bigger than your local subborban comp. Crowds of 1.5k and TV audiences less than I Love Lucy reruns. BUT if they can gain some traction in the next 10 to 20 years they will become the premier comp in the world. If they can get crowds of 20k and a half decent TV deal it's not unrealistic to think teams could have a salary cap of 30mil, about triple the NRL or any Rugby comp.

Using the NBA as an example. USA Rugby would be the comp every player around the world would want to play in . Every other comp around the world would loose it's stars. The NRL, Top 14, Super Rugby etc would be like the NBL, players who aren't good enough to make it in America

Americans won't take to it. Rugby Union is a niche game and that's all it will be.

 

[Canard]

Pro Rugby in the USA is an interesting one, at the moment they are barely bigger than your local subborban comp. Crowds of 1.5k and TV audiences less than I Love Lucy reruns. BUT if they can gain some traction in the next 10 to 20 years they will become the premier comp in the world. If they can get crowds of 20k and a half decent TV deal it's not unrealistic to think teams could have a salary cap of 30mil, about triple the NRL or any Rugby comp.

Using the NBA as an example. USA Rugby would be the comp every player around the world would want to play in . Every other comp around the world would loose it's stars. The NRL, Top 14, Super Rugby etc would be like the NBL, players who aren't good enough to make it in America

The NBA didn't just suddenly become the biggest and best basketball competition in the world. It always was and always will be. Every other basketball competition started after it was created and was based on it.


I can't see how you can make any equivalency between that and a fledging code with no cultural heritage to the US.

 

[t-ba]

err think it might be, play at twickenham in front of 80k, meet the queen and get to see london for free is the enticement, not just going on hols. lol

That one's off the table now!

 

[Fangs]

Americans won't take to it. Rugby Union is a niche game and that's all it will be.

Target the NFL rejects. They are good athletes.

 

[Perth Red]

If the super league dies a slow death they only have themselves to blame. They had the opportunity of a life time with North American teams wanting to join ( Toronto, Ottawa, New York and potentially Boston) at no expense to the supper league with billionaires happy to foot the bills.

But the geniuses who run the game in England decided they didn't want them....yeah, why have Toronto when you can have Hull :/

the Toronto owner stopped paying the bills and the players. what did you expect Superleague to do? Easy to blame SL management but the Wolfpack where a sham

Toronto Wolfpack’s rise and demise: unpaid players and a cautionary tale

Canadian club’s much trumpeted arrival in the Super League was curtailed by the pandemic yet the legacy of unpaid wages rumbles on two years later

www.theguardian.com

 

[Perth Red]

Target the NFL rejects. They are good athletes.

I’d actually target the college players who don’t get drafted. Theres tens of thousands of them, all good athletes and young enough to adapt to a different sport. There’s not much option to make a living from sport if you don’t get drafted to nrl, and only a tiny % get that chance. I reckon touch footy would a,so be incredibly popualr in college systems. would be a good introduction for them. If only the game had the money to invest in it.

 

[Fangs]

I’d actually target the college players who don’t get drafted. Theres tens of thousands of them, all good athletes and young enough to adapt to a different sport. There’s not much option to make a living from sport if you don’t get drafted to nrl, and only a tiny % get that chance. I reckon touch footy would a,so be incredibly popualr in college systems. would be a good introduction for them. If only the game had the money to invest in it.

PVL has grand local vision. He is great for us right now.

Gotta take Origin to the US. I'll take Origin 4 to LA again. That's the next step.

 

[bazza]

I think union once had/has a small presence in some of the fancier colleges, don’t they? George Dubbya Bush used to play back in the day. Don’t know why RU haven’t tried to expand on the niche they currently have, they’re as dumb as RA

most colleges in the US would have a rugby team - often a social outlet for semi-serious athletes, though some may have an official program
I think they have a newish pro union comp over there - largely backed by the F45 founder - so might have some money troubles coming up