Tonga v Samoa teams for Oct 7

[Polynesian Warrior]

Funny man, I dont need anyone to the rescue,you stated that NZedders dont have paranoia to other sports,I say they do,the majority dont,but some do.Cant be any clearer than that.Spiros Zavos writes for the SMH and he is a NZedder,not a Tibetan.Get the drift ?
You have just confirmed my views on Burleigh thanks mate.

Some like one relative of yours ? Spiros was born in NZ and so did Karlmicheal Hunt . Get the drift ?

I haven't seen Burleigh played because theyre too far away but Im sure another inlaw of yours would have told you that one .

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Palms,

You are absolutely right about the club level needing more hype, and a better competition. Club attendances have been poor since the year dot, and they really should be better. I have watched some club games over the past three or four years which have been really good games of rugby.

The ABC tv coverage is one big problem, as is the standard of the playing surfaces for most of the clubs.

Everybody agrees that a national competition is the answer, the money is there for it, but it might take a little while yet. One big problem is that the timing of our season is now based on New Zealand wanting to run their National competition late in the year.

It would make much more sense for us all if National competitions started when the Super 14 starts, followed by the Test series, with the Super 14 interspersed.

This will happen, the NPC is slowly losing its appeal compared to the Super 14. My guess is that the next SAANZAR contract will be based on National competitions, followed by a Super 15 and Test series.

My name here is based on 1999, the year my wife and I were married, and of course the year that the Woodies finally won a first grade premiership.

Well i hope the Woodies would still be playing in the Sydney comp in the future, and don't have to ask if they can join the NZ NPC in the future .

The NPC is now the club comp of New Zealand and S14 the provincial and it would never change to accomodate any Aussie future comps .
The Currie Cup and NPC has alot of history for it to be scrap .

 

[Woods99]

Well you would be wrong. SA will not be in the next Super 12/14... They may stay for the Tri-series but that will be it. There will be a super 10/11 with Six NZ teams. North harbour and northland will be the 6th team and five from Aussie. melbourne will be added. There may be a PI or japan team but that will be it.

Australia has no market for domestic rugby. A national club comp will not earn enough money to pay its players. Without NZ Aussie will be stuffed.

Te Kaha,

You could be right about South Africa leaving the Super 14/15 or whatever.

It would make sense to get Japan into a similar series, for obvious financial reasons. There is a lot of corporate money for rugby union in Japan.

I am not so sure that Australia does not have market for a domestic national competition. Attendances at international matches, and growing attendances at Super 12 games might indicate otherwise. The Reds and the Waratahs are taking steps to move some games to bigger venues (eg Suncorp and Telstra).

The new Perth franchise has 19000 members already, which indicates that there is untapped money out there. I have little doubt that a Melbourne franchise will also be very successful financially.

Quite a few players in a National Competition will be getting the bulk of their player payments from Wallaby, Super 14/15 and Academy payments.

New Zealand needs Australia as much as we need New Zealand. The Bledisloe and Super 14/15 are important for New Zealand as well as for Australian rugby union.

 

[Woods99]

Houston, I think we have problem!
Go on Woods, give it to him. Tell him how wrong he is!
This post is a total disregard for party unity!

GM,

I know that this is an unusual concept, but it is actually possible to have differing ideas without that necessarily being a problem. We are both guessing about the future.

I look forward to many, many more years of debate with you, as that future unfolds.

 

[Woods99]

I think you have typed that out wrong, Woods. Didn’t you mean to say:

“The ABC tv coverage is one big problem, as it exposes the standard of the players?”

GM,

I would dearly love to attend a game with you at TG Milner Field. Say, Eastwood vs Randwick. How about it?

The game looks a helluva lot better live than it does on the ABC coverage. That is the absolute truth. I have agreed this point before....it is one of the most obvious problems that the NSWRU, maybe the ARU, has to address before a National competition is introduced.

The Brisbane club games, which are always televised at Ballymore, look far better.

 

[Green Machine]

GM,

I know that this is an unusual concept, but it is actually possible to have differing ideas without that necessarily being a problem. We are both guessing about the future.

Are you saying, just Kite Flying?

I look forward to many, many more years of debate with you, as that future unfolds.

Woods, I was just shocked. In most cases I have observed that when Rugby Union, Australian Rules or Soccer fans come on Rugby League forum sites and try highjack Rugby League topics, the Non Rugby League fans (in most cases) usually sing from the same hymn sheet.

 

[Te Kaha]

Te Kaha, I am not so sure that Australia does not have market for a domestic national competition. Attendances at international matches, and growing attendances at Super 12 games might indicate otherwise. The Reds and the Waratahs are taking steps to move some games to bigger venues (eg Suncorp and Telstra).

I am sure they DONT have the support. You can not run a fully professional comp with only gate receipts. Sponsorship for a provential comp will only be there if they have TV coverage. There is none or next to none in AUS.

New Zealand needs Australia as much as we need New Zealand. The Bledisloe and Super 14/15 are important for New Zealand as well as for Australian rugby union.

Sky TV has NZ Rugby as its biggest drawcard. It hs already stated several times that it will fund NZ Rugby. While having AUS teams will increase the value it is not essential.

 

[bender]

I am sure they DONT have the support. You can not run a fully professional comp with only gate receipts. Sponsorship for a provential comp will only be there if they have TV coverage. There is none or next to none in AUS.

Sky TV has NZ Rugby as its biggest drawcard. It hs already stated several times that it will fund NZ Rugby. While having AUS teams will increase the value it is not essential.

I am not a rugby fan, but if Australia want a national competition club competition, shouldnt they start by introducing a Brisbane and Sydney Team into the NZ NPC (is that what it is called)? Similar to the way NZ has but teams into the NRL and Aleague.

 

[taipan]

Some like one relative of yours ? Spiros was born in NZ and so did Karlmicheal Hunt . Get the drift ?

I haven't seen Burleigh played because theyre too far away but Im sure another inlaw of yours would have told you that one .

Mate dont tell anyone just a secret between you and me, but I have visited NZ and the Gold Coast(over many years) and watched league on the Gold Coast: Seagulls,Giants,Tugun and Burleigh without the in -laws ,just little ole me.Gotta get my winter holiday fix;-)
So I am capable of forming an opinion on my experience,and not be s..stirred by your comments.
I have no idea what K Hunt has to do with some NZedders who rubbish league.
I dont rib you when you throw up your experiences with family and friends watching league and union, maybe you could show the same respect.Then again maybe not.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

I am not a rugby fan, but if Australia want a national competition club competition, shouldnt they start by introducing a Brisbane and Sydney Team into the NZ NPC (is that what it is called)? Similar to the way NZ has but teams into the NRL and Aleague.

They have try in the past to join the NPC but NZRFU put an end to it . The NPC are doing allright without any Aussie teams .

Next year the NPC is been revamp with a 14 team priemiership and a $2 million salary cap and a 18 second division amateur comp .
But the big teams like Auckland and Canterbury are hoping for a bigger salary cap of $3 million or more .

 

[winnyason]

Te Kaha,

You could be right about South Africa leaving the Super 14/15 or whatever.

It would make sense to get Japan into a similar series, for obvious financial reasons. There is a lot of corporate money for rugby union in Japan.

I am not so sure that Australia does not have market for a domestic national competition. Attendances at international matches, and growing attendances at Super 12 games might indicate otherwise. The Reds and the Waratahs are taking steps to move some games to bigger venues (eg Suncorp and Telstra).

The new Perth franchise has 19000 members already, which indicates that there is untapped money out there. I have little doubt that a Melbourne franchise will also be very successful financially.

Quite a few players in a National Competition will be getting the bulk of their player payments from Wallaby, Super 14/15 and Academy payments.

New Zealand needs Australia as much as we need New Zealand. The Bledisloe and Super 14/15 are important for New Zealand as well as for Australian rugby union.

some really good points there woods99, japan should not be ignored however i doubt they will ever be at the same level as sa,nz or us aussies, sure there money is good but i see they would get flogged for about 5 6 seasons before any improvement.
argentina is the country that should not be ignored if they had a super 12 team, many of there stars in the french comp & english would join this side, i have no doubt they would be competitive form day one, the down side is the travel factor & lack of money in argentina.
i see now there focus has shifted from the super 14 to a six nations birth surely a better option than italy(crap), romania with a bit of money would do a better job than the italians.
the pacific islands would be the same as aregies to super 14 lack of money.
could you tell me woods have the usa got plans for a eventual pro comp, or altenatively a provincial comp between them canada & argies.

 

[Copa]

some really good points there woods99, japan should not be ignored however i doubt they will ever be at the same level as sa,nz or us aussies, sure there money is good but i see they would get flogged for about 5 6 seasons before any improvement.
argentina is the country that should not be ignored if they had a super 12 team, many of there stars in the french comp & english would join this side, i have no doubt they would be competitive form day one, the down side is the travel factor & lack of money in argentina.
i see now there focus has shifted from the super 14 to a six nations birth surely a better option than italy(crap), romania with a bit of money would do a better job than the italians.
the pacific islands would be the same as aregies to super 14 lack of money.
could you tell me woods have the usa got plans for a eventual pro comp, or altenatively a provincial comp between them canada & argies.

There was recenetly an article in the Japan Times about RU in Japan... they interviewed one of the head honchos... he said RU is slowing decreasing in popularity and player numbers are massively inflated... apparently there may be ,for example, 100 players at a club but only one team will be chosen and the rest will just train and never get a game ever.
This is the link http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/features/life2005/fl20050605x1.htm
"The level and popularity of rugby in Japan has been falling, and if we wait it could be too late. " - Seiji Hirao, Japan Times, June 5, 2005

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

some really good points there woods99, japan should not be ignored however i doubt they will ever be at the same level as sa,nz or us aussies, sure there money is good but i see they would get flogged for about 5 6 seasons before any improvement.
argentina is the country that should not be ignored if they had a super 12 team, many of there stars in the french comp & english would join this side, i have no doubt they would be competitive form day one, the down side is the travel factor & lack of money in argentina.
i see now there focus has shifted from the super 14 to a six nations birth surely a better option than italy(crap), romania with a bit of money would do a better job than the italians.
the pacific islands would be the same as aregies to super 14 lack of money.
could you tell me woods have the usa got plans for a eventual pro comp, or altenatively a provincial comp between them canada & argies.

The IRB have just invest alot of money into the Pacific Nations as well as Argentina .


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FIJI RUGBY UNION[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]

[/font][font=Verdana,Arial]Wednesday, 31 August, 2005[/font][font=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
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[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]IRB approves Pacific Islands Development Platform
[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
The IRB Pacific Islands Advisory Committee held its inaugural meeting in Lautoka on Wednesday and put in place the required planning platform that will see the immediate introduction of a rugby development programme in Fiji, Samoa and Tonga at an estimated investment cost some F$24million over the next three years.

The Committee was created by the IRB Executive Committee to oversee the establishment and implementation of the programme in the region as part of the IRB’s Strategic Plan.

“This very positive meeting in Fiji was a great boost for rugby in the region,” stated PIAC Chairman, Bob Tuckey. "Agreement was reached on a wide variety of practical issues including the creation of the management platform that will launch the three key elements of the development programme – infrastructure, high performance and tournaments."

“The IRB will invest more than £3million (F$9million) on infrastructure and high performance requirements in the three Pacific Island Unions. Additionally up to £4million (F$12million) will be invested in a Pacific League cross border competition, involving two regional teams from each of the three Unions, and a Pacific Six Nations tournament potentially involving Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Japan, and teams from Australia and New Zealand.”

“The infrastructure and high performance gap assessment that was undertaken via Union audits earlier this year clearly identified what is required in each Union including the need for suitably qualified personnel. The details of the two new tournaments that will provide the Unions with a more competitive playing environment are also being advanced and we hope to have agreement on their structure in the near future.”

“In the meeting, the IRB emphasised that this new development programme funding would be over and above the funding the Unions receive on an annual basis from the organisation. Over the last three years the three Unions have received more than £2.5million (F$7.5million) in assistance via trust grant allocations and participation costs in tournaments such as the Pacific Tri-Nations, Under 21 and U19 World Championships and IRB Sevens.”


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[Polynesian Warrior]

There was recenetly an article in the Japan Times about RU in Japan... they interviewed one of the head honchos... he said RU is slowing decreasing in popularity and player numbers are massively inflated... apparently there may be ,for example, 100 players at a club but only one team will be chosen and the rest will just train and never get a game ever.
This is the link http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/features/life2005/fl20050605x1.htm
"The level and popularity of rugby in Japan has been falling, and if we wait it could be too late. " - Seiji Hirao, Japan Times, June 5, 2005

Japan rugby has always been controlled by the companys and there are over 50 companies all over Japan that contest the rich company comp .
They have jus start a 12 company priemiership comp and also a playoff system against the best University in Japan .
The Japanesse university playoff and finals are played at the national stadium in Tokyo and always draw a capacity crowd of 70,000 .

 

[Copa]

Japan rugby has always been controlled by the companys and there are over 50 companies all over Japan that contest the rich company comp .
They have jus start a 12 company priemiership comp and also a playoff system against the best University in Japan .
The Japanesse university playoff and finals are played at the national stadium in Tokyo and always draw a capacity crowd of 70,000 .

That's interesting and all.... but..... What's that got to do with one of Japan RU's bosses saying this year that RU is slowly dying in Japan?? That info doesn't prove him wrong.... it only proves it isn't dead.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

Its got nothing to do with it mate ! But the Japanese boss has no control over the companies .
And Im sure that they are trying to improve things and get it back on track .