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Thread: Australian Super sides declare bore war

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    Australian Super sides declare bore war

    Australian Super sides declare bore war

    JOSH RAKIC

    January 26, 2010 Comments 2

    "Rock bottom" ... John O'Neill talks to the media yesterday. Photo: Getty Images

    A crisis meeting of the Australian Rugby Union and its Super 14 franchises has resulted in a universal commitment to deliver an expansive, ball-in-hand style of play to the code's long-suffering audiences this season.
    John O'Neill, the ARU chief executive, admitted Australian rugby hit ''rock bottom'' during a torpid 2009 campaign in which none of the nation's four Super 14 franchises reached the tournament's semi-finals.
    That prompted the ARU to call a meeting with delegates from NSW, Queensland, the ACT and Western Australi, whereupon the tactical and philosophical switch was agreed. New Zealand officials have issued a similar edict to their Super 14 franchises, sowing the seeds for a revolution in southern hemisphere rugby.
    "Within Australia, we're all on the same page,'' O'Neill said at the unveiling of the Wallabies' new strip yesterday. ''Reds, Waratahs, Brumbies, Force … we've all sat around the table and looked at the reality of where crowd figures have gone and where the game generally is at. I think we've hit the bottom and every one of the four teams is determined to deliver winning and entertaining rugby.
    "It's one thing to talk about the Wallabies but the foundations, the bread and butter, the shopfront of Australian rugby, is Super rugby teams. We've got four teams and our foundations in terms of crowds, TV ratings, will be driven by successful rugby performances."
    Steve Tew, the chief executive of the New Zealand Rugby union, confirmed he had held similar discussions with his nation's Super 14 franchises. He was hopeful the initiative of the southern hemisphere nations would be adopted by those north of the equator, resulting in more appealing worldwide product.
    ''We expressed some concerns last year over some areas of the game that needed attention,'' Tew told the Herald. ''The northern hemisphere was initially cautious, but it would seem the penny has dropped. It has been a little frustrating that it has taken so long. There have been two main areas that fan feedback and our own evaluation process have highlighted, and that's scrum time and the breakdown. We are hoping to simplify those facets of the game to make conditions more conducive to good footy.''
    O'Neill was optimistic the reversion to running rugby would lead Australia out of the doldrums at international and domestic level, and continue the mini-revival started on Australia's autumn tour of the northern hemisphere.
    Standing alongside Wallabies vice-captain Berrick Barnes and prop Benn Robinson in Sydney yesterday, the ARU boss acknowledged the waning interest in rugby before declaring the code was on the brink of another golden age. "You can't win all the time but equally you don't want to be in the trough for too long,'' he said. ''I think we're coming out of the trough and 2010 will be a year where we've turned the corner. We have all the blokes coming through who have the makings of creating another golden era."
    The comments of O'Neill and Tew follow a meeting of SANZAR where it was agreed positive tactics were urgently required to draw fans back to the game. "SANZAR has universally said that Super rugby this year is going to reward the attacking team," O'Neill pledged.
    Barnes, who said he was fit to play in the trial match against Fiji this weekend, said the players welcomed the challenge.


    http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...0125-muiv.html

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    Winning some matches might help!
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    The best sports CEO that money can buy at the helm and we've hit rock bottom?!
    One thing I have learnt over the last few years is that things can always get worse JO'N.

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    Veteran TOCC's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burgs View Post
    The best sports CEO that money can buy at the helm and we've hit rock bottom?!
    One thing I have learnt over the last few years is that things can always get worse JO'N.
    the ship was sinking long before JON took the helm

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    Might as well have saved their money then if it kept going down after he boarded the good ship.
    If it has “hit rock bottom” then we got there anyway and the only way apparently is up. Hopefully he will be accountable to that as his minions are to their tasks.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Burgs View Post
    Might as well have saved their money then if it kept going down after he boarded the good ship.
    If it has “hit rock bottom” then we got there anyway and the only way apparently is up. Hopefully he will be accountable to that as his minions are to their tasks.
    I'm glad he's finally made a statement that he's guaranteed to improve the game from now on though.

    I'm sure with a massive powerful pack, a South African FlyHalf and a concern about pace out wide the Force were the first to agree that open, running rugby was a good idea

    I'll believe it when I see it, the Tahs haven't passed the ball outside 12 since Matt Bourke was playing, The Reds are too short in the pack to adequately secure the ball and will be forced to kick away or lose possession in poor position and Giteau's playing for the Brumbies........It won't change quickly I reckon!

    It'll be up to the refs to instill this change, words are just that unless this style of play can be seen to be effective in accumulating points.

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    C'mon the

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    Veteran zimeric's Avatar
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    My question is.. where have all the speedsters gone?
    Australian rugby has noone currently capable of igniting the after burners and scoring a run away try.. you could argue Digby is one, but does he compare to Smoking Joe , Chavhanga and Habana and at least 4 or 5 other SA or NZ wingers in Super rugby.... doubt it... If running rugby is being brought back then im hoping we find someone capable of burning the turf out wide to make all that running worth while.


    what ever happened to Brett Stapleton?

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    Could run but "couldn't" play.

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    Legend Contributor brokendown gunfighter's Avatar
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    couldnt catch either

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    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    I reiterate my previous post....it was written with Stapo in the back of my mind

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    C'mon the

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    Last edited by TOCC; 27-01-10 at 08:32.

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    who was the bloke who chased down Habana last year, i think it was a test. but that was a great effort to get to him, didn't stop the try though.

    you would be sitting in the changerooms after the match with a grin say, i just chased down Habana...

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    Brett Stapleton is playing rugby in Japan last time I checked and has been since he was cut lose by the Force. I have a feeling he was playing for the same team as Steve Larkham (Ricoh Black Rams?).

    The Force let him go because Digby had made a verbal committment to re-sign and we also had Cam Shepherd, Drew Mitchell and Scott Staniforth. He played well enough and scored a few tries back in the APC to warrant further interest you'd think. Maybe he's got better having played in Japan.

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    He was the classic running Winger though, give him a lollypop pass into the tram tracks and let him go.

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    thats my point... if you wind back the clock 4 years and Habana was exactly that... his skill in tackling and safer hands have been a recent development.. goes to show he has done a huge amount of work on his weaknesses.. If Digby could emulate that he would be a great winger but it looks like he has got his sights firmly set on the 13 jumper now... so its likely his speed work will no longer be a focus...

    does anyone know of any local talent with jet shoes that could step up to provide an option out wide,
    a la Nathan Hunt?

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