Rugby bosses ignore AFL fixturing pleas

[The InnFORCEr]

Nick Taylor The West Australian
September 8, 2014, 7:40 am


Test matches are likely to be played at both rugby-friendly nib Stadium and outdated Patersons Stadium when the State Government finalises a new agreement with the Australian Rugby Union.

A three-year deal with the ARU ended with Saturday night's Test against the Springboks at Patersons Stadium, but the ARU has signalled it will not take a step back over AFL demands that games are not scheduled in September at Patersons Stadium or the new Burswood complex.

ARU national operations manager Andrew Fagan was in Perth last week for discussions on future matches.

"We are involved in an international calendar and it is not easy to change a Test match schedule around other competitions. We'll meet that challenge," Fagan said.

The ARU was disappointed with Saturday night's 25,718 crowd that saw the Wallabies snatch a last-gasp 24-23 win. Bad weather deterred many and the crowd was down on the 34,500 that watched the same fixture two years ago.

No Tests will be played in Perth in 2015, a World Cup year.

The Rugby Championship resumes in 2016 and England will also play three Tests against the Wallabies. Scotland, Italy and possibly Samoa are due to tour in 2017 with Ireland inbound the following year.

Fagan said both Patersons Stadium - abandoned by Western Force because of the cost and the poor viewing - and nib Stadium could be used depending on which games were hosted.

"There are a number of issues to work through including stadium and teams," Fagan said.

Meanwhile, Western Force prop Pek Cowan could still smile despite being denied his first ever Test five-pointer when he barged over in the second half only to see it wiped out when Rob Simmons was penalised for obstruction.

"I'll chalk it down. I can claim it. I got over the chalk and that's all that matters," he joked.

"I've seen that picture unfold many times at the Force. You get close to the line, you notice there aren't any feet in front of the ruck so you pick it up and dive over the try line. Unfortunately it wasn't to be but we still got the result."

Cowan and Force captain Matt Hodgson came off the reserves bench in the second half and in almost his first touch Hodgson won an important turnover with the Springboks deep in attack.

Coach Ewen McKenzie told Hodgson to work on his natural game.

"Hopefully I did enough and can push for more game time," Hodgson said.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...xturing-pleas/

[jono]

When they have a legitimate international season with select dates for international test windows they might be able to understand.
Until then, they can get f**ked.

[wholetruth]

First Sinderberry gets into the ARU and now the ARU tell the AFL where they can go. Love it

[jargan83]

The AFL can get farked.

The fact they want Subiaco on the chance there will be a West Coast/Freo final is ridiculous.

[Buddha Handy]

Would love to see us get one of the England tests here in 2016. It would have to be at Subi but should still get a good crowd

[Buddha Handy]

Added to that any test the following year against Scotland Italy or Samoa should be played at NIB

[beige]

Would love to see us get one of the England tests here in 2016. It would have to be at Subi but should still get a good crowd

That's a 'home Bledisloe' year so we will most likely get South Africa again. Agreed the following year should be an NIB test.

[Perth Girl]

There was a pretty good atmosphere at the game despite the small crowd, at least where I was sitting

[UNCLE BOOG]

No Tests will be played in Perth in 2015, a World Cup year.

[chibi]

I'd like to see the Pumas in 2016;
Italy, if they give the game a big promotion involving the huge Italian community here, in 2017;
then Ireland in 2018...
...all at NIB STADIUM.

Screw Subiaco Oval. Maybe by then the WACA will have sorted something out concerning how much of the ground is used by members and we can play a bigger game there, like the Ireland test, instead. But in this circumstance, screw Subiaco Oval, the AFL and the WAFC.

[AndyS]

Truth be told, I'd be surprised if they play Tests at NIB. If they were going to do that, there are plenty of other places in Australia that have grounds that hold more and haven't seen a Test for a long time/ever. Can't say I'd be worried if I never saw another match at Subi, but reckon the WACA would be well worse. Remains to be seen whether the new stadium will be, but can't say I'm hopeful.

Wonder if the ARU/RWA would go hardball and threaten to pull all Tests if they don't sort NIB out. It may not work, but then my recollection was that the economics of the new stadium needed the other sports...

[Alison]

What's the capacity of the newly revamped stadium in Canberra?

[chibi]

True, but Perth is now a regular test/Super Rugby province, so a test here is (almost) mandatory. I think that NIB is the venue that the Perth rugby community would prefer to use; plus, it would give us the chance to vary the test match opponents we get to see here.

As for the WACA, they do have far better sightlines there than Subiaco, because the first row of seats are elevated up from ground level; but my biggest problem with it, is that the area reserved for members makes its capacity smaller than NIB. A fully available WACA, with maybe some temporary seats on the field along the sidelines, with some marquees in the grassed areas, wouldn't be so bad for rugby at all.

The new stadium would benefit a great deal from using the WACA idea for their boundary seats. Elevating the first rows from ground level will give a better view, but can also give our rectangular sports the option of fill-in temporary seating, as opposed to more expensive movable stands.

But alas, we do live in a place where they built a tunnel with only two lanes, so I'm with you unfortunately, can't say I'm hopeful either.

[jargan83]

What's the capacity of the newly revamped stadium in Canberra?

Canberra Stadium (GIO Stadium) hasn't had any upgrades recently, unless you're talking about Manuka Oval which I don't think the ARU would use given it only holds 13,500.

There are plans to upgrade Canbera Stadium to 30,000 seats and put a roof on it similar to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

but my biggest problem with it, is that the area reserved for members makes its capacity smaller than NIB.

Then become a member or GTFO

[AndyS]

The current stadium in Canberra holds more than NIB and they don't get a Test. There is nothing sacrosanct about a Test in Perth, and it only happens now because of the extra capacity at Subi. If we ever see Tests at NIB, it will either be second/third tier or there needs to be some serious changes to that stadium. Frankly, I'd be embarrassed to put it out there as an international facility while they are still using the old stand and change facilities.