I am with Papworth that the professional game is insufficiently respectful to the gra

[pieter blackie]

Peter FitzSimons

In the beginning, it was simple.....................There was a bunch of blokes who – for no good reason anyone could work out – loved nothing more than running into other blokes, who in turn loved running into them


the Wallabies in turn, would frequently play for their country one day, and their clubs the next day. For the grassroots clubs, and the national teams had the same ethos – it was all about the game, and the camaraderie, and the touring, and the fun. The grassroots clubs and their supporters were as proud of their national players, as the national players were as proud of the clubs whence they sprang.................

And then, around the turn of last century, in Australia particularly, it started to get complicated. For while the grassroots clubs continued with much the same ethos as ever, living off the smell of an oily rag, those representing the national teams realised they could make MILLIONS of dollars ... and that is where the trouble started.
For the disconnect between the grassroots and the national team became so great that, well ... it became so great, that just yesterday, the most influential president of a grassroots club in the country, Brett Papworth, launched a withering attack on the ARU, and its CEO, Bill Pulver, in an article he penned for Rugby News.........

Bill Pulver, in response?
I think it fair to say, it was not his best day in the job. I have encouraged him to write a full response for the Herald. But, in the meantime, he gave considered responses and outright denials to much of it, including the Vuitton bags, and most particularly the charge that there is an even division of revenue between the states – he says NSW got 36 per cent last year and Queensland 29 per cent. He regrets saying that the clubs would only piss money up against the wall........

I am with Papworth that the professional game is insufficiently respectful to the grassroots game that has nurtured it, sustained it, and turned it into the powerhouse it is. I have long said the best-administered game in the country is the AFL because instead of putting all their resources in the pointy end of the pyramid, they have concentrated on growing the base – at which point the pointy end gets higher by itself. I think rugby is moving towards that, but should try to move faster, and steer by one star alone: "How do we get as many bums into muddy shorts as we possibly can?" A successful Wallabies side is a hell of a start for that. But a flourishing grassroots is the end game.
Bottom line? Papworth and Pulver need to talk into the night. And the ARU Board has to give a lot more money to development, to making the grassroots grow.


http://www.smh.com.au/sport/the-fitz...02-gn8rwe.html

[GIGS20]

This article makes some sense, as long as it is couched in the proviso that Papworths suggestion wasn't to give money to the grassroots per se it was to give it to the shite shield clubs who (IMHO) WOULD piss it up a wall, to quote Pulver directly.

Yes the professional game needs to respect the grassroots game more than it does, there's no question of that.....Papworths is a voice of the professional game more than the grassroots.

[shasta]

This article makes some sense, as long as it is couched in the proviso that Papworths suggestion wasn't to give money to the grassroots per se it was to give it to the shite shield clubs who (IMHO) WOULD piss it up a wall, to quote Pulver directly.

Yes the professional game needs to respect the grassroots game more than it does, there's no question of that.....Papworths is a voice of the professional game more than the grassroots.

[shasta]

A link to an article on GAGR by Hugh Cavill. It voices my opposition to Papworths Eastwood/Shite Shield naval gazing much better than I ever could.

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/dol...ive-year-plan/

[.X.]

Some of you know this, and some of you dont. I am a Committee Member for a Sydney Suburban Rugby Club for 6 years and counting.

I want to add to this perspective.

2 Years ago NSWRU declared that Subbies rugby was an amateur game. WHY did they do this? Because at some clubs in First Division and Second Division. They were playing players more than What was being paid in the Shute Shield.

5 years ago we faced a team in the Third Division, first grade Grand Final - their Players budget for the First grade team was rumoured to be $50,000 for the year, their Second grade Players budget was $30,000. Their clubs major sponsor was the guy who runs the Fanatics sports tours. In our club - I think we had 3 players that we paid money to and 4 players that were on scholarships for University.

In the year prior to us going Amateur, our first grade team lost only 2 games for the whole season. at the time Run on players were receiving $xxx and Reserves that played received $xx. The success of that year nearly broke us.

Now no Rugby Clubs pay their players - IF they are caught doing so - the are threatening everyone caught - including Administrators saddled with lifelong bans. League clubs in the area have no such problems and pay twice or sometimes 3 times the amount we were able to pay.

How do we attract players now? Friendships and club culture is all that we have. And for some that is good enough.

Our Club has never seen anyone from NSWRU or the Waratahs at a training night or a Game day. Nor have we seen any dollars, cheques or cash.

Our club is celebrating 125 years of playing rugby this year.

[beige]

5 years ago we faced a team in the Third Division, first grade Grand Final - their Players budget for the First grade team was rumoured to be $50,000 for the year, their Second grade Players budget was $30,000. Their clubs major sponsor was the guy who runs the Fanatics sports tours.

See how deep his pockets are now that the ARU's booted them out of the NRC...