Time running out to see if Twiggy Forrest can ruck and roll

[volvo]

At the Fiji vs Force game, the Fox cameras picked up images of Twiggy among the kids clapping both sides onto the field and the Fox commentators made very favourable references to him a few times. There were more shots of Twiggy handing out sunscreen and chatting to DHP and others. Contrast for me was the images of Clyne a few weeks ago swanning it in the corporate box at a NRC game in Sydney.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4Nc4hnT5W/
I cannot comment on GAGR due to some issue, but somebody else might want to mention this under Nutta’s piece.

Yes there seems to be a completely different culture here out west. I wont forget Nick Marvin during the one Super W game in shorts and his Force Polo shirt walking around with Westie handing out Easter Eggs to the kids. It is really great to see.

[Kiap]

At the Fiji vs Force game, the Fox cameras picked up images of Twiggy among the kids clapping both sides onto the field and the Fox commentators made very favourable references to him a few times. There were more shots of Twiggy handing out sunscreen and chatting to DHP and others. Contrast for me was the images of Clyne a few weeks ago swanning it in the corporate box at a NRC game in Sydney.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4Nc4hnT5W/
I cannot comment on GAGR due to some issue, but somebody else might want to mention this under Nutta’s piece.

Done.

Hope you don't mind me putting it under Andrew M's comment on Twigg, but it puts it nearer the top.

[JSJ]

Done.

Hope you don't mind me putting it under Andrew M's comment on Twigg, but it puts it nearer the top.

Thanks

[Alison]

Unlike some in rugby, Twiggy doesn’t have to pretend to be a successful man by rubbing shoulders with, and sucking up to, other big-end-of-town people in a corporate box.

[andrewg]

OK....so now I've read through Andrew Hore's U15 & U18 plan for Western Sydney.

Can someone please explain to me how having a professional team in WSR wouldn't have totally complemented this plan?

[JSJ]

OK....so now I've read through Andrew Hore's U15 & U18 plan for Western Sydney.

Can someone please explain to me how having a professional team in WSR wouldn't have totally complemented this plan?

Because the fully funded professional team fully from sources outside of NSWRU "would be built on sand".

Where as the proposed junior comps will be funded by the NSWRU [B]"after they have had a fundraising campaign" to raise funds to run the comps, will be built on sold rock (the type that ships wreck themselves on?)

[chibi]

Was this much enthusiasm shown by NSWRU for Western Sydney rugby after the Emus were axed .

Maybe they were enthusiastic
"Finally got rid of 'em! Hated travelling out there!" champagne corks popping...

[Bakkies]

They hated travelling to Canberra and didn't stick around for after match put on by their hosts. This is despite conditions being more hospitable in Canberra than Penrith. To be honest I am surprised they lasted this long.

[FingerTips]

Maybe they were enthusiastic
"Finally got rid of 'em! Hated travelling out there!" champagne corks popping...

Closer to the truth than you might realise.

Same reason why only a few from the North Shore go south to attend Waratahs matches at the SFS.

[SPaRTAN]

Harrison misses out, was he part of the boys club? Anyone know anything about this corporate lawyer, is he just another Sydney corporate, I would imagine they wouldnt want to recruit anyone outside of inner or Coastal Sydney?

Former Wallaby Harrison misses out on RUPA top job


By Georgina Robinson
15 October 2018 — 1:32pm
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Australia's rugby players' union has appointed an experienced lawyer and administrator its new chief executive in the lead up to one of the most important broadcast negotiations in recent history.

It us understood Prataal Raj beat respected former Wallaby Justin Harrison to claim the top job at the Rugby Union Players' Association after former CEO Ross Xenos quit in June and took a commercial role with the Melbourne Rebels.

Respected former Wallaby Justin Harrison, centre, is believed to have reached the final stages of the selection process to lead the Rugby Union Players' Association.
Respected former Wallaby Justin Harrison, centre, is believed to have reached the final stages of the selection process to lead the Rugby Union Players' Association. CREDIT:ROBERT PEET

Raj is a corporate lawyer with a decade of experience across the legal, sports and technology industries, including five years with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and two years as a lawyer with the International Cricket Council. He is currently chief operating officer at financial services tech firm GiVV Technologies and has also worked at global sports management company IMG.

The choice is a clear indication of RUPA's intentions. Rugby Australia are in advanced negotiations with their SANZAAR partners New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina on the future of Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship, with a new broadcast deal to be nutted out over the next 12 months before the current one ends in 2020.

Under a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by RUPA, Australia's professional players receive 29 per cent of revenue generated by the professional game, giving the organisation a strong interest in ensuring any changes to competition structure deliver a rise in broadcast revenue.

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Raj's appointment signals the RUPA board's interest in having a strong say in what decisions RA makes about the future of Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship. Harrison, who lives in France, is an enormously popular and widely respected figure but more in the mould of a rugby statesman than shrewd negotiator. He would be a powerful and vocal advocate for the needs of players. In Raj, however, the RUPA board may feel they will have a savvy operator with experience in other sports and the commercial world.

Strategic pick: Prataal Raj has been appointed new chief executive of RUPA.
Strategic pick: Prataal Raj has been appointed new chief executive of RUPA. CREDIT:RUPA

I’m delighted to have been offered this role and look forward to working with the players to ensure their interests are staunchly represented," Raj said.

"I’ve been a strong supporter of rugby my entire life and am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction of the game. RUPA has built its reputation as a responsible and respected stakeholder in the game and I look forward to building upon this and working closely with Rugby Australia, state unions, RUPA’s existing commercial partners and Government to further and strengthen the interests of players."

It is understood the field also included former Wallaby and Rugby Australia executive Adam Freier, a former RUPA president who was approached by the organisation to apply for the role. It is understood conversations did not progress beyond an initial meeting. Former Australian Olympic Committee executive Fiona de Jong was shortlisted alongside an executive from football

[Bakkies]

Given Harrison's departure at Bath and comments to younger players I am not surprised that he didn't get the role.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/jul/20/bath-justin-harrison-banned

[andrewg]

I've come to the conclusion that regular readers of The Roar have the attention span of a goldfish.

The life of comments on any article extend over <24 hrs.

[Bakkies]

I am going to be busy for a few minutes picking out the bollocks written in Geoff Parkes' latest article.

[sittingbison]

It was complete rubbish, the sycophants made me barf

[SPaRTAN]

I am going to be busy for a few minutes picking out the bollocks written in Geoff Parkes' latest article.

Yeah I am surprised so many were quick to praise the article, in my opinion it didnt really offer any new insight into anything, it wasn't thought provoking, infact I know the word for it, garbage!

Lots of rubbish praising RugbyAustralia and ofcourse ignoring the actual facts about where the game now sits in the sporting landscape which have left alot of journos and wannabe up and coming future RA mouthpieces struggling to find a future where they fit into the rugby landscape now that everyone over east has started to switch off Rugby Union. Let's see how low and desperate these journos can get when they know they cant get anyone to read anything positive because none of the fans bother clicking on the rugby section on these websites anymore. All the negative press just fuels the flames and the cycle of imminent death continues into oblivion. It's a perfect storm.