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![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
Great article by Paul Cully in today's online Sydney Morning Herald on the death of Australian Rugby Union.
And the comments!! Ah, the comments ...
Maybe someone who knows how to can post the link here ...
An even better one
http://www.espn.com.au/rugby/story/_...it-scuttlebutt
Gerry, the SMH article is somewhat different, dated more recently, and has much more pithy and acerbic commentary by the punters.
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/rug...18-p4zg16.html
I think the comments are shared between all their sites... maybe
The comments to which Fulvio is referring:
Economic Rationalist11 HOURS AGO
Get us out of Super Rugby as fast as possible. But Where are the teams coming from? The Shute Shield clubs wont be happy? Maybe a 10 team comp should be like maybe 3 Sydney, 2 Brisbane . 1 QLD Country, 2 Melbourne, 1 Canberra/NSW Country, 1 Perth,
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rwfuller72478 HOURS AGO
Sounds like the rah, rahs need to man up a bit as in the seventies eighties, honey badgers notwithstanding -love it!
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Alfie7 HOURS AGO
Who are these people, Joe Moody and Kurtley Beale?
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Justin Credible. Across the universe1 HOUR AGO
Alfie
One of them plays for 2 winning teams.
And the other plays for 2 losing teams.
As the Article is talking about Australia I will let you work out which one is the Aussie.
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Avinesh7 HOURS AGO
With such underwelming performance and lack of any players without charisma or personality, is it any surprise?
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FastEddy 7 HOURS AGO
I Agree Paul. Sad state of affairs and we need to act.
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Florence from Firenze7 HOURS AGO
'The Brumbies v Rebels game, on at the prime time 7.30pm slot, attracted 44k on Fox Sports and fewer than 6000 in person'.
Just a thought but as they used to say back in the old VFL days: 'more people turn up to watch Collingwood on training night'.
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Grumped7 HOURS AGO
If we, Australia, go it alone, even more of our top players will head overseas as we will not be able to afford the wages we pay now as a local competition will not generate enough broadcast income.
In the past three years, many of the lowest quality SR games have been the Australian derbies. The standards may improve glacially but many rugby viewers will realise it is an inferior product to what they can watch from elsewhere.
How does RA organise these teams? They would need the NSW and QLD state bodies, along with the club competitions in Sydney and Brisbane, to be prepared to give up a wee little bit of control. Good luck with that!
With a local comp, would this mean the winners play equivalent sides from NZ during the season or would the first time Australian players face NZ opposition be in the Bledisloe?
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mickhowland7 HOURS AGO
Fantastic piece, I totally agree. I once poured over team sheets, circling my selections for the tipping comp, excited for this weeks games. Now, my heart sinks as the scores are broadcast on a Monday, I'm afraid I just don't care any more.
A national comp is surely the way to go.
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Patrick Thomas7 HOURS AGO
I agree, but a "10 team national competition " should not be constructed from "franchises" (i.e. manufactured teams). Use existing clubs, funnel financial support to get them to fully professional level, then perhaps look at a two division national comp.
Bring back true representative state teams with an interstate series along state of origin lines. Let the winner play-off against the best NZ and/or SA province for a Southern Hemisphere championship.
Limit the number of tests. Play NZ and SA once home and away, and host a touring team in traditional 3 test series.
You'd be surprised how much more competitive Australia will become. Though it may take 5-10 years to develop.
Will we do it? Probably not. Addicted to SANZAR broadcast rights money in the short-term, I doubt the leadership have the guts. The alternative is terminal decline
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MPM4 HOURS AGO
Spot on Patrick. We need to invest our local clubs. Forget the tahs, reds and brumbies. Provide our clubs the ability to play in an interstate 'premier league' with a promotion and relegation system with a number of lower leagues (follow the English football system and French rugby system it's not rocket science). Then as you said, lets create a "Pacific Cup", an equivalent to the Heineken Cup... the best of NZ, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Japan, Argentina and the USA. Bring back a proper state of origin format. We need to foster the one club for life culture (and only two or three jerseys.. your club, your state and the wallabies). Imagine if a kid could grow up dreaming to play for Randwick, Manly, Eastwood, Norths, Sunnybank, UQ or Easts etc against the top clubs in the pacific, in effectively the champions league of southern hemisphere rugby! And forget the NRC.. name me 3 teams! have you ever purchased a NRC jersey? Our local clubs should be playing in a domestic 7s comp instead during this time of the year!
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Paul Henshaw7 HOURS AGO
Agreed, we need to go it alone The game here needs to accept that to move forward, it will have to take a step back.
Remaining in Super rugby will ultimately kill the game her as a major sporting code.
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Amir546 HOURS AGO
Maybe sport in general is dead and not just rugby. My children and their friends do not watch, and will not pay for Fox and their never ending recycling of anything and everything. In my opinion as free to air sport dies so does the sport itself.This new cricket set up will fall in a hole for the same reasons as one game morphs into the next. As for rugby, in my circle of friends, the only limited interest comes from us baby boomers with our children giving us a blank stare on any rugby commentary.
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Deborah King6 HOURS AGO
Super rugby could survive if it was on free to air.i am asuper rugby fan but i have only ever watched on game on tv and that was in a sports bar in nz. Most aussies have no knowledge of rugby union except when the wallabies play. I am not paying to watch sport when i can see all other codes for free. Rugby needs to take an income hit but get national fta exposure so people, especially children can see what the game is about. Rugby is an invisible sport with an aging audience.
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boonboon6 HOURS AGO
100% agree Paul I grew uo as a rugby man in a country town and went to a GPS school. I was a waratahs member when i first moved to sydney but we had kids and it was just easy to let go of it as opposed to other sports. I got fox re ently to watch the nrl and thought id watch some suoer rugby but i just cant be inspired by it. Teams i dont know players i dont know playing at random times in random places and def would not go to a game. Now when i go home to a rugby town i go to the local games with half the town their but you know whats sad most of them never see a super rugby game including my dad a rugby man for 70 yrs who still runs the can van at the local game every week but woukd never see a game. Bring us back RA bring us back
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Derick6 HOURS AGO
Nicely summed up Paul. Having been a Tahs fan since long before they were called the Tahs, I've now called it quits. Rugby is now longer the game they play in heaven (so maybe Izzy is right?).
It just leaves a bad, old taste in my mouth. We can't underestimate the damage done by the Board led by Cameron Clyne with no integrity or repercussions, no consequences for their game killing behaviour. Sure it's complicated by SANZAAR being so out of touch but do we really think our Board left to their own devices would do any better?
The game now feels like our energy policy or the NBN (and who'd choose to watch those slow motion car crashes on a weekly basis?
Clearly, the 'fans' have voted with their feet and I'm left with a few fuzzy memories of the good times of Mark Ella and the like playing for love not money....
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Wilo5 HOURS AGO
Agree with most of that except last paragraph
Fuzzy memories are only that, memories. Everything is pro these days, life is more complicated & expensive.
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Sean6 HOURS AGO
It's a sad business model that infects all Rugby. And not helped by the front of door members of the Wallabies. Have been saying for 3/4? years urgent action is required. Not one courtesy reply, not one return explaining why AR was persisting in kicking the carcass down the road. Treat one afficiniado like this indicates a certain relationship with the other 300,000. Which
also has suggested a major flush of management is long overdue.
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Philli C6 HOURS AGO
And while you're at it have the best Aussies playing for the Wallabies, regardless of where they play club rugby. Where would NRL's interstate clash or FIFA's World Cup be if such brainless rules applied?
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JC6 HOURS AGO
Perhaps the problem is a lack of Free To Air exposure. Foxtel is an over-priced dinosaur with dwindling subscriber numbers. What other sport is exclusive to Foxtel?
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Potala6 HOURS AGO
It doesn't get my eyes because it is on pay tv.
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Trebla6 HOURS AGO
Ah, are there any juniors playing rugby? It seems to me that they need the game to be popular at grassroots level before thinking about new competitions.
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Smith Lee6 HOURS AGO
Not watched a game, or even read a match report, since they got rid of my team The Force. Sod em, they deserve all they get
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KranK6 HOURS AGO
I'll stick with the NRL thanks. Rugby (in Australia) is a game for preppy self entitled elites. There is no charisma or personality amongst It's players, a lot like the Australian cricket team. Dumb penalties that can never be understood. Not for me thanks. I'm staying with the whipping boy of the football codes, good old Rugby League!
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Sahabat Hak4 HOURS AGO
""Dumb penalties that can never be understood."
Watching rugby can be frustrating. They blow penalties for things that don't affect who wins the breakdown. Who cares if the last player entered the ruck at the wrong angle if the ball's already coming out and play would have gone on. It's boring.
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TonyJ5 HOURS AGO
Lost me when Fox took over. I won't go there.
Also agree re team identity. I don't know where the Sharks are based. Or the Centurions or Whatever. It helps if I know who my team is playing against
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Sahabat Hak4 HOURS AGO
I never understood why they didn't emphasize the cities the teams come from. That's one of the draws of a transnational comp. Cheetahs, Bulls, Sharks, Hurricanes... I remember these names, but I don't know which cities they represent.
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Dr Kiwi5 HOURS AGO
I think that one problem is that Rugby here is well behind the ARL and AFL in popularity.
Building Rugby up at school level, including local inter-school competitions will help but this will not be a quick job.
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Howe Synnott1 HOUR AGO
Dr Kiwi - you nailed it.
All the talent now heads towards ARL and AFL - they are the first choice sports.
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RJHAREB5 HOURS AGO
The problem with super rugby is its on pay TV. i am a big fan but just can't justify paying for fox sport. Slowly I have grown away from the game. If it came back onto free to air id watch it again.
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Nick5 HOURS AGO
I agree, Paul. As noted by others, though, the lack of free-to-air coverage is a major component of the problem.
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Wilo5 HOURS AGO
Myslef, wife & friends were all enthusiastic rugby fans, around 98-08? but all have drifted away.
I was never happy that I had to have Fox to watch and guess what. We are a AFL house nowadays. My kids play and train to one day be a Swan.
Still have some interest in Rugby as it was my first team game I ever played but dont know where any of the SR teams come from or how to watch them (other than fox)
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RTP.5 HOURS AGO
If there's a wrong decision to be made anywhere you can bet it will be made by the ARU. The seeds of rugby's destruction were sewn after Australia's last World Cup win, yep twenty years ago when the Scotch sipping Old Boys of the ARU missed the boat getting Rugby on free to air TV. Since then they have lost a generation of players, their famlies and sponsors, whithout these the standard has just gone down and down to the point where no one cares any more.
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DaveB5 HOURS AGO
Those that don't have Foxtel are lucky as they never have to begin to watch the lame drivel served up as international rugby.
Haven't watched a game this year on Foxtel and at least five years since going to a game.
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sales5 HOURS AGO
I got rid of Fox 2 years ago and now can't see a game and have also lost interest.
Soccer re-invented the A League and has grown, rugby needs to do the same and stay away from FOX or have a share deal with an FTA.
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Chuck5 HOURS AGO
In my opinion the rot started years ago when Super Rugby coverage went exclusive to pay TV. An already marginalised sport became even more distant. But I think the final nail in the coffin has been Australian super rugby team's inability to compete with the Kiwi's in the past few years.
Creating some newly manufactured teams in some dud domestic competition isn't going to improve our standards, or bring the people back. Rugby league already has that market sewn-up. Union's appeal is in it's international status. Take that away, and you've got a poor man's rugby league competition.
Rugby is going through a lull in this country, and sports fans are fickle. Improve the teams and results (and exposure through free-to-air) and the fans might trickle back.
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ErikH5 HOURS AGO
Yes, but where will the money come from to pay the current crop of players the amounts they have become accustomed to? A "local" competition won't generate enough income so you'll see all the "stars" going overseas. That will reduce the attraction even more.
It's a massive bind.
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Dac3 HOURS AGO
Viewers equal advertising.
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Simon5 HOURS AGO
This is one of the worst suggestions I have read.
Are we really suggesting that because our teams are getting beaten by NZ sides we should withdrawal from the competition and play amongst ourselves to make us feel good?
A big part of the reason that the crowd at the Brumbies-Rebels match was so small is that both teams and their players are poor. How is continually playing amongst themselves going to improve this?
Pulling out of Super Rugby will mirror one of the biggest problems in Australian rugby - it has a heavy reliance on private schoolboys, who are feted like gods when playing in their First XV, and start to think they are good rugby players - when in reality they are probably modest. Upon leaving their small pond, they find out they weren't as good as they were told they were.
Paul's suggestion would also guarantee the Wallabies will NEVER beat the All Blacks again. Imagine playing in an average NRC-like competition, but then having to front up against the All Blacks twice a year ...
Surely the focus should be upon trying to improve Australian rugby players, rather than trying to manufacture a competition so Australian teams have some win?
What happens if, say, NSW is losing in such a competition - do they then pull out and set up their own competition amongst NSW only, so that NSW players can win some games?
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Damian5 HOURS AGO
Not sure why everyone is calling for the end of Super Rugby. The product is brilliant. Taking away the opportunity for Australian's to play against the worlds best is not going to improve the standard of our players. Waratahs lost by 2 points last week. Reds by 4 last night. They are playing the best provincial sides in world rugby. The coverage by Fox Sports is excellent but agree that an FTA partner is needed to grow viewership. We need to keep playing All Black calibre players if we are going to compete internationally.
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Justin Credible. Across the universe3 HOURS AGO
Damian
You are absolutely right !!
JUst look a the Wallabies and the players Cheika has given contracts to and why the continue losing.
Now look at the Reds and Brad Thorn how the Reds are performing with him and the team he has chosen.
One coach with dud players losing the important games and 1 coach in his first year coaching reminding Australia that the Reds are now a force to be reckoned with.
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Master Blaster5 HOURS AGO
Foxtel is overpriced.
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Murdoch and Telstra can go jump.
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Cooper5 HOURS AGO
Rugby has been going downhill for a few years in Aus, but getting rid of the western force last year in favour of retaining that *historic* rugby town Melbourne was the death knell for rugby in Australia. I’ll be supporting Twiggy Forests new rugby comp. And I’m a brumbies supporter!! Haven’t watched a full game all year. There was a time when I wouldn’t miss a game...
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TBR5 HOURS AGO
+1 to all the comments about Foxtel. If it was not there I would watch.
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Budgieman5 HOURS AGO
Another vote here for FTA TV being the issue.
And I can see Cricket having the same future problems now that so much of it is going to Fox....short term gains for long term losses.
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Justin Credible. Across the universe3 HOURS AGO
Budgieman
Fox is and always will be the problem.
The game of politics has proven that.
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Geoff5 HOURS AGO
Popularity comes from winning, so what the sanzar need to do is even up the comp with free player movement across countries.
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T Dog5 HOURS AGO
I agree with the thrust of the article. People like to win, at sport and at life.
50% of AFL and NRL supporters see their team win each week, and the vast majority of them are Australian.
Make it happen.
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ben5 HOURS AGO
Spot on. I'd go harder and pull the Wallabies out of international competition for 5 years. The game simply has to be rebuilt from the ground up. It's seriously baby with the bathwater time. The RAU has to focus on the great products it already has IE club rugby and school boy rugby. Throw all your resources at that rather than paying people $800k for a years holiday
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Justin Credible. Across the universe3 HOURS AGO
Ben
International competition is what makes good players better players.
Without doubt there are a lot of current Rugby players that do not deserve contracts, let alone $800k contracts.
That money could be going to grass root club Rugby.
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Grumped3 HOURS AGO
The Wallabies are the cash cow for the game in Australia. Remove them from international competition for five years, the code will truly become a niche product here.
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Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
continued ...
Phillip Bradshaw4 HOURS AGO
No wonder the Kiwis laugh at us. We lose and then say "let's take our ball and go home". That's going to work! Two problems, clearly identified in these comments. No free-to-air and we keep losing. Let's start our road to recovery by grinding out some wins. In the meantime, if you're a rugby fan, then you should be thrilled at the quality displayed by the NZ teams. If not, you're just a fair-weather friend. Harden up, Australia.
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Dac3 HOURS AGO
You forgot the third most worrying problem, big decline in grass roots players.....
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simonvdz54 MINUTES AGO
The Kiwis may laugh at us when they win, as they should but they know the dire consequences for them also of Rugby demise in Australia, and lets not beat around the bush it is in deep doodoo. We lose because we do not have the depth in the Junior and 1st grade game to attract enough players who can populate enough Super teams to play at the highest level. We lose because not enough brilliant athletic kids want to play Rugby when AFL and Soccer do their Junior games proud and entice kids from when they can barely walk. Have a look at the crowds at Football and AFL. See the number of 3-5 year olds with their parents. Not at Rugby mate.
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Rexhapi4 HOURS AGO
So the Aussie philosophy is simple..."If you can't beat them, leave them".
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simonvdz1 HOUR AGO
In Australian Rugby fans know there are two opponents. The other teams and our own over payed, self interested, lethargic and uncaring Rugby leadership that allowed what was always the smallest game in Australia (by a long way) to die as it is not on Free to air and even many club grounds are so large there is no Spirit to a Game as everyone huddles in a single stand that can hold 15 thousand people and virtually no one around the borders of the playing area. The game is dying due to lack of interest as kids themselves never even start Rugby, it is Football or AFL and even league take from Rugby's base of potential players. In Australia there are 80,000 registered Rugby players, in NZ 150,000. Australia has 500,000 registered Rugby League players and vastly more AFL and Soccer players. Do the sums mate, if the kids don't want it the game is dying.
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Ad Dawson4 HOURS AGO
yes bring back free to air before you lose me (and the majority) forever.
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The Novocastrian4 HOURS AGO
Rugby is over. Yes it's not on free to air and that is a problem. But a bigger problem is the game itself. It is not exciting to watch. It is dogged by impenetrable rules, by referees determining the outcome, and by penalty goals rather than tries being the weapon of winning. Why would anyone want to watch that? Let the New Zealanders have it, they deserve it.
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2 cents worth3 HOURS AGO
It's not.on free.to air because the game itself is a problem, and the competition is a problem. Its a circular problem. The circle needs to be broken.
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Joseph4 HOURS AGO
Australian teams need to buy better players, even if they come from New Zealand. At least they will be competitive then.
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ron4 HOURS AGO
The biggest test of Australian Rugby was the retention of the Force. Fail.
I have Swans tickets tonight. Trumper stand. Can't wait. Buddy Franklyn is a breathraking athlete. In retrospect I was never this excited to see a rugby match.
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simonvdz3 HOURS AGO
Exactly. The more that Rugby relies on turning the game in to a battle of Bulldozers and Club Rugby starves ( as the local Juniors Clubs die) the more that AFL and football appeal.There is no stronger difference between AFL and Rugby than the support the Junior grades receive by the Seniors' Clubs. I could never have dreamed in my wildest nightmares that I would not only come to absolutely love AFL and Football (Soccer) but that I went one final step further. I stopped caring about the game that had I played and later exalted when we won and cried when we lost. I have moved on and it has no spiritual connection for me. When Wests Rugby died, part of me did also, but I battled on and I go back to being a 11 year old ball boy getting his foot trod on by a Prop as I handed the ball to the half back as Wests 1st grade played at St.Patricks, in Strathfield in the 1970's. Now however, the so called bug money spinner has choked on it's own Pizzaz and Propaganda, as we the Public are not fooled by that rubbish as it is no replacement for the Spirit of Rugby or the feeling in the dressing room after a big win against a hardy opponent.
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Derpus3 HOURS AGO
Wish i could get behind AFL. I've tried. It just sucks.
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Howe Synnott1 HOUR AGO
Derpus - how is it possible NOT to enjoy the AFL?
Would therapy help?
What about wearing a Swans beanie - or joining the office tipping contest?
It's not too late - don't give up.
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bob4 HOURS AGO
its absurd ,flying around the 3 continents , by all have a state based comp fed by internal comps like what used to be the Sydney comp & others in & out of the cities .
you've got to have crowds & rivalry or these little point .
that goes for all the other ball codes as well .
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James Best4 HOURS AGO
The focus and investment needs to be in club rugby. The culture, passion and engagement is non-existent in Super...whatever it is now.
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angie4 HOURS AGO
How appropriate to use a photo of the Waratahs to signify failure of Super Rugby.
Should have included them with Cheika and there is the answer.
The NSW /Cheika-centric ARU threw the Force out for what?
Kill the fastest growing rugby audience in the country .
Luckily Twiggy Forrest picked up the ball and showed them up for what it was!!!!
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Justin Credible. Across the universe3 HOURS AGO
Angie
I agree with most of what you say.
The exception being the Tahs ...... because they might win tonight.
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Maro2 HOURS AGO
But that is their skillset - winning games too late in the season to count for anything...
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Chris W4 HOURS AGO
I used to love watching the brumbies play their exciting brand of footy on a cold Saturday night with free to air. That's when the Aussies were winning super rugby and the bledisloe with Gregan, Larkham and Co. But as soon as free to air went so did the results. Bring it back. Rugby league bores me these days...the current broadcast deal expires in 2020. https://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/a...30e-1526685785
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simonvdz3 HOURS AGO
If Rugby is not on free to air TV I will not watch it. The entire game has become about making money and not surprisingly, they are losing that also apart from being unable to beat anyone. The final part to this is that as we move into Asia, where people have lighter and smaller bodies, the players in the game are just getting bigger and bigger. Even Flankers can weigh 120Kg now and Half Back at 100Kg+. That means the game will not appeal to parents as they don't wish to see their kids squashed my a 95Kg 12 year old Islander kid so it's tennis,Football or AFL where smaller people can play. If the goal is to just make bigger and bigger teams the method to win, the game is doomed and the depth of Australian Rugby is at it's worst in 30yrs thanks to all the focus being placed on the Wallabies and now the Super whatever. It's land of the Giants out there. Basketball is also having problems recruiting smaller players and they should raise the ring 15cm to account for the high number of players over 203cm
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pato_tero3 HOURS AGO
It is a complex problem. Leaving Super Rugby would leave us without international exposure. We would go backwards. When our Super teams do well, so do the juniors - in numbers-. Australian Super rugby teams are doing badly and so are the juniors. My local club have less than half compared to 10 years ago.
My solutions is more money for junior clubs and development, bring overseas players to make our SR teams competitive in the meantime.
The local comp was test and tried a couple of years ago. It was a disaster in terms of spectator figures and interest.
SANZAR could also change the conferences so we minimize the late night games. Maybe SA/ARG/USA one conference and AUS/NZ/JAP the other. Top four from each conference play finals.
Lastly, a few games on free to air would also help keep people's interest up!
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rayj3 HOURS AGO
It's not Super Rugby that is dead in Australia, but rugby is dead in Australia. Any other thought is self-delusion
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Derpus3 HOURS AGO
I dunno club land still has quite a few people turning out.
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Midginbilly3 HOURS AGO
I recall thinking when Rugby went to Fox that it would die a quick death and that has been the case. It needs to be on free to air and needs to be promoted like the NRL, relentlessly, with ads letting everyone know when the games are on. Then kids will want to start playing Union again, the NRL has reached such a low point in quality but because of their never ending promotion their popularity remains high. Even the most avid NRL fan moans about how terrible the game has become, but they all still watch it. We need to take crowds away from the NRL by putting up games on the telly at the same time so viewers can switch between ads and see a better quality of football.
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Yuri012 HOURS AGO
Low point in quality!? I would rather watch a game between two mid-level NRL sides than almost any Super Rugby game. What is served up at the SR level is tedious rubbish. For some strange reason though, the NRL is trying to emulate SR by blowing so many penalties at the moment.
The NRL's FTA games are also broadcast at times when people can and would want to watch the games. Some ridiculous time on a Sunday morning or whatever it is now is a recipe for failure.
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Dac3 HOURS AGO
There was a time when locals would go to The local oval to watch local derby or visiting team, it wasn’t huge but it was grass roots. A test was a big deal. You could even watch it on TV. Rugby is destroying itself at the grass roots level and professional level, it’s impossible for fans to see a game. I don’t even know who is broadcasting. Easy to start a dud business, hard to end it.
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drt2012113 HOURS AGO
not just rugby thats dead, pubs, clubs, RSLs, sports bars, hotels are all dead...people dont go out like they used to Paul ...too expensive and too many restrictions etc etc...there is also TV and social media which is free at home...am I wrong
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Justin Credible. Across the universe1 HOUR AGO
drt201211
The pokies are still popular at the places you mention.
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Howe Synnott1 HOUR AGO
Justin - heh, heh; good one!
And big screens - playing AFL and NRL games.
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Justin Credible. Across the universe3 HOURS AGO
1. Whatever the question, Raelene Castle is never the answer, to qualify that just have a look at the Canterbury (Bulldogs) rugby league team from whence she came.
2. Put RA staff on 2 year contracts. If the Wallabies are not performing then out the door go the top echelon. The Wallabies are a proven top brand and being on the Board should be seen as prestigious, not as just a wage.
3. Without doubt the death knell of Rugby in Australia is not having it on free to air tv at a reasonable time, preferably sometime in the first 13 months after the game has been played.
4. All Wallaby contracts should be 2 year contracts .... no ifs or buts ...... and no extra payments for this short contract. If players or Coaches do not perform then RA can dump them (injuries give RA the choice of keeping players to give them a chance to prove themselves).
5. Start putting more money into the game at the grassroot level.
There's a lot wrong with Rugby in Australia and quite a lot of it is at the very top levels (i'm no fan of Cheika's, and no fan of the 2nd rate players he either brings back from Europe or just keeps choosing loss after loss).
RA should use their contacts to get in touch with executives of CBS Corporation (channel 10) and sell the game to them. Because isn't that one of the remits of being on the Board of RA ?
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Joe3 HOURS AGO
Getting rid of Israel Falou is not the answer?
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norbury533 HOURS AGO
Aaaaw diddums, Australia can't win so we're not going to play anymore. It's exactly THAT attitude that leads to Australia losing all the time.
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mpm3 HOURS AGO
Australian Rugby is dead without external competition. Notice how everyone else is playing in multinational comps just under test level? There's a reason for that.
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Peter Docherty3 HOURS AGO
Dumping the WA Force did it in this household.
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Mr Evangelist2 HOURS AGO
I hate to strike a contrary note here but I, at least, am still enjoying the Super rugby. The Reds put on a strong performance against the Hurricanes last night, It might have been a draw against the Blues for the tahs, were if it were not for that missed knock-on two plays before Auckland got a penalty. The Beale/Moody incident changed the course of the game. The tahs aren't that far off. Rugby Australia's problems and challenges are not my problem, happily. It's always a joy to watch the way the Kiwis play their Super rugby. An Australian national competition would be great but would be of less interest.
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112 HOURS AGO
And as of this morning, the game hadn’t been reported in this paper. Super rugby gets virtually no press coverage in its heartland and you have to guess that’s because the press has seen that no one is interested anymore
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Mark McHugh2 HOURS AGO
What a stupid viewpoint to put forward, no doubt things have gone awry lately but a lot of that is due to super rugby over extending itself. When surveyed about weather it was a good idea to include Japan, Argentina and an extra South African team I said no, I wonder how many other fans responded like that and if the fans wishes have been ignored. How many players would we lose to Europe and other comps if your idea is put into place. It is time for ideas to improve the situation not ridiculous comments like this.
My sympathy to Force supporters and South African supporters who lost their teams due to overreaching ambitions of Super Rugby Bosses
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Mark D Sydney2 HOURS AGO
Super Rugby destroyed Rugby in Australia. By imposing fake teams on an unsuspecting public and then doing absolutely NOTHING to even try and create team cultures and public support, Rugby Union killed itself. People stopped watching Super Rugby gradually over the last 5 to 10 years. It has been a steady and obvious erosion. RIP.
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James2 HOURS AGO
1. No FTA: I stopped caring about Super Rugby when I stopped watching Super Rugby.
2. Too much expansion. There is only enough rugby talent in Australia to support 3 Super Rugby teams. All the expansion to the Rebels and Force did was gut the 3 existing teams and create 5 losers. 5 losers, kills interest, kills momentum, kills the interest of kids.
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BillyB2 HOURS AGO
I've started going to club games - they're family friendly, don't cost an arm and a leg and some even have a jumping castle.. beers are cold and there's a sausage sizzle. The game is not of a lower quality as the teams are well matched.. there's a real sense of community.. I haven't watched a Super Rugby Game yet this year.. I remember playing a curtain raiser game at Concord before QLD played NSW in front of a packed stadium.. it was awesome.. now, you go to sterile stadiums where everything costs a stupid sum of money turning away families (who wants to take 3 kids to a footy game, and walk away with no change from $100).
1. Cancel Super Rugby all together and return to a focus on club games. Do NOT force them to play at the big stadiums.. best game I've been to recently besides last year's final at North Sydney oval was Newtown vs Tigers at Leichhardt oval last year.. without a community spirit, I'll stay at home or go to the pub to watch a game.
2. Return to interstate games being something special.. we already have a template - State of Origin.
3. National Games are then by default special again.. you'll get packed stadiums again... but seriously.. ANZ stadium is the worst.. it was built for Track & Field.. go and look at Suncorp Stadium or Wembley for how a good stadium should be built - stands should look down on the game, not be well back and need a pair of binoculars to see it.
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112 HOURS AGO
Spot on!
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Marx2 HOURS AGO
Free to air or not a part of any viewing
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Mark Pottie2 HOURS AGO
Shame to see rugby players behaving like soccer players toward the ref and being rewarded. I reckon the other team would have been marched ten for that behaviour.
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Yuri012 HOURS AGO
To somewhat answer your question about how many people will go to the Brumbies vs. Sunwolves game - my wife and will. She likes almost all things Japanese and was won over by their WRC performance. I like to watch "exotic" sides in both Rugby codes that I most likely would not see otherwise.
Personally, apart from the broadcasting issues, I think a lot of people were left disillusioned by how the culling of Super Rugby teams was carried out. The constant questioning over whether the Brumbies would be cut or not really lowered my interest. If the Brumbies had been cut, then my interest in Union would reflect what happened when the Canberra Cannons were allowed to fold in the NBL: I was passionate about basketball, but now I couldn't tell you which sides are still in that comp.Now, I only follow the women's basketball WNBL due to the Capitals and only vaguely.
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Keith Parker1 HOUR AGO
Australia needs to get their act into gear. The Kiwis are great at it and it reflects in their rugby. South Africa have dropped the ball and probably good if they join a European comp. The Sun Wolves and Jaguares have made a big difference and are improving all the time. Comme on Aussie, Come on.
By the way, how was the viewing audience polled?? I know that I and many of my friends watch the games religiously, either live or recorded.
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a don1 HOUR AGO
sour grapes. Do we really have to win everything to think its OK? I find NRL totally boring to watch - designed to be predictable and generate close scores to excite the masses. Have learned to love AFL. But i grew up with rugby and its still my game. Yes I wish we were better. But just as my son's under 9 team won only one game that year it didnt stop the parents going along and cheering and enjoying the game.
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Brisbane Jack1 HOUR AGO
I coulkdn't develop any interest from the start. Who except a fanatic knows whee teams with names like Brumbies, Crusaders or Rebels come from? Sounds like the Crusaders should be from Malta or Rhodes and the Rebels from Ballarat! A bit more emphasis on the geographic base might help, but I think Paul's right - it's too late to fix it.
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Justin Credible. Across the universe1 HOUR AGO
Just went over and read the Article by Tom Decent regarding Hooper and his apparent reluctance to sign a contract with RA.
Hooper said. “I love playing here in Australia. I’m so lucky to live and play rugby in a city like Sydney. I think Australian rugby has so much to give and that really excites me.”
Just give me more money (and maybe a free landrover ?). ??????
"Hooper has reportedly been offered a five-year deal by RA and when pressed on whether that was too lengthy a contract to be signing, the back-rower said more would be known in due course."
A "5 year contract" for a Wallaby who barely knows what a winning streak is.
Can anyone see where one of the problems with Rugby League is ?????
Sorry about all the question marks ..... I think I am reliving Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities".
RA has got that in spades.
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angie27 MINUTES AGO
Well said!
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remmy1 HOUR AGO
The expansion beyond Super 14 and especially the introduction of the conferences killed Super rugby. The conference was a dumb idea, trying to help Australian rugby due to the lack of a proper domestic competition. It had no support in either Kiwi or Saffer communities and all it did was provide avenues for weaker teams to play each other more and for sub-standard teams to make it into the "playoffs"
There are a lot more problems with Super rugby and it's almost impossible to roll back the clock on all the bad changes. Break up is inevitable, just have to wait and see how long it takes the bosses to rip off the band aid and clean the wound
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Godless58 MINUTES AGO
Everybody seems to be missing the elephant in the room here. It's not about whether being in this competition or that competition is going to lift rugby out of it's rapid decline in this country. The rot set in years ago because it's relied for junior development on the toffiest and most exclusive schools in the land...who've now all jumped on the AFL and soccer bandwagons due to pressure from their customers. The AFL has historically pored tens of millions into junior engagement and development, especially in NSW, while the ARU pumped all its money into the Wallabies and it's own bloated administration. The world cup windfall of 2003 was completely squandered. Is it any surprise that a sport run by the LNP brigade brought itself undone using their beloved but pathetically misguided "trickle down economics".
The NRL woke up several years ago to the fact that kids were being lured away from league by a savvier competitor at the very junior level. I once took my daughter to a 7 yo kids birthday party in Dural that was run by two players from the Sydney Swans. That is commitment. Can you imagine any of the current Wallabies working that hard for hearts and minds? Rugby is rapidly becoming a niche sport for the uber-rich, people of pacific islander background and EU/SA immigrants. The bledisloe is now as anticipated as the next international polo or croquet tournament.
AFL, League and Soccer have long outflanked Rugby and relegated it to Australia's fourth most popular ball sport, and...although arguably Lacrosse Australia might be upset by that remark. Rugby had it's chance to be popular, and it blew it. The slide into irrelevance is almost complete.
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simonvdz44 MINUTES AGO
You got it brother, in ominous Paragraphs
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Howe Synnott19 MINUTES AGO
Godless - inspired piece; where have you been?
More please.
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Tusor22 MINUTES AGO
I suggest scrapping the whole thing. It's time to admit that it's not working and will never work.
I suggest a longer and bigger international calendar involving teams like Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga, some of the second tier European countries, the US, and Canada, with NZ, SA, and five of the 'six nations' countries pouring resources into the development of the sport in second tier countries. Then we might have a world cup where teams other than those who have won it so far meet in the final.
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
It is brutal... the East have finally turned.
Another fantastic crowd at Allianz Stadium. Anyone care to guess how many? I bet they don't report this figure:
Note: i can actually read the white Allianz letters behind the crowd.
.... but just in time for the ARU, they've uncovered the secret formula for improving their success rate against New Zealand teams. In the interests of entertaining rugby, and to give the remaining Australian Super Rugby franchises a reasonable chance at winning, all New Zealand teams should be restricted to 14 (or 13) players.
Works in league![]()
Japan and the Pacific Islands for Aussie Super 9's!
Let's have one of these in WA! Click this link: Saitama Super Arena - New Perth Stadium?
You've definitely hit on another secret formula for success GIGS, no arguing the statistics that smaller crowds would have helped the Warratahs perform (perhaps by creating a more intimate relationship with the crowd). A crowd of less than 5,000 seems to have had a 100% success rate so far. After some searching I've also been able to pick out both the crowd, in amongst the TV crew.
But seriously though, there are still too many questions unanswered when the only way an Australian franchise can win is when they're playing against 14. I'd suggest the issues are more cultural than skills based. Historically the focus has been too much about money (on an individual, as well as administrative level), rather than trying to do the best for the good of the game and the enjoyment of doing well. This is where World Series Rugby is an opportunity to bring back the love of the game, to shift the focus back to where it should be.
I'm pretty sure you're overthinking it Chris, I assume, if you read the Sydney papers, that oud find the problems with Australian rugby are behind them now and they're absolutely justified in killing the force off.
If the tahs manage another win before the end of the season, they'll be talking up a world cup win!
C'mon the![]()
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