SANZAR Meeting

[shasta]

No it seems completely realistic

Wish it wasn't raining. I might be able to find some shadows to jump at.

[WFDom]

April 1 is 18 days away!

Mind you if the Force are gonna go then I'd love to see some lunatic decisions initiated to fu@k up the establishement!

[AndyS]

If the Force is financial again, has anyone tried to buy back the license from the ARU? Imagine their response would be very telling...

[The InnFORCEr]

Iain Payten‏ @iainpayten · 3m3 minutes ago
Information still scant on Super Rugby's future but disregard old mate from the Cheetahs and 16 teams. Not gonna happen.

[SinBin]

Steve Lenthall‏ @steve_l15

@iainpayten Cheetahs never prosper
2:42 PM · Mar 14, 2017

At last something to laugh about!

[chibi]

I saw this comment on the G&GR Forum, the poster feels that cutting teams is more of a cosmetic solution that doesn't address the deeper problems at the core of Australian rugby.

The issue of 'too many S18 Aus teams', 'S18 model broken', 'we have too few players for 5 Super teams' etc etc are all red herrings that detract from the real heart of the Australian rugby problem(s) as we helplessly watch this wonderful code slowly but surely die here.

The core issues for Australian rugby are these:

(a) the chief supervisory body within Australia - the ARU - has for a decade or more demonstrated low to zero competence in designing and managing an institutional system that adequately develops both the core skills of Australian rugby players and the type of coaching depth at all levels essential to building such skills and coaching effective rugby team management practices.

Our problem is not one of volume and player numbers and shuffling the Super comp around. Our problem relates to adequate coaching depth and breadth and the institutional ability to build genuine excellence in even a much smaller number of Super or equivalent teams. Clearly we are not able to attain this end even where we have a developmental player base of reasonable size in Sydney and Brisbane- both the 2017 Reds and Tahs are almost as lamentable in fundamental skills and genuine team excellence as are the Rebels, Force and Brumbies where the core cluster of player numbers and grass roots platforms is way less.

Then we face on top a new Darwinian reality smashing us in the face. As we inexorably degrade to new lows of base rugby skill and aptitude, NZ has in parallel totally and utterly raced ahead of Australian rugby in every core element of the game's required attributes and the gap has very likely become an un-breachable chasm affecting the entire rugby system competitiveness between our two countries, not just at the AB level.

Our ARU and State RU's D grade managerial outcomes are in marked contrast to the NZRU's which exists as an exemplar organisation displaying how to design and execute a total rugby developmental system that enhances deep quality in its players and teams.

We have learnt nothing from the NZRU as we have no motivation in our elite ranks for genuine change and institutional reform, period - see why in (b) below.

People rabbit on about player depth etc in NZ as some kind of assuaging cop-out but that is not the key: the key is they manage the code and its systemic foundations as a whole far, far better than Australia does. (Like one dying business competitor Nokia (as once it was) as Apple makes them eat dust and gets further and further ahead.)

(b) Very few persons in elite positions within Australian rugby are (i) objectively competent and chosen on a rigorous, independent, merit-based system and form of conduct and (ii) ever held genuinely accountable for anything in their charge despite often appalling performance and governance outcomes. This is a profound reflection of a set of historical practices deep within the bowels of Australian rugby dominated by self-centred networking, nepotism, insularity and then relentless self- and crony-based protectionism in relation to objective performance standards and stakeholder expectations.

Sports codes with a degree of base line athletic and school-driven talent and the exploitation of glories past can survive for a period with poor institutional governance.

But ultimately that elemental survival is not enough, the laws of Darwinian competition take charge and the institutional toxicity, negligence and incompetence renders itself more and more visibly with more and more disastrous consequences.

At that tipping point, and the fix for it, the only remedy is not tinkering and mild alterations, radical change in leadership and core structures is the only way out followed by deep cultural and institutional reform at all levels.

Reducing our core to 4 or even 3 Super teams will answer, on its own, nothing.

I thought that was an interesting read.

[FingerTips]

"... a set of historical practices deep within the bowels of Australian rugby dominated by self-centred networking, nepotism, insularity and then relentless self- and crony-based protectionism in relation to objective performance standards and stakeholder expectations."

That is about as good a summary of the present state of Rugby Union in Australia as you are going to get.

Forming the rugby wagons into a laager around NSW and QLD by eliminating most or all of the Super Rugby franchises outside of NSW and QLD will not change that present problematic state.

The problems with Rugby Union in Australia are institutional, and they can be solved only by institutional reform.

Meanwhile, the other football codes will continue their inexorable march to truly national codes, and cheerfully pick over the carcasses of fan-bases and revenue opportunities left behind by the ARU in Victoria and Western Australia.

[Sheikh]

Considering the problem with coaching competency in Australia; it is noticeable that one Australian coach is doing rather well at the moment and has turned an underachieving nation into one which has won two 6 Nations (possibly back-to-back Grand Slams) and 18 consecutive wins without particularly changing the playing personnel.

Granted England's style of play may not achieve the same success down here, but what would we give for a few more coaches with his level of technical ability and motivational skill, rather than, say, Richard Graham's?

[Tazzmania]

Kick and Chase on Foxsports reporting that CEO's livid that meeting today did not give them any decision on where super rugby is heading everything still up in the air.

Can only assume waiting for Ratification from TV networks.

This waiting and in decision is not fair to stakeholders, they need to get their act into gear quick smart

[Ralto]

Granted England's style of play may not achieve the same success down here, but what would we give for a few more coaches with his level of technical ability and motivational skill, rather than, say, Richard Graham's?

Good thing is that both are at the level they deserved. It just took a little time, and in Richard's case a lot of money.

[Ralto]

That's got to be a joke, Tazz - surely??

Jees he's quick, already on the bandwagon.

[Tazzmania]

News Now in NZ advising three teams to be cut, Southern Kings only named team the others to be decided in May.

"SANZAAR has put a May deadline to finalise which teams will be cut from the competition and to finalise the format for 2018."

1NewsNow

[yungfen]

Can someone get MR McGowan to do something good from the very start of hi tenure as Premier of WA to ensure that WA does not get booted off!

[jargan83]

The administrators of Rugby have to be the most inept sports administrators in the world.

How many players are on 1 year contracts this year? If the decision is not released until May, how many of these players might get itchy feet and look elsewhere both in Australia to a franchise that can offer a deal (we all know who that is) or chase big dollars overseas.

[jono]

The administrators of Rugby have to be the most inept sports administrators in the world.

How many players are on 1 year contracts this year? If the decision is not released until May, how many of these players might get itchy feet and look elsewhere both in Australia to a franchise that can offer a deal (we all know who that is) or chase big dollars overseas.

on the plus side - there is one less franchise in france to poach players