Super 14 plan to end talent hoarding

[travelling_gerry]

Super 14 plan to end talent hoarding






Bret Harris | March 18, 2009


Article from: The Australian

THE Australian Rugby Union is canvassing a proposal to reduce the Super 14 team rosters from 33 to 30 players in an effort to spread talent around the country.

Cutting three players from each roster would force players from stronger squads to seek opportunities at teams with less depth, which could help level the playing field.

With no player draft operating among Australia's four Super 14 teams - the Brumbies, Western Force, Queensland Reds and NSW Waratahs - it would be another way of spreading the talent around and stopping teams from hoarding players.

The need to spread talent will become even more crucial if Australia secures a fifth Super rugby team during the present SANZAR negotiations over the future of the competition.

The five New Zealand Super 14 teams each have only 28 players on their rosters.

There is also the potential to cut costs if an agreement can be reached with the Rugby Union Players Association on the issue.

The minimum salary for a Super 14 player in Australia is $55,000 plus match payments of $2000 to $4000 a game, while the minimum rookie salary is $35,000.
This could potentially save the Super 14 teams up to $700,000 a year in player payments.

But under the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the ARU and RUPA, players must be paid a certain percentage of player-generated revenue.

The idea is being discussed between ARU high-performance manager David Nucifora and the Super 14 team HPU managers.

It is understood a recommendation will be presented to the Super 14 chief executives at their next meeting in a few weeks.

"Nothing definitive has been agreed to yet," NSWRU chief executive Jim L'Estrange said. "It's a work in progress.

"We are looking at ways of doing things better and we have spoken about a range of options.

"We are looking at the rosters and ways to make sure there is adiffusion of talent around Australia."

While the future of Super rugby remains clouded as the three SANZAR partners continue to argue over an expanded competition structure, New Zealand will renew attempts to negotiate a compromise that South Africa and Australia can accept, New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said yesterday.

There has been a steady escalation of tension among the three SANZAR partners as the June 30 deadline to present the organisation's proposal to News Corporation (publisher of The Australian), before a new broadcast deal, has drawn closer.
Australia and South Africa are at loggerheads over which country should be awarded the15th team in an expanded competition.

New Zealand has its own frustrations with South Africa, particularly over the start date of the expanded competition.

Australia and New Zealand want the start of the proposed 22-week competition pushed back to late February or March, but that would extend Super rugby into August.

South Africa, however, has refused to move its Currie Cup provincial competition to accommodate the proposed 15-team series and even suggested Super rugby start earlier in the year, not later.

It has sold its television rights for the Currie Cup from 2011 until 2015 and agreed to refuse any proposal which waters down the competition.
Australia and New Zealand argue February is too hot to be playing, while crowds don't get truly interested until autumn.

"On one hand of the extreme, you have South Africa who arguably have enough rugby in their country already, a very strong domestic competition that pays a lot of bills," Tew told New Zealand's Radio Sport.

"On the other, you have Australia who are desperate for expansion, no domestic competition and are looking for more and more product, for want of a better word."
Tew said New Zealand was somewhere in between, probably veering to the South African side of the fence in terms of protecting its domestic game.
"But we are trying to negotiate some middle ground and willcontinue to play that role," he said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...0-2722,00.html

[Burgs]

It may level out the player pool at the top end over several years but all I see is twelve less juniors getting developed in a Professional environment.

[beige]

On a very shallow level, if it makes a fifth team feasible you could look at it as creating 18 opportunities (assuming players would want to move of course)...

[shasta]

It may level out the player pool at the top end over several years but all I see is twelve less juniors getting developed in a Professional environment.

Alternatively, the glass 2/3 full view - that there's 18 new spots for young players from Australia/Pacific if the 5th franchise is awarded sensibly.


oops. Jeez I type slow.

[Burgs]

Perhaps, but I'm just working through making a list and just fom France and Japan and a couple from the UK I have 33 potential Melbourne players already.

[jargan83]

Key word there is "potential"

[Burgs]

More potential than the 12 that would get dumped if there is only four teams anyway.

[MI5_Dog]

It may level out the player pool at the top end over several years but all I see is twelve less juniors getting developed in a Professional environment.

I'm with you on this one Burgs.

NZ can afford to have a squad of only 28 as they have a second tier competition to blood new players in and develop them..

[jargan83]

More potential than the 12 that would get dumped if there is only four teams anyway.

I'm sure there is, the problem will be actually luring them home

[TOCC]

More potential than the 12 that would get dumped if there is only four teams anyway.

i think the article may have been misinterpreted..

i understand the article as been that in the creation of a 5th team the squads would be reduced to 30.

So there isnt going to be 12 players dumped at all, the natural course of action would be that these players get picked up by the new team or alternate teams.

At the end of the day, the new team would still be creating a extra 18 professional spots that werent open previously.

[mudskipper]

I see many players staying as academy players for longer at their provinces. Especially if their content with their current and future opportunities at that province... will it really make a difference?... I don't think Melbourne will have a problem getting players. A plethora of players will sign if they are a good chance of a starting position... The guys who are currently in the Northern hemisphere wont be rushing back because of this ARU policy change. If it happens.

Waratahs are this week using an academy hooker; Brumbies last year used many academy players due to injury numbers…Reds used a prop last weekend… If provinces don’t have real depth the ARU shouldn’t expect to have an Australian team win the Super Rugby anytime soon…

[TOCC]

its also part of the RUPA agreement with the ARU and provinces that if a academy player plays 6 or more S14 matches in one season then he is automatically offered a professional contract for the following season.

[mudskipper]

its also part of the RUPA agreement with the ARU and provinces that if a academy player plays 6 or more S14 matches in one season then he is automatically offered a professional contract for the following season.

RUPA do a good job for the players... This was an issue that the Brumbies had to deal with last year but it’s the fair-minded thing to do....Sometimes I think John O'Neill would have them playing for as little as possible...

[Burgs]

Part of the problem which goes to almost all things youth is that they want everything yesterday, instant gratification, so if they don't/can't get it somewhere they'll go look elsewhere, whether that is to another franchise or overseas.
At 22 there is an expectation of being a crucial member of a team, even if their body, mind and skills are still developing. Players have to earn their stripes or, to use music lingo, need to pay their dues and not think they are the next superstar.

[Thequeerone]

There is also the lure of other codes as well - If there had been money in water polo would we have been lucky enough to pick up Tai McIassac - most of these peps are good at more than one sport (every time Drew catches a mark you can hear Adrian Barich mutter something about GayFL )

Without a decent second tier comp (Stanners had to go East to prove match fitness) we will end up with less awesome players - we need more players playing at a higher level not less