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Thread: Rams gone

  1. #1
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    Rams gone

    NEW-LOOK NRC PROVIDES IMPROVED PATHWAYS IN NSW AS ROYAL BLUE JERSEY MAKES A RETURN FOR SYDNEY

    By NSW Waratahs Media unit

    Traditional rivalries will return to heartland New South Wales when the 2018 National Rugby Championship (NRC) kicks off later this year.

    NSW Rugby today announced that Sydney Rays and NSW Country will represent the State in the NRC, bringing back the tribalism that has been the trademark of community rugby in NSW.

    More importantly, the streamlined approach will also align to the organisation’s pathway development system.

    NSW Waratahs General Manager: Rugby, Tim Rapp, said the move to a Sydney and NSW Country format was the cornerstone of rugby in the State in earlier days, and bringing that back would reignite the traditional rivalry.

    “The decision to move to two teams means that our pathways are more defined and aligned with our overall High Performance goals of creating opportunities for our players and support staff to be involved at a higher level. At the same time, we are bringing back the rivalry that underlines Sydney and NSW Country contests like never before,” Rapp said.

    He added that two teams gives NSW Rugby the ability to distribute the player talent evenly.

    “There are players who are proud of their heritage, be it Sydney or NSW Country and that’s what this competition is all about. Seeing NSW Waratahs players representing their team will add extra spice to the derbies in particular.”

    Rapp said the revitalised NRC will enhance the profile of the competition and provide development benefits for players and support staff.

    “The NRC is distinctly different to club rugby, it’s an intense 9-week competition in a High Performance environment, which is the best development programme for players and support staff. The progression from Shute Shield to NRC is a celebration of what club rugby and provincial rugby brings to us in terms of development for Super Rugby.”

    The re-jigged competition will also see a return to the familiar royal blue jersey with the historical anchor emblem to be worn by all Sydney age grade and senior teams.

    Former NSW Rugby President and Sydney captain Mick Mathers has fond memories of his time playing in the royal blue jersey.

    “It was the pathway to playing for your State and country, and it was such a great honour and privilege to wear the jumper. Knowing that the jersey is making a comeback this year is fantastic. And a Sydney versus NSW Country match was undoubtedly the highlight of the season back then and I am sure it will be the case again this year and for many more years to come,” said Mathers, who made his debut for NSW against New Zealand Maori at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 1979.

    He ended up playing 14 times for his State and two Tests for the Wallabies.

    Rapp echoed Mathers’ comments on the Sydney jersey.

    “This will further help with our aim of easily outlining our pathways, unifying our game and enhancing that feeling of belonging and uniformity across all teams in our State.”

    http://www.nswwaratahs.com.au/news/n...urn-for-sydney

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    So now it is down to eight. Let's hope it is a clean Home & Away series.

    Sydney
    NSW Country
    Brisbane
    Queensland Country
    Canberra Vikings
    Rebel Rising
    Western Force
    Fiji

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    Shrink to greatness.

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    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    I guess this follows the standard shrink to greatness script that is Aussie rugby. I guess this will be touted as a way to provide better quality rugby and give money to the grassroots

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    Legend Contributor fulvio sammut's Avatar
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    The reasons and excuses given for the reduction in teams reminds me of the old saw that you can dress a donkey in a suit, but all you'll have is a well-dressed donkey.

    It's all about the money and the lack of players, boys and girls.

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    Quote Originally Posted by GIGS20 View Post
    I guess this follows the standard shrink to greatness script that is Aussie rugby. I guess this will be touted as a way to provide better quality rugby and give money to the grassroots
    Even the normally very analytical Nicolas Bishop is punting a shrink to greatness line in Roar today.
    https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/06/0...d-june-series/

    Of course putting the best players of 5 teams into 4 teams gives a short term sugar hit to Australian super rugby results. But what do ARU do in 1-2 years time, but repeat the trick by culling the Brumbies? Is shrinking the number of teams, developing the depth of players in each position to help the Wallabies? I think not.

    However, everybody ignores the fact that there is now a new professional rugby team called Western Force, no thanks to the ARU. The Force and WSR will develop a bunch of new Wallaby prospects in 2-3 years, thanks to Twiggy.

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    I wonder if NSWRU and the Tahs will reduce the number of votes they have on RA commensurate with their ability to field viable teams.

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    Champion eleypinkbit's Avatar
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    Will be interesting to see those stats against NZ teams from the Roar article at the end of the season. Bet they're not repeated when there's no improvement!

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    Pretty poor from Nick all round to go down that route. Duplicated derbies returning has fudged up the stats. I pointed out that only one team the Brumbies has won in SA this year and that their win loss record is low due to losing to poor teams like the Rebels and Reds. You can't swing a cat in the finals if you make it by losing to those teams. Same thing happened last year. Brumbies and Force both took away 9 points each on the SA/Arg tour but lost to poor Aussie teams. NZ was a write off as every team lost to the their sides.

    The western Sydney went out of the Rams when Eastwood stuck their oar in and players switched camps in regards to following the Eastwood and Manly coaches. Penrith, Parramatta and West Harbour no longer constituents.

    Probably the right move as there is no cohesion in the NSW teams and spits out some of the dross or players that aren't aligned to the Tahs. The NSWRU don't have the gonads to stand up to the SRU in regards to the Shute Shield scheduling which gives their teams no lead up. They only started hitting their straps towards the end of last season when it was too late. Hopefully it ends the Easts and Randwick nonsensical infusion in to NSW Country as they only did that due to not being able to afford tenders of their own.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr View Post
    So now it is down to eight. Let's hope it is a clean Home & Away series.

    Ray Meagher
    Isla Fisher
    Georgie Parker
    Heath Ledger
    Dannii Minogue
    Dieter Brummer
    Melissa George
    Chris Hemsworth
    This line up is more interesting and long term

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    Quote Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr View Post
    So now it is down to eight. Let's hope it is a clean Home & Away series.

    Ray Meagher
    Isla Fisher
    Georgie Parker
    Heath Ledger
    Dannii Minogue
    Dieter Brummer
    Melissa George
    Chris Hemsworth
    Quote Originally Posted by sittingbison View Post
    This line up is more interesting and long term
    Heath Ledger is a dead rubber

    (Too soon?)

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    The bold bit about the Pasifika comp is a a bone thrown to Western Sydney. The Eastwood version of the Rams had that lapse.

    The Sydney rugby team will return to the NRC — and will split home games between the east and west

    IAIN PAYTEN, The Daily Telegraph
    June 6, 2018 5:43pm

    THE Sydney rugby team has re-formed to play in the NRC after more than two decades in hibernation, and in a bid to be truly representative, is set to split home games equally between the west and the east.

    As forecast, a shake-up of the NSW’s presence in the NRC saw a further rationalisation of teams.

    From four teams in the original NRC in 2014, the three NSW teams of last season — the Rays, the Rams and the NSW Country Eagles — were reduced to only two: the Sydney Rays and the Eagles.

    The move brings NSW into line with the QRU model of fielding City and Country teams, and like the QRU system, NSWRU will be far more involved in the two teams. The state body had previously kept its hands off and allowed club consortiums to run the franchises.

    The Sydney team will revive the traditional blue-and-yellow colours but the Rays branding was kept as part of a sponsorship deal with Macquarie University; who also run a women’s Sydney Rays team in the Aon Uni 7s comp.

    Like the Sydney Stars before them, the Western Sydney Rams will shut down and there was some angry reaction; particularly coming so soon after the axing of Penrith in the Shute Shield.

    But NSWRU are stressing this is not rugby walking away from western Sydney.

    It is understood the Rays will not have a home ground but instead, like the NSW Country Eagles, play their four home games in a roadshow style, at four different venues.

    Two of the four games will be in western Sydney venues to emphasise the fact the team represents all of Sydney.

    Locations are yet to be finalised for the September-October competition but it is understood stadium options in Penrith are being investigated.

    Sydney hosting the Fiji Drua in mid-October which would no doubt draw a bumper crowd in the west and NSWRU officials are lining up a continuation of the same successful Pasifika round initiatives run by the Rams in recent years, including a NSW Pasifika rugby comp.

    The Sydney team were once a famous representative team on the rugby fixture list, playing against touring teams and in an annual clash with NSW Country. The famous “up the jumper” try in 1975 came in a City-Country clash.

    Despite best intentions by merged club groupings from the same regions, NRC teams in NSW have never managed to fully capture the feel of a local representative team, with coaches and players swapping allegiances routinely.

    As a pathway, the NRC has grown to be a success but understandably, fans have not engaged.

    But following NSW Country Eagles’ lead last year, this year — where possible — players drawn from both the Waratahs and Shute Shield ranks will play for the team according to their “origin” as a city slicker or country boy.

    It has the potential to reignite a strong rivalry.

    NSW Waratahs general manager Tim Rapp said reducing to two teams would also help both teams improve, and potentially bring home a first NRC title to NSW.

    Both teams will use the Waratahs facilities and have equal access to coaching, medical and analytical staff.

    Rapp said cutting a team would not lead to a reduction of opportunities for NSW club players to play in the NRC, with both squads to have 30 players along with extended development squads that will inevitably be called upon. QRU stats show even in a two-team structure, they’ve always had over 50 per cent club players in both teams.

    The concurrent running of the National Under 19 championships at the same time — which also feature Sydney and NSW Country teams — will provide opportunities for the best young talent, Rapp said.

    “You will have a large number of players with a chance to show what they’ve got,” Rapp said.

    Along with coaches, Rapp said scouts had been enlisted throughout all Shute Shield games to make sure all players from all clubs were being watched for potential selection.

    https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...865b905a7e58bf

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  13. #13
    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiap View Post
    But following NSW Country Eagles’ lead last year, this year — where possible — players drawn from both the Waratahs and Shute Shield ranks will play for the team according to their “origin” as a city slicker or country boy.
    I guess that means they'll be releasing Curtis Rona to play for the Spirit then?

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  14. #14
    Veteran sittingbison's Avatar
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    ...From four teams in the original NRC in 2014, the three NSW teams of last season — the Rays, the Rams and the NSW Country Eagles — were reduced to only two: the Sydney Rays and the Eagles...
    the NSW model...shrink to greatness

    ...As a pathway, the NRC has grown to be a success but understandably, fans have not engaged...
    that should read "shrunk to be a success"...and why is it understandable the fans have not engaged? WA fans have engaged the Gold and the Spirit

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    Veteran chibi's Avatar
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    Next year, they'll be fielding only the East Sydney Tahs in the NRC.

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