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I keep hearing the phrase, “Australian Rugby is at rock bottom”.
It is tempting to respond with either “Are you sure?”, or “I bloody hope so!”
Regardless, I believe enough damage has finally been done that may just see the changes required to start the bloodletting, the triage and then finally the rebuild to our former glory days. And I believe it can happen in the next four year cycle.
1. 25 September 2023. Day 1 of the Australian 2027 Rugby World Cup Campaign started yesterday. This year is done and the only viable ambition with the remaining time in France is to start the rebuild in some meaningful way immediately. Those players that will not be there in four years need to be used as fierce training opposition. Those players with a future need to be focused on, supported in the wake of what has happened over the weekend and put “back on the horse” immediately. There was talk post-match, particularly by Stephen Hoiles, about the potential (almost inevitable in Hoiles’ world) scarring for life of these players. There needs to be a narrative around using the pain, focusing it in every single hill run, bench press, scrum engagement, sprint from a tackler, to work towards it never happens again.
2. Arguably the second most important event of the 2027 Campaign is on Stan this Thursday.
Australian Schools & U18s v New Zealand Schools - Trans-Tasman U18s Test 1 2023
Starts: 12:00pm 28 September 2023 (Test 2- 9:00am 2 October 2023)
How this Squad conducts themselves (not just the result) and, far more importantly, how Rugby Australia conduct themselves around player retention, will set the tone going forward. With potentially only the 2024 Under 20‘s the exception, the pool of players that will have any meaningful influence on RWC ’27 is now known, with the majority only to be culled from, not added to.
3. The obvious one, arguably the most important match now of 2023, amazingly against the lowly ranked but extremely plucky Portugal. This isn’t about the scoreboard (though they must win), it is the moment Australians unite behind the current team if they are a Rugby SUPPORTER, not just a FAN, in this country. The XV/23 that wear the jersey this night are the future of the Code in this country. Regardless of all the noise around RA Administration, Coaching, budgets, Super Rugby inclusions and countless other distractions, this is the match where the “shackles come off” (James Horwill) and these young men show the spirit and style that is Rugby in Australia. These young men did not pick themselves (ironically, in a different use of the phrase, part of the problem in several cases…) they were drafted to this position and done the best with the ability they have. If it is good enough for Michael Hooper to be as gracious as he was post-match in expressing his support for the Touring Party and specifically Eddie Jones, then it is the least we can do to get behind this Squad and get them home.
Australia v Portugal - Rugby World Cup Pool C 2023 Starts: 11:15pm 1 October 2023
4. The Review. Yes, it must happen, would have always happened in the context of the campaign, and now must expand to go into the entire Australian Rugby landscape. To miss this important juncture in the Codes history to make real positive change would be even more negligent than the events that have led to this point. I would take this process outside of Rugby Australia hands, either to respected leaders of other Codes in Australia (they say AFL’s Gill McLachlan might be looking for a job after the Grand Final…) or perhaps a Steve Tew-Graeme Henry type combination for an independent International view. Having just watched NZ’s “The Breakdown” (Their version of “Rugby Heaven”) where they led the show for 16 minutes with Tim Horan as guest on the Wales match, but Australian Rugby in general and the potential impact on NZ, I was struck by the genuine concern, particularly (from all people!) from Sir John Kirwan in saying that NZ needed to stand and support Australia for the betterment of both nations. Australia has fantastic leaders, both in Rugby currently and elsewhere. Four years is not a long time. Four years is long enough, with the right people in control, making the right timely decisions on the right plan.
5. Player retention and eligibility. It is a phrase I have banged on about for years, “It isn’t player creation, it is player retention”. It infuriates me when I hear this tired tripe (usually from NSW) that Australia doesn’t have enough players for five SR Franchises. We actually have and continue to produce enough for six, or even seven Squads at a better standard than the current situation, they are just all playing overseas. There are currently (2022/23) over 150 professional Australian eligible players playing overseas. There are roughly 40 required for a Super Rugby Squad! Imagine the lift in standard is say 60 of them still plied their trade in Australia? Australia needs to create a more attractive environment for professional players to stay. Largely, but not entirely, this is around how much they earn. Players also want to play, they don’t want to be constantly training without opportunity for meaningful minutes. RA needs to do everything in its power to make the various competitions more attractive and lucrative, to enable/allow higher salary caps and top ups. There will always be an element who want to see the world and Rugby provides them a fantastic avenue to do that. The return of players from different playing environments is a positive thing too. However, the transition to so many of our young players leaving our shores, anywhere down to 18 years in some cases without even a year in an Academy, is very concerning. It used to be players wouldn’t head overseas until 28 or later, once their Wallaby aspirations were over or they were being pushed out by younger players of higher value to their SR Squad. The “Superannuation League” we used to call it, particularly in Japan. While some players will inevitably fall through the cracks and some players will rebuild their International journey through the heritage laws introduced, it is the sight of Mack Hansen, an Australian U20 25 year old staring for the #1 ranked Irish that should never have happened. There are others as well. The ones I feel sorry for there, as they must be head butting a nearby wall, is the poor bloody Coaches (School, Club and Junior Rep) that brought Mack and others to that point, only to see another nation benefit. How such a player can be junior identified, invested in and “lost” is worthy of a Review of its own! Players want to play, you can’t blame the individuals. Ultimately, is Australian Rugby better off with three Tight Heads starting each week, or five. Or Hookers, Flyhalves, Fullbacks etc. If the Rebels and Force were hypothetically to fold, there is no evidence to suggest the best of each Squad would be retained in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. Some would make the move, but only to displace others of high standing and International value. In any case, according to Horan on The Breakdown, a pre-requisite of awarding RWC ’27 was in having five franchises, so it is unlikely to happen in the next cycle. Finally it is the retention of players within the Code, to stop the flow of juniors and schoolboys to League and to regain the children of past Union people that now don’t even start the journey. There are myriad fronts there, but for the missed youth a major factor is around head injuries, while contract values is a huge issue with the flow to League.
6. Australian Rugby, from the Wallabies to the Dunsborough Dungbeatles, need leadership. I am a strong believer in giving back to communities and careers that have given you a great deal. I believe a good way to go would be to form (for want of a better name) a “Captains Club” based on the leadership of all past retired Wallaby Captains, Chaired by the most recently retired Captain of 10 or more Tests as Captain. Membership being open to all interested past Wallabies. While arguably similar to the Classic Wallabies, I would propose the efforts aimed more internally to Wallaby, Australia A and Under Age leadership, mentoring and general support. We need more genuinely engaged individuals “inside the tent”. You cannot buy speed or experience, but you can assist in it’s discovery and maturity.
7. Development pathways. Australia must continue the long disbanded and recently revived Australia A program. This is the forum for trialing players and combinations, not cheaply throwing around Test Caps on a whim. A strong schedule of matches against nations such as Georgia, Romania, Chile, Namibia etc should be established every year to bring through the next generation. Even better, make each match a double header with an Under 20 fixture. Likewise, Super Rugby Pacific needs a full season Under 20 competition matching the Senior schedule as double header fixtures. Our players need more match time, to gain experience but also just to damn well harden up! By accompanying the Senior schedule there would be savings per fixture compared to duplicating all the expenses with stand-alone fixtures.
There are 100 and 1 other areas that need attention, these are just the main initial ones that come to one supporters mind, but I believe they would all assist the pathway forward. The one thing I know for sure is it is "shoulder to the wheel time" for those who love the Code in this country and I for one will do whatever is within my power to assist getting things back on course.
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but have them piggyback the men's events as double-headers to help with ticketing and have their games on Free-to-Air as much as possible, even if it's on the ABC? Should we try to get more rugby on FTA, womens or mens, at any level, for any channel that will take it?
Originally Posted by Leo86
