Give ARC a chance: ex-World Cup coach

[Thequeerone]

From the West Australian

www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=13

Give ARC a chance: ex-World Cup coach
7th August 2007, 11:45 WST

The message from former World Cup coach John Boe to the Australian Rugby Championship knockers is simple - just give it a chance.

The knives are already out for the ARC before the inaugural season even kicks off with Sydney critics claiming the eight-team national competition is "dead in the water" and a "financial nightmare".

A Sydney newspaper reported that one team is expected to suffer at least a $1.7 million loss in their first year and only two sides - Perth and Canberra - have the potential to break even.

The eight-round ARC - developed to fill the gap between club rugby and the Super 14 - kicks off this weekend and features teams from Western Australia, Victoria, the ACT, NSW and Queensland.

Samoa's 2003 World Cup coach Boe - who holds the reins for one of Queensland's two teams, the East Coast Aces - admitted there would be ARC teething problems.

But he believed the national competition - in which club players will rub shoulders with the Wallabies and Super 14 ranks - would become as important as New Zealand's NPC.

And he should know - the 1981 All Blacks tourist played 137 games for Waikato and took the province to the 1998 NPC final as a coach.

"Give the players a chance, give the teams a chance, and give the whole competition an opportunity," Boe said at the launch of Queensland's ARC teams the Aces and Ballymore Tornadoes.

"I know when the NPC first started in New Zealand it took a while to catch on, like any competition, but it is amazingly important to the All Blacks.

"It's easy to be negative. What I would like people to do is get behind the teams because I am certain in my mind that this is a great step forward for Australian rugby."

A Sydney newspaper also reported that high ranking Sydney and Brisbane officials were in the process of formulating an alternate club competition to take over from the ARC, costing a third of the current national competition.

"If they are suggesting those sort of rebel things, I can't see that as being good for the game," Boe said.

"That's talking about splitting us. That's the last thing we want, we want to be united.

"I know the importance of it (ARC) because I have been part of a similar situation in New Zealand and the South Africans would say the same about their Currie Cup.

"So it's enormously important that we make a success of it.

"It's up to us as coaches and players to make it an attractive package, and get the supporters along."

ARU chief executive John O'Neill issued a statement last week that a review of the ARC would be held following their first season.

But Boe didn't want anyone to pre-judge the ARC.

"There will be (teething problems) definitely. It's like any new competition - we will make mistakes," he said.

"(But) It's just up to us to forge on ahead and not let those mistakes become distractions.

"The NPC in New Zealand gives so many opportunities to players to put their hand up and stake national honours which they normally wouldn't have if they were just playing club rugby.

"I am sure there's going to be players here who will all of a sudden emerge out of nowhere."

The Aces open their ARC campaign against Ballymore at the Gold Coast's Carrara Stadium on Sunday.


The bit I find instresting is that nobody seems to be into this comp apart from rugby tragic like us - but nobody is openly slagging it off either - not even Growden - but from my understanding we are in for some quite good rugby not just because of the new laws but because the teams are full of young players (and not so young !) who have nothing to loose and everything to gain from playing well - I'm hopelessly confused why isn't the rugby community over east behind this - they can't be that worried about getting trounced by the Spirit

[jargan83]

change...............they fear it

[AndyS]

The bit I find instresting is that nobody seems to be into this comp apart from rugby tragic like us

Frankly, I'm distressed about the lack of any real promotion (or at least, that has reached into my little cave). I don't know what the hell the ARU are doing, but I'm really starting to doubt they do either. Rugby is in a competitive market for viewers and sponsors, and I have never come across management of any sport - at all levels - so prepared to hide the light, talk down their own sport and generally argue their own limitations.

I'm maybe dumping a bit of bile, but it was the same during the Pacific Cup. We get saturation bombed for test matches and RWC, but to my mind they are the high end product like International Rules and State of Origin. The main product for AFL and League are the domestic competitions, and they sell the hell out of them. Ours is S14/ARC and, while they do a pretty fair job of the S14, there has been next to nothing for the domestic comp. ARU policy should be "IT'S ALL RUGBY" and should be promoting this competition to the hilt.

[frontrow]

Totally agree andy, we need more promotion and less bitching...

[shasta]

I'm hopelessly confused why isn't the rugby community over east behind this

No need to be confused TQ1. They are not even behind their own clubs which they are touting to be in a new Qld-NSW club comp next year. Look at the hopeless roll-up they got to the Shute Shield final. If it wasn't for licensed clubs and the dedicated club volunteers they would have fallen over long ago.They like to support rugby in principle and turn up to "events" like the Waratahs and Wallabies as long as they win.

I just hope the ARU has as much balls and money as the AFL - ( Gawd! gotta go wash my mouth out ). They kept pouring money down the bottomless pits that were the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Bears and are reaping the rewards.

[gustafsl]

I'm maybe dumping a bit of bile, but it was the same during the Pacific Cup. We get saturation bombed for test matches and RWC, but to my mind they are the high end product like International Rules and State of Origin. The main product for AFL and League are the domestic competitions, and they sell the hell out of them. Ours is S14/ARC and, while they do a pretty fair job of the S14, there has been next to nothing for the domestic comp. ARU policy should be "IT'S ALL RUGBY" and should be promoting this competition to the hilt.

I think the main problem is that no free to air network picks up the Super 14 games. The Wallabies and RWC are on free to air (sometimes they even show the whole game!!!!) so the network will advertise it themselves to get people to watch. I have Foxtel, however most of my nightly TV watching is on free to air, so I'd agree most of the adverts for sports are AFL. Until a free to air network starts showing Super 14 there won't be any memorable advertising for it.

[The InnFORCEr]

So far I have seen the following promotions for Perth Spirit

1. Matt Henjak head shot in the post with Force/Spirit jumper.
2. Posters have been sent to and I assume other pubs around town
3. Commercials on Channel 10
4. Today I have just seen a massive billboard poster of the pub one with Troy Takiari in the middle.
5. Email news form Rugby WA
6. Plenty on TWF!

I totally understand that some would feel they have not seen it exposed enough, but instead of complaining how about psoting some suitable ideas...we all know those in the know at Rugby WA are watching us, so let's give them some ideas to get to us an others.

[gustafsl]

No need to be confused TQ1. They are not even behind their own clubs which they are touting to be in a new Qld-NSW club comp next year. Look at the hopeless roll-up they got to the Shute Shield final. If it wasn't for licensed clubs and the dedicated club volunteers they would have fallen over long ago.They like to support rugby in principle and turn up to "events" like the Waratahs and Wallabies as long as they win.

I just hope the ARU has as much balls and money as the AFL - ( Gawd! gotta go wash my mouth out ). They kept pouring money down the bottomless pits that were the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Bears and are reaping the rewards.

I think Rugby sufers the same problem as a lot of other sports in Australia. People here seem to be unwilling to pay money/attention unless it is a national event. Swimming, cycling, even cricket to an extent. Unless it's Australia playing and it's a World Championship/Olympics then no one cares. Cricket might be getting rid of the tri series because no one goes to the games between the two none australian teams. I don't understand how you can be a cricket fan and then not care about a match between other teams. I know I'm in Adelaide (not exactly the hot spot for Rugby) but its embarassing how many people have no idea what the Super 14 is. And their favourite player is the guy with dreadlocks.

So far I have seen the following promotions for Perth Spirit

1. Matt Henjak head shot in the post with Force/Spirit jumper.
2. Posters have been sent to and I assume other pubs around town
3. Commercials on Channel 10
4. Today I have just seen a massive billboard poster of the pub one with Troy Takiari in the middle.
5. Email news form Rugby WA
6. Plenty on TWF!

I totally understand that some would feel they have not seen it exposed enough, but instead of complaining how about psoting some suitable ideas...we all know those in the know at Rugby WA are watching us, so let's give them some ideas to get to us an others.

Not really related to advertising of the ARC but rather rugby in general: my idea is to for the Spirit to play some games in Adelaide!!!!!! And while we're at it, perhaps some Force games too!!!!! Maybe this is in the works for future years, as I'm sure they are wanting to promote it in the 8 cities for the first year, but why not have some games at neutral locations and promote rugby outside of the main locations.

[AndyS]

I think the main problem is that no free to air network picks up the Super 14 games.

Having taken a deep breath, that is probably a very good point. FTA TV will generally promote it's own product and the print media will focus on what is in the public eye. We are maybe paying the price for selling the primary product to pay TV.

For mine, print media is the important one - not so much ads as column space. Maybe the expectation of a big splash is unreasonable and we have to make the ARC a discussion point before it will get discussed.

[.X.]

For those of you that are interested and that has been repeated by Chook and others.

There is, from what I can tell, Zero promotion of ARC in Sydney - the biggest market and the home to THREE ARC teams.

I mentioned to my boss that there was a game coming up at the Stadium that is a 15 minute walk from work and he didn't know about it, and wasn't even aware of the competition, and he is a guy who grew up in NZ and loves his Rugby.

Yes we need to give ARC a chance, but if the powers to be don't start throwing some promotion around the place we aren't going to get a chance to give it a chance.

[acarroll]

I figure the ARU are trying to cover their arses by down playing it, hedging their bets so that if it doesn't work out, well, no one really made a huge committment to it anyway, and causing limitted damage to the brand.

Feeding in to this attitude is the rugby politics of Sydney and Brisbane that wants it to fail so that those people can jostle for power. These same people don't like the fact that a strong leader like John O'Neill is back at the helm, and a failure on his watch gives them ammo to undermine him.

Honestly, all this bitching in Australian rugby makes this fan want to throw his hands up and follow League! To think what rugby could have been if the schism never happened...

Anyways, go the Rays and lets hope we can rub the nay-sayers faces in the dirt!

[shasta]

but instead of complaining how about psoting some suitable ideas...we all know those in the know at Rugby WA are watching us, so let's give them some ideas to get to us an others.

Fair enough Tif. Personally I reckon there has been OK promotion on Foxtel as we get closer to kick-off. In WA there has been a bit more in other media than seems to be the case in the east.

But the thread really relates to the eastern seaboard and the politics of the situation. The inner Sydney establishment and their mouthpieces were dead against from day 1. They have done everything possible to torpedo it since.

Maybe there's a silver lining? Any publicity........

[AndyS]

instead of complaining how about psoting some suitable ideas.

Following on from a post on another thread, did RugbyWA include past members on the promotional mailout? I presume they still have their contact details on file given they surveyed them as to the reason, so if they didn't include them, a nicely written note letting them know about a competition that has much better viewing might pay dividends.

[travelling_gerry]

Good Idea Andys

[.X.]

Honestly, all this bitching in Australian rugby makes this fan want to throw his hands up and follow League!

Now wait a minute - thats taking it a bit too far