Aussie Pro Rugby
-
@bovidae
You have done well Bovidae - a brief scan of the main dailies and Fox Sports reveals no report on this.It is clearly not an ARU problem and they need not be pursued on it but they will be, it is nonetheless sub-optimal!
What a nasty little world there is, hiding in dark places!
-
NSW Waratahs enter partnership with San Diego Legion
In an exciting development for the growth and alignment between Australian and American rugby, the NSW Waratahs have entered a commercial partnership with Major League Rugby (MLR) franchise the San Diego Legion.
**NSW Waratahs enter partnership with San Diego Legion** Rugby is the largest growing team sport in the United States and features a national domestic competition that is growing from strength to strength presenting a very attractive commercial and development proposition for the Waratahs. Established in 2017 with seven franchises, the MLR is entering its 5th season and has now expanded to 13 franchises. The San Diego Legion is one of the founding and most successful franchises of the MLR and is owned by US-based Australian lawyer Darren Gardner and US entrepreneur Ryan Patterson. Over the first four seasons of the MLR, San Diego Legion has fielded a star-studded international line-up featuring former Waratahs Paddy Ryan and Cameron Clark, household name international Test players like Ma’a Nonu and Chris Robshaw as well as a host of US and Canadian Test players and capped Super Rugby players. The objective of the partnership between the Waratahs and the Legion is to assist both organisations to promote and grow the game in their home jurisdictions, exchange business operations ideas, evolve game day experiences, foster and grow players, coaching, and administration talent, and develop potential business and commercial opportunities. A major part of the partnership focuses on high performance and elite player development allowing the NSW Waratahs and San Diego Legion the opportunity to work collaboratively by exchanging players, sharing talent identification information, as well as providing opportunities for development players to experience the rugby culture in another country. The partnership aims to develop collective commercial initiatives incorporating both organisations’ assets, with the goal of building the profile of the Waratahs brand in the USA market while simultaneously building the profile of San Diego Legion in Australia and Asia Pacific region. These initiatives include joint memberships, sponsorship and merchandise along with opportunities for both organisation’s commercial partners to have a broader reach into the respective American and Pacific regions. NSW Waratahs CEO Paul Doorn said: “This is a ground-breaking partnership with the opportunities it creates for both the Waratahs and the San Diego Legion. “The USA is the sleeping giant in world rugby and provides fantastic commercial and player development opportunities. “The rapid growth and success of the MLR highlights the potential of the game in the USA and we look forward to working closely with the Legion to strengthen both organisations from a commercial and high-performance perspective.” San Diego Legion Co-owner Darren Gardner said: "San Diego Legion is very focused on being a world class rugby organization. The US has a phenomenal pool of athletes and has the potential talent to become a legitimate force in world rugby. To do that, we need to continue to learn and develop our rugby systems, coaches, players and administration and we are excited by the opportunity that the partnership with the Waratahs presents for us to take that to the next level. “At the same time, the US is the world’s largest economy and the global leader in professional sports. As a rugby market, it offers a commercial opportunity that doesn’t exist anywhere else. It is an amazing time for the game here and we look forward to welcoming the Waratahs into the fold. “For me personally, growing up in country New South Wales with a life-long passion for rugby, I could not be more delighted with the partnership”. -
-
Maybe it isn't a bad short-term strategy to let guys have time at home - going to Europe after TRC and then probably having to quarantine back here after isn't a thrilling prospect for anyone, especially as you're meant to be diving into preseason straight after.
Will it help team cohesion tho? Will it help us win? Is it just there to remind these guys they can still play for Australia?
If we don't get JOC right playing 10, and if Kerevi isn't available, the team suddenly looks very different.
-
aussie needs to becomes competitive in the short term to grow the interest and have some people to come through long term
-
@kiwiwomble said in Aussie Rugby:
aussie needs to becomes competitive in the short term to grow the interest and have some people to come through long term
While I agree in principle, I'm becoming less convinced of the viability of the longer term fortunes from Wallaby success.
There are a lot of impediments in place to linking current success to the next generation of Wallabies, including Sydney Club Rugby and the lack of alignment with schools.
EDIT: laziness plays a part as well. When Australian Rugby does something significant and positive, there is a tendency to sit on laurels.
-
@nta sorry, should be re clear, i mean more Aussie in general, starting with the club scene and going up, ive said before i was shocked club games in melbourne clashed with Super games for example, considering there is nothing in between the clubs and a rebels contract...they should be doing as much as they can to make sure those that enjoy playing rugby...actually go and watch the rebels
Part of that is also given them something to watch and enjoy, and winning more games would help
-
The last few games have made me rethink the Giteau rule. The introduction of Kerevi and Cooper have arguably won us games, and at very least made us a much better side.
We're now in a purple patch of form. There's a buzz around the team. The Giteau rule needs to go to allow this to happen permanently.
Now I don't want it to be open slather, but we need to allow our top guys to come back for the international season. Yes it may impact Super Rugby but that is outweighed by a winning Wallaby team.
I'm also in favour of bringing in Skelton and co for the autumn internationals. We've got a unique opportunity to see what we've got with these guys, and if they have the same impact that Kerevi has had.
-
@barbarian said in Aussie Rugby:
The last few games have made me rethink the Giteau rule. The introduction of Kerevi and Cooper have arguably won us games, and at very least made us a much better side.
Ironically, allowing your players to be selected from overseas makes them less attractive to employers, as they can go missing. The challenge is always integrating, looking after them (medically) and managing their workload with seasons out of alignment.
Obviously all aside from the weakening of local pathways and competitions.
-
🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨
Rugby Australia is on the cusp of the "biggest change since rugby went professional".
FULL DETAILS 📝: https://bit.ly/3Fh2qmQ
Central contracting , this could be huge for Aussie Rugby
-
@steven-harris i dont like it, i know aussie rugby is struggling but i dont like how top heavy NZ rugby is, sacrificing everything else for International rugby
Would we really want anyone thats been involved in RA over the last decade to be in charge of EVERTHING?
-
@kiwiwomble can understand your reasons , it could be a short term gain but on saying that it could have huge benefits ..
-
@steven-harris said in Aussie Rugby:
🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨
Rugby Australia is on the cusp of the "biggest change since rugby went professional".
FULL DETAILS 📝: https://bit.ly/3Fh2qmQ
Central contracting , this could be huge for Aussie Rugby
I can't see how this is tenable for SR coaches:
By moving to a centralised program, RA would similarly be able to influence where players end up across the five Super Rugby franchises. A case in point would be Jordan Petaia, where Wallabies selectors are keen to see him play fullback but, at this point, the prodigious talent has played predominantly on the wing or at outside centre with Jock Campbell instead preferred in the No. 15 jersey. But with Campbell not in the selection frame at the Wallabies, Petaia has been denied the chance to play in his preferred position, with injuries also playing a strong part in Brad Thorn’s decision making regarding selection. Last month, Thorn didn’t guarantee Petaia would play at fullback in 2022 and said they rated Campbell highly. -
@antipodean well they could just carry on business as usual and lose players offshore each year which further dissolves the quality of their Super teams .
What’s that saying , doing the same thing and expecting a different result .. -
@steven-harris I don't consider it an either or proposition, merely that that aspect is stupid beyond belief.
