Aussie Community Rugby
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Yes, in short.
SRU = Sydney Rugby Union = Premier Rugby.
Twelve clubs of varying strengths fighting it out for 4 Grades, 3 Colts U20, and Womens. No restrictions on payments, so similar to Dewar Shield or John I Dent Cup in ACT. Men's comps listed here:
The issue I have with SRU clubs is warehousing players. About 5-6 of the 12 clubs have enough players for a 5th Senior XV and an extra 1-2 Colts U20 sides.
Like the English Premier Rugby, it is a closed shop. Nobody has been into or out of SRU in years, except for Hunter who were added to help address the issue with Penrith Rugby collapsing. No promotion or relegation - there is "live" or "die".
My club plays in Subbies aka NSWSRU = NSW Suburban Rugby Union
In theory we should have the following
Amateur competition rules mean it covers a bit more of the social side but still has some quality rugby.
Up to 6 Divisions at any one time with the goal of 8 clubs in each. However the competition hasn't fielded 6 full divisions for some time now.
- 1st Div = 5 Grades + Colts U21
- 2nd Div = 4 Grades + Colts U21
- 3rd Div = 3 Grades + Colts U21
- 4th Div = 3 Grades
- 5th Div = 2 Grades
- 6th Div = 1 Grade
Or approximately 168 teams taking the field each week, assuming 6 divisions x 8 clubs.
In practice we have
- 1st Div = 5 Grades + Colts U21
- 2nd Div = 3-4 Grades + Colts U21
- 3rd Div = 2 Grades + Colts U21
- 4th Div = 2 Grades
- 5th Div = 1 Grade - and 8-12 clubs as there aren't enough to run two divisions.
- 6th Div = not contested this year or last.
So between 120-130 teams in regular competition, but some larger clubs have extras (e.g. Mosman in First Division has a 6th Grade).
When our club first started in 2007, every division was 8-10 clubs, so you had between 48-60 total. Since then, roughly 20 clubs have died that I'm aware of - some of them started after us!
What we're seeing is the erosion of the smaller end of town as volunteers burn out (like me
) or a group of players who win a title decide to retire.Perhaps most surprising to onlooker: the "Old Boys" clubs aligned to schools are suffering just as much as anyone else. Having a connection to St Ignatius Riverview or Knox College or The Kings School has not saved those clubs from dramatic falls.
Some would blame the amateur rule that came in about 8 years ago, but TBH clubs were killing themselves so something had to change.
The Central Coast and Illawarra comps are being killed by money.
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amazing what just getting to watch some blokes playing rugby rather than dealing with all the shit behind the scenes can do
i had some mixed news last night. one of our big names from the 1s last year got concussed in our trial week before last, not his first and so he's decided to retire, or at least not play this year....came and saw me last night and basically said he needed to stay involved (need that excuse to be in the changing room after we win) and knew the 2's still needed a manager...welcome aboard!
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@Kiwiwomble good to hear.
Do you guys record results using Rugby Xplorer? I hear it's shit
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@NTA we do our registration through Rugby xplorer, we have a different app (connected too) called "Rugby Match Day" where we do squad and team lists, game scoring etc
Its "fine", small annoying things like guys are listed alphabetically by last name (although shown as first name) in the squad list.....but then listed in the order in which they were added in the team list....so there is a lot of back and forward, scrolling up and down finding guys...its fine though
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Rugby players are the dumbest, laziest fluffybunnies in history when it comes to following simple instructions.
Here's our season draw - both in graphical form on Instagram and on this web page I keep linking in the group chat, including map links to every fucking fixture. If you have any questions, refer to that. If you have other questions, make them fucking special because really playing footy is all you care about.
"Bro when's Round 1?"
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So I was walking through Sydney Uni yesterday and saw one of their rugby teams warming up. I assume it was their premier team but I can't be sure. They are sponsored by a Ford dealership (who had cars and banners around the field) and a couple of other companies which made me think it was their top team.
Anyway, I've never seen a whiter rugby team in my life. Surely Polynesians or ATSI attend Sydney Uni?
Not intending to kick off a shit fight about it, it was just surprising, because the odd club game I've seen over here there's been a mixture..
I looped around again hoping to see some of the game but it still hadn't kicked off.
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Would depend on the time of day, but their first grade squad yesterday had Isi Naisarani and a couple of other Pasifika guys.
Their second grade is mostly white boys.
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@NTA said in Aussie Community Rugby:
Would depend on the time of day, but their first grade squad yesterday had Isi Naisarani and a couple of other Pasifika guys.
Their second grade is mostly white boys.
Ah, I guess it was the second grade team I saw then.
I was home for lunch by the 1:20pm kick off time.
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@nepia My brother coached in Uni's Colts grade and is still involved in the club so will talk to him about the situation when he is back over here ANZAC weekend. Can't ring him at the moment as he is a Taradale supporter. In fact I am quite surprised he has not phoned after my guys got towelled up by them yesterday. A third brother (also Taradale) had no such qualms about rubbing it in though!
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@Nepia said in Aussie Community Rugby:
So I was walking through Sydney Uni yesterday and saw one of their rugby teams warming up. I assume it was their premier team but I can't be sure. They are sponsored by a Ford dealership (who had cars and banners around the field) and a couple of other companies which made me think it was their top team.
the "posh school old boys" club we thrashed a couple of weeks ago in a warm up game is sponsored by "movember"...as in they dont need a sponsor so gave the spot to a charity....
@NTA said in Aussie Community Rugby:
Rugby players are the dumbest, laziest fluffybunnies in history when it comes to following simple instructions.
Here's our season draw - both in graphical form on Instagram and on this web page I keep linking in the group chat, including map links to every fucking fixture. If you have any questions, refer to that. If you have other questions, make them fucking special because really playing footy is all you care about.
"Bro when's Round 1?"
had our last trial game on sat (5 out of 5 wins)....12 guys across the 1's and 2's still not registered....lost my rag to the point i had to apologise to a couple...one of the guys....over 100 games and played for the club for a decade...straight face 10 minutes before kickoff...."how do i register".....the same way you have done for the last 5 years dip shit
I keep telling the coaches they need to hammer a change in mind set....if you've been training then assume your playing....dont wait until the team is announced to tell people you cant play
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@Kiwiwomble said in Aussie Community Rugby:
had our last trial game on sat (5 out of 5 wins)....12 guys across the 1's and 2's still not registered....lost my rag to the point i had to apologise to a couple...one of the guys....over 100 games and played for the club for a decade...straight face 10 minutes before kickoff...."how do i register".....the same way you have done for the last 5 years dip shit
I keep telling the coaches they need to hammer a change in mind set....if you've been training then assume your playing....dont wait until the team is announced to tell people you cant play
FMD.
They realise that if they're not registered, they're not insured for training or game day?
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@NTA said in Aussie Community Rugby:
@Kiwiwomble said in Aussie Community Rugby:
had our last trial game on sat (5 out of 5 wins)....12 guys across the 1's and 2's still not registered....lost my rag to the point i had to apologise to a couple...one of the guys....over 100 games and played for the club for a decade...straight face 10 minutes before kickoff...."how do i register".....the same way you have done for the last 5 years dip shit
I keep telling the coaches they need to hammer a change in mind set....if you've been training then assume your playing....dont wait until the team is announced to tell people you cant play
FMD.
They realise that if they're not registered, they're not insured for training or game day?
they do if you ask but for some reason it just doesnt click if you dont spell it out
doesnt help that the "insurance" you get isnt comprehensive....like you really need private health on top as surgery isn't covered for example...so some at least are "im already covered"....some think medicare is enough...
I was so annoyed because id checked the night before and put out a message saying they cant play if theyre not registered...and they know who they are and theyre all big boys and i shouldn't have to spend my friday night chasing them up individually...and to sort it before sat...and too have so many rock up on sat and not say anything until i went to lodge my list and couldnt name them....
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@Kiwiwomble said in Aussie Community Rugby:
doesnt help that the "insurance" you get isnt comprehensive....like you really need private health on top as surgery isn't covered for example...so some at least are "im already covered"....some think medicare is enough...
Really? The insurance we get assumes you have Medicare - so all the Fijian blokes are fucked - and is generally pretty good, if a bit slow. It isn't grandiose enough to cover income etc. which is why so many clubs have a player serious injury fund.
@Kiwiwomble said in Aussie Community Rugby:
have so many rock up on sat and not say anything until i went to lodge my list and couldnt name them....
The best ones are the guys who want to do it on someone else's phone. Either they can't be arsed downloading the app, or want someone to do it for them, or have no data left on their plan because they're manchildren who somehow are allowed to drive cars etc.
https://nswpremresults.fusesport.com/competitions.asp?compID=1556370&id=1195
NSW Suburban Rugby Union
