Fix the Wallabies
-
<p>It's striking a chord in country rugby.</p>
-
<p>That may be so, but I don't really know what he wants the ARU to do?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm not against ranting for ranting's sake (the Fern is built on that concept), but the thing that unites him and Papworth's articles is the lack of any clear demands other than 'do better'. Actually Papworth has 'give us money' as well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'd respect the article a lot more if it gave a couple of tangible actions the ARU could take - eg. run more local coaching clinics, give us new goalpost pads, help us hire cheaper buses.</p> -
<p>But it does. It quite clearly points out the difference between previous efforts in upgrading skills and the cost of running clubs that people want to be involved with, rather than the ARU using club rugby as a cash cow.</p>
-
<p>Does it? All I see are anecdotes from the past few years where this bloke thinks his club has been slighted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think it would be far more effective if he gave some stats about dropping player numbers, and some ideas where ARU $$ and manpower would be really helpful.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>But the only concrete recommendations from the ARU perspective is be more flexible in getting the coach to rugby lunches, and give more notice for NRC fixtures.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="611702" data-time="1472888113">
<div>
<p>Does it? All I see are anecdotes from the past few years where this bloke thinks his club has been slighted.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I think it would be far more effective if he gave some stats about dropping player numbers</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Like the drop in clubs playing subbies rugby?</p> -
<p>Yeah but that's in Sydney, that's not his point.</p>
<p>
I'm not trying to say things are rosey. Everyone knows numbers are down across the board - in town, in the bush, juniors etc.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It's very easy to point that out. It's a lot harder to come up with any tangible solutions.</p> -
<p>I'm not sure that the drop in numbers is purely an Aussie phenomenon. In England, overall numbers may look good but at grass roots level there are fewer seniors playing than before. I have nothing to back this up but anecdotal evidence but it seems that guys are retiring much earlier. We are not seeing these blokes playing on into their late thirties and early forties as before and these guys were the backbone of both the lower sides at club level and the running of the clubs themselves.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have no idea why this might be nor how to fix it - not even sure if it needs fixing.</p> -
<p>There is definitely a move away from contact sports at an adult level. Increasingly people are turning to fast, active, non-contact participation sports like touch rugby, indoor soccer, mixed netball etc.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I haven't looked at numbers, but I'd be willing to bet senior numbers are down in AFL and League as well.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My experience matches yours Canto - blokes retiring younger, wanting to keep their bodies in decent shape and have their weekends to themselves. There are less and less blokes in their 30s, 40s and 50s playing rugby. It's a shame because these guys are like gold dust to a footy club, full of knowledge and great stories.</p> -
Matt Burke wades in <a class="bbc_url" href="http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/83880026/Bledisloe-Cup-2016-All-Blacks-master-the-grey-areas">http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/83880026/Bledisloe-Cup-2016-All-Blacks-master-the-grey-areas</a><br><br>
I love the sound of Aussie whinging in the morning, it sounds like victory..... -
<p>[media]
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Franks really should have been given a break for a few weeks (imo). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I also cannot work out why Aus persist with Moore as captain. He constantly gets on the wrong side of refs and it seems to impact (rightly or wrongly) on how refs interact with him. Would Aus be better going with co-captains with the other captain being the one who talks to the ref?</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="611853" data-time="1472943782">
<div>
<p>Matt Burke wades in <a class="bbc_url" href="http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/83880026/Bledisloe-Cup-2016-All-Blacks-master-the-grey-areas">http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/83880026/Bledisloe-Cup-2016-All-Blacks-master-the-grey-areas</a><br><br>
I love the sound of Aussie whinging in the morning, it sounds like victory.....</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>Lol, he's whinging about a marginal forward pass now. Didn't hear squat from him in 07.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Referees, touch judges and the governing bodies are making weak calls in games involving the All Blacks."<br>
</p>
<p>He's essentially calling the refs cheats. It always makes me laugh when opposition fans raise this. Why wold a neutral referee deliberately go out to favour the All Blacks, when we all know that the rest of the rugby world including World Rugby would prefer not to have such a dominant team for the betterment of the game. That accusation makes no sense at all. I see he decided to conveniently not mention Moore's elbow to Whitelock's head. If ever there was a red card offence....</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Toddy" data-cid="611857" data-time="1472945852"><p>[media]
<br>
<br>
Franks really should have been given a break for a few weeks (imo). <br>
<br></p></blockquote>
<br>
For what?<br>
2 weeks for doing no harm but looking like you could do harm?<br><br>
The new Aussie lock would have to get 2 weeks for the same thing against Read<br><br>
Rougerie gets no ban for actually gouging and people want Franks banned for not doing any damage.<br><br>
Franks looks worse than it actually is, big deal -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Siam" data-cid="611860" data-time="1472946556">
<div>
<p>For what?<br>
2 weeks for doing no harm but looking like you could do harm?<br><br>
The new Aussie lock would have to get 2 weeks for the same thing against Read<br><br>
Rougerie gets no ban for actually gouging and people want Franks banned for not doing any damage.<br><br>
Franks looks worse than it actually is, big deal</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>For intentionally giving a 'face rub' that made contact with the eye area (actually looks like thumb makes contact with the eye). </p>
<p> </p>
<p>If the Aussie lock did a similar thing I'd expect the same sentence. </p> -
There is a picture of the Aussie doing the same thing in the natch thread...the fact the media haven't jumped on this one shows bias
-
This would explain the unexpected D lapses: http://www.theroar.com.au/2016/09/07/has-the-pooper-run-its-course/
-
That can only be a positive thing. Its not that people outside the GPS never get into rugby, its just that the level of competition drops off a cliff outside a few select schools, particularly outside First XV, and there is no real incentive to get better.
Its comforting to hear that the schools themselves want a bit of help in streamlining everything, too. Sometimes those organisations can be a bit self-serving.
-
@antipodean How the ABs do it: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11703616
But Marshall notes (in second half) that despite a strong NPC Kiwi club rugby is also under pressure: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/Justin-Marshall/news/article.cfm?a_id=916&objectid=11703650
-
@NTA said in Fix the Wallabies:
Bottom line already hurting from player salaries!
Although I just heard the players union will be asking for our Women's 7s to get paid the same as the men. Good move. Women's might be the only silver lining moving forward, and bring Olympic will help get it into schoolsThe last contracts signed by Sir Richie and Dan Carter a couple of years ago were for about $600,000 to $650,000 pa.
Two years before then the ARU had at least four players on at least $750,000 pa, three of whom had played about three weeks of Club rugby, and didn't know how to tackle, and were arguably, on paper, don't get me wrong unquestionably best-in- the-world, most exciting talents to ever take the field.
As it happened their superb outstandingness didn't come to pass but everyone involved kept their jobs.