We're fast becoming a feeder system for overseas clubs like NZ and SA - we're going to have to turbo charge our production line to keep producing players to replace all the ones we lose.
Saying that, with the drop in the mungo salary cap, hopefully that will lessen them picking off junior Aus (and NZ) rugby talent.
Personally I think it's a really good thing and hope we grow as a feeder nation. Yes, we look stupid, but once we get past our own stupidity its green pastures. That's if we ever can.
Consider the rich irony in all of this and that really really highlights that penny really hasn't dropped for this game (rugby) as a whole in this country for decades. For a sport that supposedly unpopular, can't evolve, can't perform or grow, is of low standard and cuts teams because it can't sustain them; and the key reason usually cited is a lack of talent availability in the system, one of its its biggest issue is players leaving due to lack of opportunity (pathways, career prospects etc). The same players that are supposedly not good enough for Aussie rugby but good enough to be recruited by other international clubs or codes; and we aren't talking insignificant numbers.
If you want to add to the arguments you need to include that COVID forced the hands of out Super Rugby teams to start using the local talent (and cut price talent) and junior players and how its dragged the standard down in the past 2 years. Brumbies and Reds are example of the issue. But, the players at the Super Rugby teams are in addition to the players junior / emerging players being poached / leaving and older discards.
So, Aussie rugby's problem is infact a player surplus and a clear and obvious lack of opportunity for players. What a shit problem to have. Too many players that we can't retain due to a lack of opportunity; a problem of our own making and choice.
There is alway club rugby, right?
