Where to for Super Rugby?

[BLR]

I haven't seen or heard anything that indicates he was still at school whilst playing for the Force and the Wallabies.

Well maybe I got it wrong, I was positive that he did at least a little bit of schooling here while the Force didn't have dispensation to play him because of his age.

*BE VERY CAREFUL - DON'T PLAY THE MAN.* - MODS Jesus.

Let's just say the Force did nothing at all for JOC (James O'Connor) if that makes you happy.

 

[blues recovery]

Well maybe I got it wrong, I was positive that he did at least a little bit of schooling here while the Force didn't have dispensation to play him because of his age.

DELETED Jesus.

Let's just say the Force did nothing at all for JOC (James O'Connor) if that makes you happy.

So stop being so fast and loose with the truth mate . Its not your first time pal

 

[Quick Hands]

The 87 RWC semi-final against France drew a bit under 18,000 at Concord. Rugby crowds have improved a bit since the 80s too.

Seriously, you're clutching at straws with this one. The ground was full to capacity - had they played it at the SCG it would have drawn 30-40,000.

For those too young to remember, the Concord Oval fiasco was another triumph in Australian Rugby adminstration. The NSWRU were going to construct a southern hemisphere Twickenham seating 40,000 at Concord. Sent themselves broke in the process.

NSWRU Executive Director ended up in prison.

 

[cyclopath]

OK, how about you all leave that subject where it is, because all I can see coming is at least one poster getting a holiday.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

SARU are holding a meeting on 7 July to confirm the four SA teams for Super Rugby 2018:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/july-7-meeting-for-sa-super-rugby-sides/

By that time it'll have been considered by the Franchise Committee (6 x Super Rugby entities), Non Franchise Committee (14 x Currie Cup teams) & Exec Council so presumably by then it'll be a done deal that just needs final & formal SARU endorsement. Again I'm struck by how the supposedly chaotic SARU has dealt with the issue so much better than ARU appears to have done.

 

[dru]

Hey WoB. Fab reports you are showing us.

I'd hold the cards just a bit, before accepting that everything at SARU is smooth sailing. That said they are a zillion miles in front of ARU, looking in control, and without any smiff of true rugby revolt.

Not at all what I expected.

So, Super 16?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Not to rehash the James O'Connor thing as it was a long time ago but I'm about 99% sure he was enrolled and attended Hale School (a very expensive and exclusive boys school) whilst in Perth in 2008. How much time he spent there I'm not sure but like I said Im almost certain he attended but 9 years on I can't find anything in the interweb to back it up so will have to rely on the old brain.

I remember an article with him in the unform something like "school boy to make debut" along with a radio interview.

There was a lot of hype at the time of his debut among the force fans.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

This is all true bar the last paragraph, though it's seperate to the points you were making before.

I do think that the marketplace was less competitive when the Force entered it, with less players playing overseas (at least at the peak of their powers) and obviously less Aussie Super team to compete with for players.

The last paragraph is silly speculation. Why? Because of Own the Force? Nothing is proprietary about it.

The sad thing about many Force fans on the forum is I want to back you in and agree with you, but then you go and say something that's either based on nothing or is a lie.

The biggest thing that I believe to have an effect on the Force and this is no dig at you guys or your club at all was the inception of the Rebels.

The force had just gone though all the hoopla of Fire-power and just as they where getting back on their feet along come the Rebels.

The force lost some players like Jones and Inman but the biggest issue was that now players on the east didn't have to come all the way to Perth to ply their trade. They just needed to go to Melbourne which is a more desirable place to live.

That's when the force needed to really focus on grass roots but at the time we had Richard Graham who refused to look at anyone from Perth. For example I remember the Force had a massive injury issue with locks. Richard Graham refused to use Jake Ball who had been in the local comp and was In super form. Instead he flew over Ollie Atkins from Sydney. Atkins was serviceable but was then gone at season ends. Ball., Disenchanted by this signed for a club In Wales before actually play test rugby for Wales. Another one that got away.

Now 5-6 years later we are finally seeing the fruits of peoples labour in the local comp with players like DHP, RHP Hardwick, Koteka, louwrens, Godwin ect but again we are faced with another huge hurdle (the aru) which threatens to jeopardise all the good of the past few years.

And yes I recognise the failures both on and off the field but it's tough to be competative with 1 arm tide behind your back and the other trying to operate in system which by design is meant to be uneven (salary cap) in order to keep the traditional states strong.

 

[James Pettifer]

Not to rehash the James O'Connor thing as it was a long time ago but I'm about 99% sure he was enrolled and attended Hale School (a very expensive and exclusive boys school) whilst in Perth in 2008. How much time he spent there I'm not sure but like I said Im almost certain he attended but 9 years on I can't find anything in the interweb to back it up so will have to rely on the old brain.

I remember an article with him in the unform something like "school boy to make debut" along with a radio interview.

There was a lot of hype at the time of his debut among the force fans.

Makes sense. He was only 17 when he was in Perth so you would have expected him to be somewhere. Hale seems to be the obvious option based on its rugby history.

Sad actually looking at the old forum posts on him. Such an exciting talent and then you hit the first arrest in December 2008. What a waste.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Makes sense. He was only 17 when he was in Perth so you would have expected him to be somewhere. Hale seems to be the obvious option based on its rugby history.

Sad actually looking at the old forum posts on him. Such an exciting talent and then you hit the first arrest in December 2008. What a waste.

Haha yeah I just went through all the old forum post on TWF about him to try and confirm my memory. So much potential but even back then we were making excuses for his behaviour and personality which I suspect in the long run did more damage than good.

 

[half]

Hypothetical question, imagine the following happens. South Africa join the pro tournament in Europe from 2020.

Super Rugby, would then have Australia, New Zealand, Japanese, & Argentinean sides remaining.

Without South Africa and their ratings, I assume we would struggle for anywhere the revenue from Europe we currently enjoy.

What happens next?

There is conjecture we could make about players leaving for Europe and not the revenue streams to support Japan and Argentina.

But my hypothetical would the current staff in senior management positions hang around to clean up the mess? Or will they leave for lowly paid amateurs to rectify and fix?

Tis so interesting to consider the total lack of planning if South Africa pull out and move to Europe. Long before the last media deal I said if we are lucky we will get two but I think one last easy media deal.

IMO big Wednesday has arrived its time we assumed South Africa will pull out and fortify as bests we can what will be left.

 

[MarkJ]

Seriously, you're clutching at straws with this one. The ground was full to capacity - had they played it at the SCG it would have drawn 30-40,000.

Under 15,000 for the quarter final against the Irish

 

[James Pettifer]

Under 15,000 for the quarter final against the Irish

Sigh. Compare to the 2003 Rugby World Cup where the lowest crowd was 15,457 at York Park in Launceston for Namibia v Romania

 

[Jon]

not coming down on one side or the other, but JOC (James O'Connor) was 18 in 2008. pretty sure he finished school in 2007.

I mean, I'm a month older than him and i finished high school in 2007.

But, back onto topic.

where to for super rugby?

F**king anywhere... someone make a decision so we can either: be happy. pissed off, or abandon completely.

 

[Highlander35]

U20s tournament is really pushing the disappointment to the forefront for me.

5 "proper" Victorians are playing there. Uelese and Tuipulotu directly from us, Valetini via the Brumbies, JP Sauni for NZ and Hunter Paisami for Samoa.

Add to that Fereti Sa'aga, Rob Leota and Esei Ha'angana, who've all made Rebels debuts in the last two seasons (as have Uelese and Tuipulotu).

Add on 21 year olds Ikapote Tupai and Ah-mu Tumualealiifano who were regulars in the Rising last season, and that's a solid list of Juniors who've come through under the Rebels tutelage.

I'm sure the Force have similar development (accounting for sheer difference in population) and it's disappointing to see that at least one of these outlets is going to be more or less completely shut down, just as it's truly beginning to bear fruit.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Killer]

You are correct these are not the words I would use, and no, they are not relative, it's a statement based on nothing. Not even logical projections of the current state of things.

Your opinion on Sharpe is incorrect, google the test XVs at the time. 4th choice players aren't sitting around 50 caps at a young age.

I never said Poey and JOC (James O'Connor) were big names (though they were both pretty much as hyped as U18s get bar anomalies like Tongan Thor). I did say that to claim players who've spent far under a year somewhere as locally developed is bold. Specially considering I'm quite sure JOC (James O'Connor) spent most of his year with the Aus 7s.

Maybe I could suggest you read the whole thread before being abusive.
My comments were originally in ref to another members statement.
Your comments re Sharpe are also just an opinion, not irrefutable fact.
I said JOC (James O'Connor) and Poey came through the WF system, because they were very young and hadn't played Super Rugby. That does not mean they are products of RWA.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

not coming down on one side or the other, but JOC (James O'Connor) was 18 in 2008. pretty sure he finished school in 2007.

I mean, I'm a month older than him and i finished high school in 2007.

But, back onto topic.

where to for super rugby?

F**king anywhere. someone make a decision so we can either: be happy. pissed off, or abandon completely.

Correct but on the east coast they graduate at 18 where as in wa In 2008 as I'm sure you know we finish at 17.

 

[Killer]

Sharpe was actually the stand-in captain for QLD at the time, and was offered the full-time captaincy after Elton Flatley stood down due to ongoing concussion issues. Sharpe was a massive part of the Reds at the time.

Seems unusual that he would not accept it then, maybe too little too late? I cannot remember clearly but I do recall some resentment with regard to the QLD Captaincy. Happy to be corrected though.

 

[cyclopath]

**OK, since some of you can't read good, I get to repeat myself. MOVE ALONG, this has got beyond boring and someone will end up getting banned.**

 

[TOCC]

Correct but on the east coast they graduate at 18 where as in wa In 2008 as I'm sure you know we finish at 17.

nah, QLD graduate as 17yr olds, only changed to 18 the last couple of years, but in 2007 it was still 17, JOC (James O'Connor) did his seniors at Nudgee College