All these Aus local derbies ...................... better?

[en_force_er]

So should the Australian "winner" get a trophy? I can't see any harm in it.

Absolutely. It's worth at least pretending that our little conference is a league within the league, I mean it may as well be.

 

[RugbyFuture]

I believe the minor premier of the australian conferance should be given the Barrack Square Shield, after the first place rugby was said to have been played in australia.

This of course would allign with my belief that the conferances are built to develop into individual leagues...

 

[jay-c]

if the aru doesnt jump on the idea of having a trophy for the best aussie team greenandgold should present an award/trophy (great free promotions for gagr)
the inscriptions could be in silver on the trophy but if the team has beaten all the other teams it could be in gold?

 

[RugbyFuture]

I have a design prepared...

 

[RugbyFuture]

those legends are as much a part of rugby as its real history though, just defending the legend, though i like your idea too.

 

[Lee Grant]

So should the Australian "winner" get a trophy? I can't see any harm in it.

Ahem - in some long ago post after the 5th Oz team was confirmed for the Oz conference (in preference to the Spears) some old bastard recommended the same thing.

It was a good idea then and it's a good idea now. I'm not sure about the Barrack Square name on the trophy as it's unlikely that the game played where the Wynyard buses take off from now had much to do with the game played at the Rugby School.

I would call it the Maqueen Trophy named after somebody who has coached 3 Super teams, coached the Wallabies to a RWC win, was the first coach to get his team into the S12 final, and was also an IRB Coach of the Year.

More importantly: he's also an ex-Rat.

 

[waratahjesus]

if the aru doesnt jump on the idea of having a trophy for the best aussie team greenandgold should present an award/trophy (great free promotions for gagr)
the inscriptions could be in silver on the trophy but if the team has beaten all the other teams it could be in gold?

it would be good to have a trophy and an encouragement award also so the reds have something to fill the empty spaces around there office. we could give a trophy to the Tahs and then four encouragement awards so nobody feels left out.

 

[wamberal]

What is the alternative to the proposed conference system? The choices were (1) play a single round, as in previous years (2) play two rounds, home and away or (3) a single round followed by a home conference.

The first alternative is too short, the second alternative is too long - so the proposed conference system is the only way forward.

Rome wasn't built in a day, etc, let us make the most of the new format, I remember fondly some of the ARC games, no reason why the conference cannot produce some entertaining derbies. I, for one, will be watching them all.

 

[Lee Grant]

Agree with that.

The conference challenge won't do the same job as the ARC did for one shining year. If it had continued we would have had 4 seasons under our belt by now and some of the theoretical benefits of the comp would be starting to be realised.

We would have seen the effect of using the ARC to assess players at a level above club rugby but below the Super level. Therefore fewer duds would have flowed into Super academies and got spots that should have been offered to players who demonstrated they could play better at a higher level than grade rugby. Also a rising star could be cherry picked right into a Super squad with a bit of certainty about his ability for the pro level.

Players could learn their trade and not have to learn the on the job in the Super arena; referees and coaches would also develop.

But I digress - no, the new conference system is not the same as an ARC , but it is a whole lot better than nothing.

 

[Gnostic]

Ahem - in some long ago post after the 5th Oz team was confirmed for the Oz conference (in preference to the Spears) some old bastard recommended the same thing.

It was a good idea then and it's a good idea now. I'm not sure about the Barrack Square name on the trophy as it's unlikely that the game played where the Wynyard buses take off from now had much to do with the game played at the Rugby School.

I would call it the Maqueen Trophy named after somebody who has coached 3 Super teams, coached the Wallabies to a RWC win, was the first coach to get his team into the S12 final, and was also an IRB Coach of the Year.

More importantly: he's also an ex-Rat.

At the time of your Post Lee I suggested that the Trophy be named after a true Australian Hero and Wallaby - the late Edward 'Weary' Dunlop.

 

[RugbyFuture]

now named for the waratahs v rebels match.

 

[Lee Grant]

At the time of your Post Lee I suggested that the Trophy be named after a true Australian Hero and Wallaby - the late Edward 'Weary' Dunlop.

You did too. Weary would be OK by me.

 

[blues recovery]

Can confirm that the Rebels and the Tahs will play for the Weary Dunlop Shield each time they play. Launch will feature at game one.

 

[Burke's Boot]

Been drinking and thinking last night with a couple of mates ......................

Is the premise that there will be more great "exciting" running rugby in 2011 flawed for the Aus local derbies incorrect? They seem to be tight slogs more often than not.

Also will the Aus sides playing Aus sides more often be a benefit or hindrance to Aus rugby. Realistically we have weakened teams because of the Rebels playing eachother while the Kiwis derbies are a seriously higher standard of rugby and the Boks derbies end up being typical bok trench warfare.


Thoughts?

Some of the Brumbies vs Tahs games have been terrific with the exception of the the 05 game which is one of the worst games of rugby ive seen but obviously not as bad as the 06 Wallabies vs Boks in Sydney.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Some of the Brumbies vs Tahs games have been terrific with the exception of the the 05 game which is one of the worst games of rugby ive seen but obviously not as bad as the 06 Wallabies vs Boks in Sydney.

Last season's encounter wasn't a classic either. I think the new format will see a shift in how the derbies are played. In the old format every encounter is vital to survival more often than not the tension in derbies tend to stifle play. Now that there is a return leg the opportunity to open up and play more expansively. All teams are capable of this style and hopefully they will.

 

[Blue]

I have a design prepared...

Too late. Here it is:

I think they are calling it the "Tournament within a tournament token white elephant fluffy toy cup to make everyone feel that the whole thing is worthwhile" although I must say it sounds a bit long to me.

 

[RugbyFuture]

damn cynical saffas...

 

[Lee Grant]

Can confirm that the Rebels and the Tahs will play for the Weary Dunlop Shield each time they play. Launch will feature at game one.

Excellent idea.

 

[kiap]

Some of the Brumbies vs Tahs games have been terrific with the exception of the the 05 game which is one of the worst games of rugby ive seen but obviously not as bad as the 06 Wallabies vs Boks in Sydney.

Last season's encounter wasn't a classic either. I think the new format will see a shift in how the derbies are played. In the old format every encounter is vital to survival more often than not the tension in derbies tend to stifle play. Now that there is a return leg the opportunity to open up and play more expansively. All teams are capable of this style and hopefully they will.

Yeah, Tahs v Brumbies last year was dire. Would've been the worst of the s14 season.

 

[CHS 72]

The local derbies will be a "truckload" of interesting footy. By my calculations, each team playing each other on a home and away basis means 20 local derbies at least each year. This compares to the minimum 6 that we have had over the last couple of years. This makes for heaps of more interesting games, with as has been said before, plenty of interesting personal matchups for the coaches and selectors to focus on.
:yay