Aussie Player Exodus

[Slim 293]

Aside from maybe Kane Douglas, I can't think of any overseas players that would currently boost our side?

Mowen would be great for our lineout but wouldn't make the 23.............

And next year the only potential starting players departing are Kepu, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and White................

 

[qwerty51]

Ma'afu as reserve TH.

 

[Omar Comin']

The NBA and the Premier League would always be more popular than the local equivalents no matter what the local selection policies are, simply because they are, and apparently always will be, world leaders in their sport.

But European rugby cannot be compared with the NBA and the Premier League. The difference in commercial value between the EPL and the A League, or the NBA and the NBL is ridiculously huge. The difference between European Rugby and Super Rugby - particularly on a per team basis is not so high. Certainly not in comparison. And in some respects Super Rugby is ahead of European rugby. For instance, average attendances in Super Rugby are significantly higher than any European rugby. Even on total attendance it's ahead of the Aviva Premiership and only 5% behind the Top 14.

Commercially we are not at the stage where we have to raise the white flag to Europe. And this is why Super Rugby has to remain, and grow into a larger global competition. It's the only way for us to compete with Europe commercially. The expansion into Japan, and potentially elsewhere in Asia is very important. If this is successful it could be the Europeans worried about an exodus in future. And it would also allow further investment in expanding the game in Australia.

 

[qwerty51]

For instance, average attendances in Super Rugby are significantly higher than any European rugby. Even on total attendance it's ahead of the Aviva Premiership and only 5% behind the Top 14.

That's a false statistic. % of stadium full the Euro leagues would win easily. Their stadiums on average are much smaller. Plus take out SA's attendances.. But I do agree on your other points.

 

[Omar Comin']

That's a false statistic. % of stadium full the Euro leagues would win easily. Their stadiums on average are much smaller. Plus take out SA's attendances.. But I do agree on your other points.

It's not a false statistic.

Here's stats from the 2013/14 season(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_attendance_figures_at_domestic_professional_sports_leagues):

Super Rugby 2013 125 games, Total Attendance: 2,547,978 Average: 20,384
Top 14 2013–14 182 games, Total Attendance: 2,678,932 Average: 14,326
Aviva Premiership 2013–14 135 games, Total Attendance:1,721,729 Average: 12,754

And we shouldn't be taking out South African crowds. Their crowds are part of the same competition. The point of Super Rugby is that it combines markets.

How is % of capacity a relevant statistic? If teams in Europe had significantly greater demand they'd play in bigger stadiums. Some of the teams in France and England already take marquee games to bigger stadiums.

 

[qwerty51]

Why is it relevant?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Premiership_(rugby_union)#2014.E2.80.9315_teams

Some of those capacities are lower than the average.

 

[Omar Comin']

So what? Those teams would play in bigger stadiums if they had substantially greater demand. England has no shortage of stadiums of all capacities. A few of those teams have very small fan bases.

The Aviva Premiership is not even close to the popularity of Super Rugby, so even if a couple of teams were missing out on an extra 1000 people or so every now and then it wouldn't make a significant difference.

 

[Nusadan]

Saracens regularly fill Twickers in the local derbies against the Harlequins!

 

[TOCC]

Saracens regularly fill Twickers in the local derbies against the Harlequins!

I think you means Wembley

 

[Omar Comin']

Saracens regularly fill Twickers in the local derbies against the Harlequins!

And yet for their normal home games they tend to get about 8000.

They've done well to turn that match (at Wembley) into an event, but their actual supporter base is not large.

 

[qwerty51]

No Twickers annually hosts Harlequins vs Saracens and gets 80k

But this is getting off topic..

 

[TOCC]

On a side note, go have a look at 'Saracens World', its an interesting concept and makes me right jealous that an Australian team hasn't also pursued this concept.

No Twickers annually hosts Harlequins vs Saracens and gets 80k

We're going off topic, but he said "Saracens fill Twickenham".. Saracens actually host their annual home games against Harlequins at Wembley, Harlequins did host a game against Saracens at Twickenham but the last one was back in 2011.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Ma'afu as reserve TH.

Ughhh. Where's your evidence that Salesi would be better than Holmes, Weeks or Faulkner? And if you offer how he's going in the English comp, I'd counter by saying that that is just evidence of how much weaker the NH game is than Super rugby. After all the coaching he's had over there, he may be better at playing outside the laws of scrummaging, but I do not yet accept that any of the run of the mill players from here who are now starring over there are as good as the players we currently have available here.

 

[qwerty51]

Scrummaging in the Aviva is a lot more tougher than Super Rugby without a doubt..

 

[Marcelo]

Scrummaging in the Aviva is a lot more tougher than Super Rugby without a doubt..

You are right between Aussies and Kiwis teams but SA teams have tougher scrums.

Whatever, bring back Ma'afu at home

 

[Beefcake]

Ughhh. Where's your evidence that Salesi would be better than Holmes, Weeks or Faulkner? And if you offer how he's going in the English comp, I'd counter by saying that that is just evidence of how much weaker the NH game is than Super rugby. After all the coaching he's had over there, he may be better at playing outside the laws of scrummaging, but I do not yet accept that any of the run of the mill players from here who are now starring over there are as good as the players we currently have available here.

Um, have you been hiding under a rock or did you not see the 2014 northern hemisphere tour results - the Wobs were pulverised in all facets of the game and the scrum has always been a constant issue.. Say what you will about provincial rugby between the hemispheres, but international rugby is a different beast and Ma'afu is likely to be as good - although he is playing o/s so spose that counts against him

 

[Jagman]

Ughhh. Where's your evidence that Salesi would be better than Holmes, Weeks or Faulkner? And if you offer how he's going in the English comp, I'd counter by saying that that is just evidence of how much weaker the NH game is than Super rugby. After all the coaching he's had over there, he may be better at playing outside the laws of scrummaging, but I do not yet accept that any of the run of the mill players from here who are now starring over there are as good as the players we currently have available here.

Watch his last two test matches against Wales in 2011 then watch him absolutely annihilate the B&I Lions for the Force in 2013. He sent Rory Best back home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Marcelo]

I'm not a HUGE fan of Ma'afu but Wallabies need him against Wales and England at the pool. Then in the next stages against teams like Argentina or something like that.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Um, have you been hiding under a rock or did you not see the 2014 northern hemisphere tour results - the Wobs were pulverised in all facets of the game and the scrum has always been a constant issue.. Say what you will about provincial rugby between the hemispheres, but international rugby is a different beast and Ma'afu is likely to be as good - although he is playing o/s so spose that counts against him

Your rock is larger than mine I fear. On the EOYT, the Wallabies'scrum was almost always very competitive when the starting players were on. It only became obviously weaker when the reserves and Skelton came into the game. And a large part of that situation was the unwise selection of only one extra prop in the touring side meaning that one of Kepu or Slipper had to play the whole game, each and every test.

Against the Poms, of course, it was the latter's ability to get away with cheating that was decisive at scrum time.

With a full complement of props, now with some half way decent reserves, and Skelton showing all the signs of having put his scrummaging woes behind him, I fully expect the Wallabies will be a whole lot more competitive in the RWC and have no need for the likes of Salesi Maafu or any other Aussie player currntly plying their wares overseas.

 

[qwerty51]

Palu off to Japan.