As part of his annual SANZAR pot-stirring, ARU Commander-in-chief John O’Neil gave flight to his favourite thought bubble, that of expansion.
“People talk endlessly about Argentina but I keep saying to the IRB, hang on, closer to home there is a country called Japan – which in economic and rugby terms is unbelievably valuable” The Big O told Fox sports….but hang on – what about a country even closer to Australia – Aust-fucken-tralia!!
What happened to the plan to bring Melbourne into the fold? At a time when Australian rugby now has to look outside its borders in order to fill gaps in the playing ranks, why not still be pushing hard for another team. Cast your mind back to the money-pit that was the ARC, remember the ‘bargain-bin’ team called the Melbourne Rebels; they almost won the competition and had a loyal local following into the bargain.
The standard argument put up to rebuff any expansion within Australia is there is not the rugby talent around to make the team viable – to this the Cote says a resounding “Bullshit”.
A cursory glance over most teams in Europe will reveal a host of Australians who were forced to leave the country due to the lack of domestic playing opportunities. Names like Rodney Blake, Lachlan McKay, Peter Hewatt, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Brock James, Tom Court, Luke McLean and John Tawake easily spring to mind.
These players were the fringe dwellers of the Super 12/14 who never really got the opportunity to develop into full-time professional players before they were cast aside. It is no co-incidence that these blokes, and others, have gone on to develop into top line players in their respective competitions.
As one prominent player representative said to G&GR “These young blokes grow-up wanting to play for their State and ultimately the Country. Money isn’t the reason why these young blokes are leaving, it’s the simple fact there are no opportunities”
“Have a look at how many school-boys finish playing at first XV level and go to league, it’s a flood. They go because there is a pathway, Colts to U/20 Toyota Cup then the NRL, in rugby there are a few academy contracts around and that’s it basically”.
Instead of John O’Neil employing his ‘blue-sky, helicopter thinking’ at the start of each season, why not put forward concerted pressure on SANZAR to help solve a gapping hole in Australian rugby that is a fifth Super 14 franchise.
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So…
Cricket Australia: $100,000 , 25% gate fees from Adelaide oval, $67k players match fees tonight,
NRL: $40,000 to the Red Cross Appeal, $30,000 for Lifeline Australia in support of grief stricken families and $30,000 for the Children’s Hospital Foundations Australia to support the burns unit at Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital.
AFL: 100k
Today Program and radio appeal today: $32 mil
Fundraising at the cricket: $5mil
ARU: …… could be time for J’On to open the wallet… I know times are tight, but it’s an increasingly bad look.
Moses @ Beerandsport’s last blog post..The search for a Baggy Green Pinch Hitter starts here
Johnny O has the right idea. big time.
1.The one thing rugby has over league and AFL is it’s a truely international game. people are not interested in watching the game at a grassroots level. hence the arc failed big time.
what interests peopel about the super14 is that its Aus v NZ.
2. the brumbies are the only successful team in australia. tahs are ok. just OK. QLD and the force havn’t made the finals in years. why add another time when others are below par. fix them first.
3. the money these sides will bring both to australian rugby and rugby in general will be massive.
4. melb is a wasteland that has been dried up by the the AFL. theres almost no point in going there.
I think the real issue, like James says, is the ARC. But I think it just needed time.
But I think James is wrong about Melbourne – we just have to commit to the type of investment that the AFL made in Sydney.
That aside, I think we would gain more from expanding the number of foreigners and adding a Japanese team, certainly.
Indeed, many Australian exiles may end up playing for a Japanese Super Rugby Team.. and the sharing deal that we now have with the kiwi’s that allows them to still be Wallabies could be extended to the Japanese also..
Rugby needs to follow the money right now. Even though I would love to see Victoria represented in the Super competition, and it would be good for Australian Rugby, I think ARU needs to be a little less broke over time.
nice point moses
Melbourne are getting a 32,000 rectangular stadium in time for 2010 season. It would be crazy for them not to look at Melbourne. No matter what sport it is, Melbourne embrace it.
Melbourne has 19 teams in 10 different national sporting leagues. The only notable one they are missing, is a Super 14 team. I was very happy with having the Melbourne Rebels, with the 2nd best average attendances of the ARC season. But that’s been ripped from us.
If Rugby wants to make a footprint in Victoria, it must have a team playing in the biggest league in the southern hemisphere. There is a market down here, as the tests we get down here get great crowds. Most notable the 2007 Tri-Nations with 79,322 at the G against New Zealand. Look into it SANZAR
Maybe not turning back after all?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25145500-2722,00.html