Australian Rugby / RA

[Wallaby Man]

Truth is it's not really about PNG or sport. It's about China and making sure we have a friendly doormat if (when?) it all goes tits up in Taiwan. Same reason we are spending money on the Drua. It's certainly not because Albanese gives a toss about the quality of Super Rugby Pacific.

All this is certainly of relevance to Rugby Union. It's the only sport that links the Pacific together (with Japan as well) and I hope we are hiring some lobbyists to emphasise the opportunity here to the mopes in Parliament House.

Amen

This is a guarantee winning the hearts and minds of the populace.

I have just returned from Fiji and was amazed at the Drua’s reach. They were on the wheetbix box, etc. it’s such a small investment for a massive geopolitical win.

 

[Derpus]

Truth is it's not really about PNG or sport. It's about China and making sure we have a friendly doormat if (when?) it all goes tits up in Taiwan. Same reason we are spending money on the Drua. It's certainly not because Albanese gives a toss about the quality of Super Rugby Pacific.

All this is certainly of relevance to Rugby Union. It's the only sport that links the Pacific together (with Japan as well) and I hope we are hiring some lobbyists to emphasise the opportunity here to the mopes in Parliament House.

I really doubt we can afford a lobbyist.

 

[Derpus]

Look I get all that. We’re giving Gilberts and Steedens while they give highways and hospitals.

The more teams that exist the bigger the talent grab. Bigger TV deals = higher League salaries.

Giving them high interest loans for highways and hospitals (and some pockets im sure).

 

[Members Section]

Giving them high interest loans for highways and hospitals (and some pockets im sure).

by all reports most ppl in png would prefer an nrl team than a freeway

 

[Ignoto]

I really doubt we can afford a lobbyist.

Well, we have a Wallabies Captain in the Senate.

 

[Goosestep]

by all reports most ppl in png would prefer an nrl team than a freeway

Shhh, they’re getting the V’landy’s Monorail…

 

[John S]

Amen

This is a guarantee winning the hearts and minds of the populace.

I have just returned from Fiji and was amazed at the Drua’s reach. They were on the wheetbix box, etc. it’s such a small investment for a massive geopolitical win.

Funny about that, I was just over there too. It's great how there's Drua everywhere - on buses, shops etc

 

[Dctarget]

Well, we have a Wallabies Captain in the Senate.

Speaking of, bit grumpy with Poey. He's done fuck all to line our pockets or help the game. Instead the prick is focusing on corruption, accountability and the environment. Definitely not why I voted for him.

 

[Ignoto]

Speaking of, bit grumpy with Poey. He's done fuck all to line our pockets or help the game. Instead the prick is focusing on corruption, accountability and the environment. Definitely not why I voted for him.

But, you'll be able to go to the capital and enjoy a music festival without the sniffer dogs making you down whatever tabs, lines or pills you've got down your dacks.

 

[LeCheese]

But, you'll be able to go to the capital and enjoy a music festival without the sniffer dogs making you down whatever tabs, lines or pills you've got down your dacks.

On a definitely unrelated note - anyone else think we should hold a GAGR bender Festival of Rugby in the ACT?

 

[Derpus]

But, you'll be able to go to the capital and enjoy a music festival without the sniffer dogs making you down whatever tabs, lines or pills you've got down your dacks.

The trick is to bury it on-site before they set up.

 

[Dctarget]

But, you'll be able to go to the capital and enjoy a music festival without the sniffer dogs making you down whatever tabs, lines or pills you've got down your dacks.

thank god, I'll need any and all I can get my trotters on if I'm going to keep supporting the Wallabies

 

[shanky]

Sorry, what?

When was this exactly?

6-5
scrum under the posts
scrum wheeled already
stay on, don't break, looking for the big hit

fairly definitively, it was these 3 actual points that cost us the game

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

The Wallabies and the rugby league myth

The players most crucial to any potential resurgence of rugby in this country would be of no interest whatsoever to the 13-man game.

www.smh.com.au

Pretty average article IMO. Stating that there were only two players that impressed and they would not be on an NRL teams radar due to their Rugby specific skill set really just tells me, since I also watched these games that there are another 13 that wouldn't be good enough to get a look.

To then use Ireland & France being knocked out as an indication that League systems don't work is silly. Ireland was on a 17 match win streak and went to war with NZ and France has lost two games in two years.

I don't think we need to go down that full route but this feels like he's had it 90% drafted for a long time and then Ireland & France losing let him submit it.

 

[noscrumnolife]

The Wallabies and the rugby league myth

The players most crucial to any potential resurgence of rugby in this country would be of no interest whatsoever to the 13-man game.

www.smh.com.au

Pretty average article IMO. Stating that there were only two players that impressed and they would not be on an NRL teams radar due to their Rugby specific skill set really just tells me, since I also watched these games that there are another 13 that wouldn't be good enough to get a look.

To then use Ireland & France being knocked out as an indication that League systems don't work is silly. Ireland was on a 17 match win streak and went to war with NZ and France has lost two games in two years.

I don't think we need to go down that full route but this feels like he's had it 90% drafted for a long time and then Ireland & France losing let him submit it.

Agreed, this article really got my goat. No one talking about the challenges League poses to Union is under the impression that our problems aren't of our own making. But to just handwave them away is ignorant of reality.

It also reflects an arrogance towards League in certain sections of the Union community that I think is unfairly used to beat our game as a collective. I don't believe the vast majority of Union fans think this way. Most are reasonable, normal people who are capable of appreciating two sports at once, even if they have a preference. The simple fact is League has been professional for 100+ years, Union for 28. It stands to reason that there is a professionalisation gap between the games as a sheer result of this fact and burying your head in the sand and saying we have nothing to learn is pretty stupid. I think we have a lot to learn, especially on the development side of things.

Regarding coaching and ideas, the notion that Union doesn't have anything to learn off League is pretty moronic. Strip away the contest and set piece and the two games are incredibly similar. I bet my bottom dollar the the ABs and Springboks coaches take inspiration from League as well. Just as I'm sure League coaches take a look at Union for inspiration. It doesn't have to be a zero-sum game.

 

[noscrumnolife]

For example, here is a quote from the article: "Rugby has become so specialised, and so different from league (never mind AFL), that you could probably count on one hand the number of NRL players who would make any sort of the difference to the Wallabies."

Say this is true (although I'm certain it isn't). Tino and David Fifita may not have a transferable skillset. The problem is that the next-gen equivalents never even play Union in the first place because it doesn't register in the hearts and minds of youngsters and as such never become Wallabies. Is Paul Cully seriously naive enough to suggest if Payne Haas hadn played as a number 8 from 10-18 he wouldn't have anything to offer Rugby Union?

 

[Omar Comin']

For example, here is a quote from the article: "Rugby has become so specialised, and so different from league (never mind AFL), that you could probably count on one hand the number of NRL players who would make any sort of the difference to the Wallabies."

Say this is true (although I'm certain it isn't). Tino and David Fifita may not have a transferable skillset. The problem is that the next-gen equivalents never even play Union in the first place because it doesn't register in the hearts and minds of youngsters and as such never become Wallabies. Is Paul Cully seriously naive enough to suggest if Payne Haas hadn't played as a number 8 from 10-18 he wouldn't have anything to offer Rugby Union?

Yeah, it's a silly argument, obviously the Wallabies would be a lot stronger if there was only one rugby code and all the athletes suited to rugby played it from a young age.

Plenty of people make the opposite dumb argument as well though - that if rugby league didn't exist the Wallabies would be a clear number 1 in the world all the time. As if the top NRL players are superhuman talents that the Springboks, French, English, AB's etc couldn't hope to contend with. Equally dumb IMO.

 

[Bullrush]

I think the article makes a good point in saying that Australia needs to stop looking over at the NRL and thinking that all of the rugby talent has gone there.

For at least the last 10yrs, the Wallabies have struggled with having a world class forward pack. You won’t find great props and locks playing league. You’ll struggle to find great loosies. Right now you have Valentini with Bell, Tupou and Skelton maybe in the mix. And the drop off between those guys and the next cabs off the rank are pretty big.

The old cliche of ‘forwards win rugby games, backs decide by how much’ is still true today. And given you have guys in your backs who have some great talent, I would really put time and energy and resources behind building a strong, specialised forward group that can compete and dominate on the Test arena.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I think the problem is more that a lot of our talent goes overseas, rather than to the NRL.

 

[Wallaby Man]

I think the article makes a good point in saying that Australia needs to stop looking over at the NRL and thinking that all of the rugby talent has gone there.

For at least the last 10yrs, the Wallabies have struggled with having a world class forward pack. You won’t find great props and locks playing league. You’ll struggle to find great loosies. Right now you have Valentini with Bell, Tupou and Skelton maybe in the mix. And the drop off between those guys and the next cabs off the rank are pretty big.

The old cliche of ‘forwards win rugby games, backs decide by how much’ is still true today. And given you have guys in your backs who have some great talent, I would really put time and energy and resources behind building a strong, specialised forward group that can compete and dominate on the Test arena.

This again is the wrong thinking. There is plenty of guys 14-15 that are elite athletes that could train to become a prop. This means different strength and conditioning, etc. a guy identified at that age for rugby league of course isn’t going to be a 130kg bohemian because the program he’s been on for 4-5 years won’t allow that to happen. Just have a look at the amount of ex rugby pros once they stop their strength and conditioning turn from massive prop to skinny rake or outside back to overweight slob. What is happening at this age is any kids with relative talent to excel at a lot of sports is pushed to a specialized program generally towards the program that’s offering the most cash and incentives to join them. Just have to look around the world of sport and the amount of elite talent that were national level stars of multiple sports but at 14-15-16yrs chose one over the rest.

The rugby community has really struggled to get their heads around this. Most American athletes are on their path the success from an extremely young age, football is signing kids up at 6yrs old, NRL is chatting to kids at 12-13 getting them in a system for school, etc.