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Global Rapid Rugby

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fuck South Africa right off, nothing good will come from having them involved. Same for Super Rugby
 

Kpc

Herbert Moran (7)
No. A Russian poster suggested they'd be a good option. There's no one official suggesting they want in.

The fact is that two Russian clubs from Krasnoyarsk want play in a tournament with strong rivals. In Russian Champ, they are not interested. And participation in the European Challenge Cup at 99% for them will block. EPCR will give up two place in the Challenge Cup to South Africans from PRO14. Therefore, the Russians want to play Rapid Rugby. In terms of distance and financial costs for them, this is comparable to the games in the Challenge Cup. Only then it was necessary to fly to Western Europe, and now to Asia and Oceania. But there is a plus, you can play a lot of home games in Krasnoyarsk. The Challenge Cup was held from November to January, when it was winter in Krasnoyarsk. In just five years, in the Challenge Cup and the Continental Shield, Enisei-STM and Krasny Yar played 25 home games. But only 6 games were held in Krasnoyarsk. Really at home. And all the others were in Moscow, Krasnodar, Sochi and even in Georgia (Tbilisi and Rustavi). Therefore, in Rapid Rugby is much more interesting for Russians than the Challenge Cup.

The director of the Enisei-STM maintains a personal blog, where he answers any questions from the fans. You can formulate a question about their possible participation in the GRR in English, I will translate it and ask Pervukhin. His answer can be used as an official club statement. But we need a properly formulated question.
 

Kpc

Herbert Moran (7)
What is the time zone in Kras?


What sort of crowd would you expect at the game?

And how many would subscribe to watch on TV

Krasnoyarsk Time +1 from Perth and +2 from Tokyo. Attendance will be several thousand each game. Now the new Enisei-STM Stadium has about 3,000 seats. They will build a second stand. Stadium will be more than 5,000 seats.
Krasny Yar Stadium 3,600 seats. But there is still the Central Stadium with 15,000 seats. The most big matches can be played there.
Television broadcasts from us work differently. No tradition of paid subscriptions. The sponsor buys the broadcast, people can watch for free. In our sport a big role of sponsors.
 

Kpc

Herbert Moran (7)
ThanksThe Honey Badger. If we objectively talk about the whole of Russia. 90% of Russians think that rugby is American football. They are judged by Hollywood films. But Krasnoyarsk is called the rugby capital of Russia, they understand rugby. The two strongest Russian clubs of the last 30 years are here. In the city is traditionally the two most popular sports. Russian Hockey (Bandy) and Rugby. Traditionally, the right bank of the city supports the Enisei-STM, and the left bank supports the Krasny Yar. Derby is important. Broadcasts of the most important matches are shown on the largest regional TV channel Enisei-TV. Free live. International matches are also shown on sports cable TV channels throughout Russia.
 

Aurelius

Ted Thorn (20)
Well, it sounds like a more viable option than Hawai'i based on the time zone alone.

I remember the Russian side put on a very creditable performance against the Wallabies in 2011 (from memory, they won the second half) but I haven't heard anything since about Russian rugby. An exhibition match would be interesting to see.
 

WorkingClassRugger

David Codey (61)
Well, it sounds like a more viable option than Hawai'i based on the time zone alone.

I remember the Russian side put on a very creditable performance against the Wallabies in 2011 (from memory, they won the second half) but I haven't heard anything since about Russian rugby. An exhibition match would be interesting to see.


Their clubs teams most notably the two from Krasnoyarsk have been in the case of Eisnei-STM and arguably so for Krasny-Yar the two best clubs sides in the European structure from outside the traditional nations. I would certain find these games interesting and they would benefit the Russian national team a great deal. The issue is money and interest. Is there the money and interest for it to happen.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
Rugby: Asia Pacific Dragons aiming for more local players
The Straits Times - 6 May 2019

SINGAPORE - The Singapore-based Asia Pacific Dragons lost 7-3 to Australia's Western Force in their last Global Rapid Rugby match last Sunday (May 5), without a Singaporean player in their squad, but the team's founder Jon Phelps hopes that will change when the tournament launches next year.

His goal is to bring in more local players, said the 49-year-old before their final showcase series match at Queenstown Stadium.
"Being based in Singapore is without a doubt about providing a professional rugby pathway for local players.
"If we stay here long enough, our ambitions are for Singaporean players to come, train, play and be in a professional environment which will be good for them.
"It will take some time for them to get better but they will."

Their current squad features players from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and a Singapore international, 26-year-old Declan Martens.
Despite the lack of local talent in his current squad, Phelps is confident of attracting young players.
He said: "There's a big rugby fan base here, especially in local schools like ACS (Anglo-Chinese School), St Andrew's and Raffles who have been playing rugby for a long time."
"When you play as a kid, rugby stays in your DNA and with a professional team here, we hope they will look at us and say 'I want to be a Dragon'.
"Young kids need to meet their heroes and if we create heroes for them who are accessible, they will want to stay in the game and be like them. This way, you get continuity as well."

Phelps' aim of developing the sport here dovetails with Global Rapid Rugby founder Andrew Forrest's vision for his new tournament, which features six teams this season - including the invitational World XV.
The 58-year-old Forrest said: "I want to see a common game across Asia for children, men, women to make the community stronger and give you a sense of pride. Rugby can deliver that."
"The community binds together because people love team sports. They love the camaraderie and friendship there that you don't get in individual sports. You get this celebration of humanity in team sports."

The new tournament features modified rugby rules - playing time is reduced while rolling substitutions are introduced, along with the power try - a nine-point play that starts from the defensive 22m line and ends with a try scored.
Forrest said: "Making it faster will give the audience a different experience as it's more exciting.
"And with more action in one game, I hope this becomes the grand master of Asian team sports."

https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/rugby-asia-pacific-dragons-aiming-for-more-local-players
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
Their clubs teams most notably the two from Krasnoyarsk have been in the case of Eisnei-STM and arguably so for Krasny-Yar the two best clubs sides in the European structure from outside the traditional nations. I would certain find these games interesting and they would benefit the Russian national team a great deal. The issue is money and interest. Is there the money and interest for it to happen.


Oligarchs with an interest in rugby come and go. They spend big for a while, the game flourishes, then they lose interest and it's back to square oneski.
 

Kpc

Herbert Moran (7)
Oligarchs with an interest in rugby come and go. They spend big for a while, the game flourishes, then they lose interest and it's back to square oneski.

You will be surprised. But since last year, the head of the Russian Rugby Union has been a man more influential than all oligarchs in Russia. Igor Artemyev, for many years he has headed the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia. In his youth, he played for the rugby team in Leningrad. He writes billions in fines to such companies as Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil. During the year of work at the RRU, he increased the budget several times to almost $ 20 million. The trend is positive. He also helped many clubs find new sponsors.
 

ForceFan

Chilla Wilson (44)
‘Rugby has to evolve’: Western Force coach Tim Sampson talks Global Rapid Rugby ahead of Hong Kong tilt with Tigers
  • Tim Sampson brings his team to Hong Kong for second match against the South China Tigers
  • Coach supports Andrew Forrest’s vision of making rugby more fan-friendly and fast-paced
Patrick Blennerhassett - South China Morning Post - 9 May, 2019

Tim Sampson gets what Andrew Forrest is trying to do.
“Rugby has to evolve,” said Sampson, head coach of Global Rapid Rugby’s Western Force. “It has to evolve. I think rugby is one of the few sports that hasn’t evolved over the years, you look at other sports here in Australia like Rugby League, they brought in little changes here and there. The AFL has changed a few rules, even NBA basketball changing their shot clock.”

Sampson’s Force will be in Hong Kong this Sunday taking on the South China Tigers in the seventh game of Global Rapid Rugby’s condensed Showcase Series season.

Australian mining billionaire Forrest launched GRR this year hoping to sprout a new league in Asia and give his Force team a permanent place to play after they were booted from Super Rugby. The plan was to run a full season in 2019, but various factors including the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, pushed Forrest to aim for a 2020 debut.


Western Force head coach Tim Sampson says he’s behind Andrew Forrest’s vision to bring rugby into the future and grow the game in Asia.

“Rugby has to evolve,” said Sampson, head coach of Global Rapid Rugby’s Western Force. “It has to evolve. I think rugby is one of the few sports that hasn’t evolved over the years, you look at other sports here in Australia like Rugby League, they brought in little changes here and there. The AFL has changed a few rules, even NBA basketball changing their shot clock.”

Sampson’s Force will be in Hong Kong this Sunday taking on the South China Tigers in the seventh game of Global Rapid Rugby’s condensed Showcase Series season.

Australian mining billionaire Forrest launched GRR this year hoping to sprout a new league in Asia and give his Force team a permanent place to play after they were booted from Super Rugby. The plan was to run a full season in 2019, but various factors including the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, pushed Forrest to aim for a 2020 debut.

The Force are currently undefeated, having outscored their opponents 120-51 over four games in Perth and Singapore, two against the Asia-Pacific Dragons, who have split their two contests with the Tigers.

GRR, which has the blessing of World Rugby, has installed a number of rule changes in an attempt to make the game more fan friendly and fast-paced. This includes shorter halves and various tweaks to deter teams from kicking the ball.

Sampson, who recently took his squad to Fukuoka and Tokyo to play against a joint Sanix Blues and Coca Cola Red Sparks team and the Japan A Wolfpack, said there are definitely some coaching adjustments from traditional rugby rules to GRR. He did state however that he doesn’t let it influence line-up decisions.
“I haven’t really considered that and the reason is how we skill up the guys and its the same for every player,” he said. “We try to give them a really broad skill set and base.
“Initially when the rules came out we did discuss it but we thought we don’t want to pigeonhole the guys. And put them in a certain corner and select them for certain games, thankfully we do have a really highly-skilled team and we can put any player out there.”

Sampson said a few weeks of training on either end of Japan allows them to adjust to, and back from, various rule changes.
He said the obvious reason they went to Japan is to help grow the game in Asia, but to also allow him and his boys to gel off the field.
“It was a really good opportunity for us to get away as last year we didn’t get away together and go overseas. And that certainly benefits a team to get away together, that old word that bonding is important.”

Now set to take on the Tigers, Sampson said he expects stiffer competition than the first match, which the Force won 45-22 in late March in Perth. Regardless, the game lived up to its name as it featured nine tries and 67 points in total.

Sampson said the Tigers will look to use home field advantage and play their style on Sunday at the Aberdeen Sports Ground.
“They play a smart tactical game, they have guys that control the game really well,” he said. “They have a really highly-skilled team and they can move the ball around the field really well. With guys like [scrum half] Liam Slatem, their captain, and [fly-half] Matt Rosslee.”
 

Samson

Chris McKivat (8)
I am a supporter of 'Rapid Rugby' and generally open to tweaking the rules, but we need to look globally not locally when deciding what to tweak. league in Australia wanted to do away with the contest for possession. This was of some benefit in Aus but has seriously stunted leagues growth internationally.
Most Rugby people love the contest for possession (I was a back) especially the NH. Tweak the rule but preserve the contest.
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Gone very quiet on Japanese teams involvement in rapid rugby which for fledgling competition in new markets getting Japanese teams in involved has to be critical given crowds they get plus more general fan interest in Japanese style of rugby.
 

wamberal

Phil Kearns (64)
I think it is true to say that rugby in Japan is beholden to the corporations who own and fund the clubs. All the players are company employees, or used to be, I suspect that this would still be the case.
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
I think it is true to say that rugby in Japan is beholden to the corporations who own and fund the clubs. All the players are company employees, or used to be, I suspect that this would still be the case.
Yes certainly this makes it tricky - waiting to see what happens here as all very quiet about Japanese involvement or not in rapid rugby for next year. For oz and rapid rugby interests and wider regional rugby interests japan quite important.
 
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