National Rugby Championship 2014

[scaraby]

Not trying to be tooo critical here but Eagles v Rays at Brookie which will be a cracker on the same night as Roosters v Souths for the potential NRL minor premiership.... So Eagles supporters are Easts and Randwick and Country..... And Roosters and Bunnies supporters are Easts and Randwick.....anyone got a cloning machine????

 

[galumay]

No doubt I will cop a flogging for saying it, but comparing NRC to the ITM cup shows why we cant consistently mix it with the AB's.

Its simply worlds apart and tells a bigger story than the two bledisloe cup results so far this year.

I am not sure its something we even have the ability to address while there are 4 major codes of football in this country.

 

[#1 Tah]

I am not sure its something we even have the ability to address while there are 4 major codes of football in this country.

I wasn't around for the first season of the ITM cup, but I'd be very surprised if the standard was the same as it is today.

 

[qwerty51]

What a load of shit. Our top 3 teams would beat North Harbour, Manawatu, Bay of Plenty, Northland, Southland and possibly even Wellington (atm).

Each ITM Cup side has far less Super Rugby players than our NRC teams do and going on past Super Rugby results our sides aren't that much worse than theirs so I have no idea what you're basing your opinion off.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

ITM cup (and its predecessors) have been around since 1976.

Even before that NZ provinces have been playing against each other since whenever.

These games were all ad hoc before 1976 when a formal inter-provincial competition started.

The standard and passion has always been strong between NZ provinces.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

No doubt I will cop a flogging for saying it, but comparing NRC to the ITM cup shows why we cant consistently mix it with the AB's.

Its simply worlds apart and tells a bigger story than the two bledisloe cup results so far this year.

I am not sure its something we even have the ability to address while there are 4 major codes of football in this country.

As someone who watches every ITM Cup game each round I disagree with you. However, would you care to perhaps highlights the areas in which the NRC is Deficient in comparison to the ITM Cup. Of the two games this evening. The NRC game as the better of the two.

 

[Train Without a Station]

ITM cup (and its predecessors) have been around since 1976.

Even before that NZ provinces have been playing against each other since whenever.

These games were all ad hoc before 1976 when a formal inter-provincial competition started.

The standard and passion has always been strong between NZ provinces.

HJ I think he's more pointing out that you cannot compare an established competition in one country with decades of history to a competition in it's 3rd round of it's first season in another.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I wasn't around for the first season of the ITM cup, but I'd be very surprised if the standard was the same as it is today.

Hard to compare quality of play from one era to another, but in terms of quality of player the old NPC leaves ITM for dead.

Unless the AB were touring (SA & Argentina 1976, Australia in 1980-84-88-92) they were playing NPC, often twice a week & backing up from Tests: Gary Knight famously helped Manawatu secure the 1981 title 4 days after being flattened during the "flour bomb" Bokke match & Frank Oliver also played in both.

Fully understand why it's not possible for that to happen today but let's not kid ourselves, Super Rugby now occupies the place NPC once did & ITM isn't that much above where club footy, esp in the main centres, used to be.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I concur. One thing that the ITM cup (and NPC previously) had over NRC is decades of tribalism and established "franchises" when that competition first started. I don't think you can even make a valid comparison between the first 3 rounds of NPC from 1976, and the first 3 rounds of NRC.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I concur. One thing that the ITM cup (and NPC previously) had over NRC is decades of tribalism and established "franchises" when that competition first started. I don't think you can even make a valid comparison between the first 3 rounds of NPC from 1976, and the first 3 rounds of NRC.

1976 was an aberration in that the 50-odd best players in NZ (& Kit Fawcett) were either in SA or Argentina, hence BOP were able to win it with a bunch of no-names & a dead-eye kicker who should've been in SA. A better comparison is 1977 when the AB were all on deck, the Canterbury team that won it would've given most international sides a hiding (& only lost to the touring Lions by 1 point iirc).

In terms of the NRC, it's obviously gonna take time for the tribalism etc to get established esp in Sydney & Brizzy where you've got rival clubs involved in the same franchise. But you'll get there IF the comp survives.

 

[Train Without a Station]

It needs a year or two to settle with player movements, etc. as well. Right now you actually have the Stars bringing down the standard of the competition. They had a 2nd grade hooker, a subbies lock who at 92kg right now I'd confidently back myself to drop like a bag of shit, much like the 10 Debrezceni did, a reserve lock who wasn't much at this level and their reserve outside back (23) looked like he had just ridden the favorite at Randwick the day before.

These 4 players I'm sure are good rugby players, but not in the top 200 odd in the country. With the Stars basically going it alone with regards to SS this will happen initially until they can bolster their ranks a little.

Of these 4 players, how many knew or even thought they'd be playing at this level this year? I'm sure with a good off-season in the gym and lead up if they were back next year they'd all be superior players.

 

[Pfitzy]

It needs a year or two to settle with player movements, etc. as well.

Agree.

Sydney Club Rugby has been pulled in four different directions, and wasn't operating on that high a base to start with. Perth, Canberra, and Melbourne should at least be ripping it up with a high proportion of Super Rugby players, though only the latter is to a real degree.

All the teams will get better with more time, and by the time that happens they'll have a better idea of what happens next club season.

What we will hopefully see is a better work ethic across club rugby that transfers itself into NRC 2015 and onto Super Rugby selections from there.

 

[Pass it to Dunning!]

The NSW teams are being spread too thin in this competition, but which one gets axed? The two in rugby heartland on opposite sides of the bridge, the team in the growth area Australian rugby desperately needs to reach out to, or the one that's won three of three?

 

[Train Without a Station]

As long as the Sydney teams aren't complaining does it matter? They will strengthen over time

 

[qwerty51]

Yeah no issues with it, it's about the players and their development, outcomes/results come second.

 

[Train Without a Station]

The gulf in the pros and the ams is quite large this year due to the quick time frame putting this together. I'd back 90% of blokes that played this year as amateurs to be better in 2015 too.

 

[Pfitzy]

Axed?

AXED??!!!

Not a fucking chance. Sydney is the only place with a remote hope of keeping up supply to the rest of the nation, not forgetting we also supply most of the pros outside of the Brisbane teams

 

[Train Without a Station]

Really NSW country was the team that didn't need to be included. What's done is done now and the playing ranks will improve.

 

[I like to watch]

Have a look at their roster,ignoring Kellaway the rest are much closer to the end of their careers than the start of it.
So in terms of development they would not be missed if they were axed next year.

 

[Omar Comin']

I don't think there needs to be less teams in NSW. The Sydney teams have been losing, sure, but they've all been competitive.

The only change I'd like to see is for the Sydney Stars to become an inner west PLUS eastern suburbs team. I know that Randwick would like their own team but I think that would be a bad move.