The Pulverisation of Australian Rugby

[Quick Hands]

Surprised you took the time QH.
Had to be a windup, surely: "almost all children and teenagers are obese".
I thought I was reading a Little Britain script.

I fear it wasn't a wind up.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

One major factor inhibiting favourable exposure of our game is that our main rivals now employ their own journalists. The AFL, for example, have a team of 150 journalists and support staff producing material for the media. That's right, one hundred and bloody fifty.

I would gladly pitch in and write some volunteer journalism on behalf of Australian rugby.

Australian Rugby aiming for a peaceful 2015

--GAGR--

The ARU have announced, in the wake of a turbulent 2014, that they are focusing on a very peaceful and gentile 2015. "We're looking to just be pretty much nice blokes on and off the field this year" said Kurtley Beale, as he quietly contemplated the idea of wearing his gruds on the top of his head to training the next day for a bit of a laugh.

"Our aim this year is just to put in a token effort at the abbreviated Tri-Nations and to avoid any potentially aggro situations on and off the field" said Coach Cheika. "Then hopefully just get the plane landed in the UK for the World Cup in one piece without one of the kids pissing on a stewardess or texting dick pics of my dog's mum to Di or some rubbish. That would be the main accomplishment of the year. From there we'll just play out the string of World Cup games, irrespective of result, then gear up the focus again on getting ALL of the players back on the plane to Australia without any further incident involving public pissing, Di, laptops, lamp posts, dogs nuts dick pic texts or any combination of the above."

2016 photoshop projection of Coach Cheika after 12 months of dealing with the Australian national rugby team.


2019 projection:

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Don't think we want to confine it to Gentiles dismal

 

[Dave Beat]

One major factor inhibiting favourable exposure of our game is that our main rivals now employ their own journalists. The AFL, for example, have a team of 150 journalists and support staff producing material for the media. That's right, one hundred and bloody fifty.


Apart from everything else, that is what we are up against. It is little wonder that we are struggling.

One of the problems identified - now to work on it and build it ourselves.

 

[Quick Hands]

Don't think we want to confine it to Gentiles dismal

I thought Israel had a pretty good rugby team

 

[emus4life]

the only thing wrong with australian rugby is bill pulver. he must be sacked

 

[TOCC]

the only thing wrong with australian rugby is bill pulver. he must be sacked

Is that really the only thing?


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[formerflanker]

One major factor inhibiting favourable exposure of our game is that our main rivals now employ their own journalists. The AFL, for example, have a team of 150 journalists and support staff producing material for the media. That's right, one hundred and bloody fifty.


Apart from everything else, that is what we are up against. It is little wonder that we are struggling.

150 journos? Pfftt! We have a work experience volunteer, so there!

 

[emus4life]

Is that really the only thing?


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well maybe not the only thing but my limited expertise and my inexperience as a coach doesnt help. i would see finance as the biggest problem that bill pulver has overseen. the other main thing is scrums and lack of forward dominance.

 

[Dan54]

Is Bill Pulver really to blame for Aussie rugby's problems, what about the rest of the Board, the individual Unions and clubs?? Are they not responsible, or is it easier to blame Pulver than realise that the problem is right through, and that includes the people that find it easier to blame one person than actually get out,help or better still join your club committee and start making a difference!!

 

[Strewthcobber]

Is Bill Pulver really to blame for Aussie rugby's problems, what about the rest of the Board, the individual Unions and clubs?? Are they not responsible, or is it easier to blame Pulver than realise that the problem is right through, and that includes the people that find it easier to blame one person than actually get out,help or better still join your club committee and start making a difference!!

Frankly, blaming one person for all of rugby's problems when theyve been with the ARU for two years is ludicrous.

 

[Dave Beat]

Frankly, blaming one person for all of rugby's problems when theyve been with the ARU for two years is ludicrous.

Agreed.
But sometimes good leaders isolate themselves, and the team is created and benefits.
I've always been a Rod McQueen fan, way back to when he coached NSW to record scores against Wales, and Scotland.

 

[Quick Hands]

Here's an example of what makes a good leader:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what...93-null&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=2NX80FGwzg96A1

Pulver isn't up to the job, but neither is Hawker and the board as a whole also bear responsibility.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Here's an example of what makes a good leader:

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what...93-null&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=2NX80FGwzg96A1

Pulver isn't up to the job, but neither is Hawker and the board as a whole also bear responsibility.

Great piece.
I doubt Cheika is our de Crespigny but Pulver is our Joyce.

 

[Lee Grant]

Frankly, blaming one person for all of rugby's problems when theyve been with the ARU for two years is ludicrous.

Being ludicrous does not stop a matter from being debated unfortunately.

Whatever faults he has had we must give Pulver credit for starting three new competitions in 2014 that ran on the fumes of an oily rag.

- the National Under 20 competition​

- the Junior Gold Cup​

- the NRC​

There were some problems about the last two which I can list as well as most, but the fact that the three worked, in the main, from a rugby point of view, should be counted as a credit to offset the debits that he seems to have accrued.

Having been involved in a few cash-strapped organisations in my working life, I can tell you that it is not the easiest gig.

Let's all hope that Pulver and the organisation he works for - and the sport he is administering - all have a Happy New Year.
.

 

[Marcelo]

Rugby is actually not very much like American football at all. The emphasis in American football is on high impact collisions and sequences of set plays which are learnt by rote. Not only do most of the players in the squad not even touch the ball, but their positions specifically require that they don't touch the ball. There is very little if any aerobic fitness required as the play stops after every play and the game resets itself for another play.

You are correct in saying that there are a considerable number of people who play soccer because they don't want to play a body contact type sport, but rugby can and does cater for a different type of player than American football. There is a significant number of boys of all races who would have played American football at junior or school level, but cannot play the game at senior level because of the very specific body shape and skill set required. These guys still enjoy a contact type football code and rugby is made for them.

However, I do need to correct your incorrect assumptions about obesity rates according to racial types in the US.

49.5% of African Amereicans are considered obese
39.1% of Hispanics are considered obese
34.3% of white Americans are considered obese

For youth, the rates are:
25.7% African American
22.9% Hispanic
15.2% white Americans

http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/

The reason for this is that mostly of African Americans are poor, if you have low income, you have a good chance of being obese because fast food is cheap. Then African Americans are great athletes or obeses.

I'm an NFL follower, I know the differences between NFL and rugby players but still there are many positions in both with similar demands:

NFL: Rob Gronkowski (Tight end): 1.98 m & 120 kg
Rugby: Eben Etzebeth (Lock): 2.05 m & 125 kg

NFL: Calvin Johnson - (Wide Receiver): 1.96 m & 107 kg
Rugby: Julian Savea - (Wing): 1.93 m & 108 kg

NFL: Clay Matthews III - (Outside linebacker): 1.91 m & 116 kg
Rugby: Bismarck Du Plessis (Hooker) 1.89 m & 116 kg

NFL: Patrick Willis (Linebacker): 1.85 m & 109 kg
Rugby: Kieran Read (Number 8): 1.93 m & 112 kg

NFL: Julian Edelman - (Wide Receiver): 1.78 m & 91 kg
Rugby: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Centre): 1.85 m & 98 kg

The only very different position is the Tackle, because they are too obese players to play modern rugby, they weigh on average 150 kg. It isn't an ideal weight to play modern rugby but we even have players of that weight as Uini Antonio (155 kg) , Ben Tameifuna (140 kg) and James Johnston (140 kg)

 

[BellyTwoBlues]

What do you think of this? Particularly the last paragraph?

"Rugby union is not in a position of strength in Australia right now. As a former banker, NRL CEO David Smith should know that makes it vulnerable for a corporate takeover."

 

[Quick Hands]

The reason for this is that mostly of African Americans are poor, if you have low income, you have a good chance of being obese because fast food is cheap. Then African Americans are great athletes or obeses.

I'm an NFL follower, I know the differences between NFL and rugby players but still there are many positions in both with similar demands:

NFL: Rob Gronkowski (Tight end): 1.98 m & 120 kg
Rugby: Eben Etzebeth (Lock): 2.05 m & 125 kg

NFL: Calvin Johnson - (Wide Receiver): 1.96 m & 107 kg
Rugby: Julian Savea - (Wing): 1.93 m & 108 kg

NFL: Clay Matthews III - (Outside linebacker): 1.91 m & 116 kg
Rugby: Bismarck Du Plessis (Hooker) 1.89 m & 116 kg

NFL: Patrick Willis (Linebacker): 1.85 m & 109 kg
Rugby: Kieran Read (Number 8): 1.93 m & 112 kg

NFL: Julian Edelman - (Wide Receiver): 1.78 m & 91 kg
Rugby: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Centre): 1.85 m & 98 kg

The only very different position is the Tackle, because they are too obese players to play modern rugby, they weigh on average 150 kg. It isn't an ideal weight to play modern rugby but we even have players of that weight as Uini Antonio (155 kg) , Ben Tameifuna (140 kg) and James Johnston (140 kg)

You seem to now be arguing that African Americans are obese, whereas in you earlier post you argued that white Americans were obese.

Answer me these questions:

How many players in an NFL match day squad?
How many of these players are expected to catch, pass or carry the ball?
Are defenders expected to attack?
Are attackers expected to defend?
Do the goal kickers or punt kickers participate in the whole match?
How many contests for possession are there in an NFL match?

Then ask yourself the same questions and subsitute Wallabies for NFL and see if the two games are as similar as you think.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The reason for this is that mostly of African Americans are poor, if you have low income, you have a good chance of being obese because fast food is cheap. Then African Americans are great athletes or obeses.

I'm an NFL follower, I know the differences between NFL and rugby players but still there are many positions in both with similar demands:

NFL: Rob Gronkowski (Tight end): 1.98 m & 120 kg
Rugby: Eben Etzebeth (Lock): 2.05 m & 125 kg

NFL: Calvin Johnson - (Wide Receiver): 1.96 m & 107 kg
Rugby: Julian Savea - (Wing): 1.93 m & 108 kg

NFL: Clay Matthews III - (Outside linebacker): 1.91 m & 116 kg
Rugby: Bismarck Du Plessis (Hooker) 1.89 m & 116 kg

NFL: Patrick Willis (Linebacker): 1.85 m & 109 kg
Rugby: Kieran Read (Number 8): 1.93 m & 112 kg

NFL: Julian Edelman - (Wide Receiver): 1.78 m & 91 kg
Rugby: Adam Ashley-Cooper (Centre): 1.85 m & 98 kg

The only very different position is the Tackle, because they are too obese players to play modern rugby, they weigh on average 150 kg. It isn't an ideal weight to play modern rugby but we even have players of that weight as Uini Antonio (155 kg) , Ben Tameifuna (140 kg) and James Johnston (140 kg)

I don't know much about NFL.
What I do know is that Etzebeth would be no chance of playing tight end.
As i understand it the critical feature for a tight end, and most NFL players in ball carrying positions, is the 40m time.
Edit: 40 yds. Ave time for a tight end at the NFL combine is 4.77s.

 

[Marcelo]

You seem to now be arguing that African Americans are obese, whereas in you earlier post you argued that white Americans were obese.

Answer me these questions:

How many players in an NFL match day squad?
How many of these players are expected to catch, pass or carry the ball?
Are defenders expected to attack?
Are attackers expected to defend?
Do the goal kickers or punt kickers participate in the whole match?
How many contests for possession are there in an NFL match?

Then ask yourself the same questions and subsitute Wallabies for NFL and see if the two games are as similar as you think.

I never said that the sports are similar, the sports are very different. The technique of american football tackle is very different, an american football tackle in rugby is illegal, in fact Americans say tackle just about anything, while the tackle in rugby is very limited for security reasons.

The technique of passing is also very different, and could list many more differences. The point is that the characteristics of the players for certain positions are similar, the physical characteristics.

Then a rugby winger is quite similar than an NFL wide receiver and a number 8 is quite similar than a NFL linebacker. Always talking about the physical aspect, not about the technical skills