Where to for Super Rugby?

[Dctarget]

Victoria just tightened Covid restrictions plus an AFL player just returned a positive

How does that not fuck the entire competition. Someone gets COVID, work place shut down. Essendon gets it, team shuts down?

 

[KOB1987]

Are the rugby players in a bubble like the NRL players were? Force are moving to Parra I think, probably wouldn't be silly for the Rebels to move to Illawarra or Newcastle.

 

[KOB1987]

How does that not fuck the entire competition. Someone gets COVID, work place shut down. Essendon gets it, team shuts down?

If he’s just tested positive then likely he’s had it for less than a week. However at the very least whoever Essendon played last week should be quarantined and tested as well (assuming he was on the field).

 

[TSR]

Will it also be a goal line drop out if you ground a missed penalty kick in-goal? If so, that should encourage players to try and run it back/kick on the run. I feel that will be a positive change.

 

[Up the Guts]

Are the rugby players in a bubble like the NRL players were? Force are moving to Parra I think, probably wouldn't be silly for the Rebels to move to Illawarra or Newcastle.

Bubble pops tomorrow for the NRL, although perhaps that will be reconsidered in light of the recent outbreaks.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Article in Australian today quoting our director of rugby saying they are looking at wallaby eligibility if play in nz super rugby team end vice versa nz players eligible for all black if play for Australia super rugby teams

Finally Common sense prevails to look at it. Will nz play ball?

 

[zer0]

Why does it matter what NZR's policy is? What's to stop Australian sides recruiting Argentinians, Polynesians, South Africans etc..... instead of (higher level) NZ players?

 

[KOB1987]

Why does it matter what NZR's policy is? What's to stop Australian sides recruiting Argentinians, Polynesians, South Africans etc... instead of (higher level) NZ players?

The article was actually citing the reverse, Aussies playing in NZ. As you were though.

 

[zer0]

I've not read the article, but I was meaning in general.

If the Wallabies want to select any Australian players in NZ Super Rugby squads that's their prerogative. I've no problems with it at all.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Why does it matter what NZR's policy is? What's to stop Australian sides recruiting Argentinians, Polynesians, South Africans etc... instead of (higher level) NZ players?

I can’t be bothered - article articulates the realities well - would love to post it here but behind a paywall

 

[zer0]

I can’t be bothered - article articulates the realities well - would love to post it here but behind a paywall

Does it?

Australia is considering extending Wallabies eligibility to Australian players based in New Zealand Super Rugby sides as part of a total review of selection criteria and the Giteau Law, according to national selector Scott Johnson.

The decision of Melbourne Rebels prop Jermaine Ainsley this week to sign with the Highlanders for next season highlighted the small but growing band of Australians who have joined New Zealand Super Rugby squads but, in doing so, have forfeited their rights to play or continue to play for the Wallabies.

Ainsley, the son of a former All Black prop Joe McDonnell, played three Tests for Australia in 2018 against the All Blacks, Italy and England and at 24 is only just coming into his prime.

There have been other instances in recent seasons, such as former Rebels five-eighth Jack Debreczeni, who played 54 matches for Melbourne before ultimately joining the Chiefs, while 2015 World Cup prop Toby Smith played another 21 matches for the Hurricanes after leaving the Rebels at the end of the 2017 season.

Johnson, Rugby Australia’s director of rugby, said all those circumstances needed to be examined. “I think we have to review everything, we have to,” Johnson said. “Some of that will be RA board decisions but we wouldn’t be doing our job if we weren’t reviewing it. There are good arguments for, good arguments against. But certainly it is a different argument than if they were playing abroad (in Europe or Japan for example), given that they are part of the Super Rugby tournament.”

It seems bizarre that a footballer playing in the same Super Rugby tournament from which the Wallabies are traditionally selected would be debarred from playing for Australia simply because he was playing for a New Zealand team. Nonetheless, the situation is also the same for New Zealand players who come to Australian clubs. They cannot be chosen for the All Blacks.

But with discussions of a 2021 trans-Tasman competition already having started between Australia and NZ, it seems sensible that both countries rationalise their selection policies.

It was evident as recently as 2017 that Australia didn’t have the numbers to make five teams competitive but a sprinkling of NZ players at each franchise could solve the problem.

Kyle Godwin, a 2016 Wallaby recruited by the Western Force to bolster their squad for the rebooted Super Rugby AU competition which starts on July 3, said on Friday he is hoping that playing again for the Perth franchise will reactivate his own international career.

Godwin, who was brought back from Europe along with Jono Lance and Ollie Atkins and fellow Wallaby Greg Holmes to bolster the Force squad, made a belated Wallabies debut in the spring tour win over France in 2016 before moving to Canberra to the Brumbies. He spent two seasons there before accepting an offer to move to Connaught to link up with former ACT coach Andy Friend.

He will move on to the Waratahs next season but in the meantime he is looking to make the Force more competitive — and in the process enhance his own selection prospects.

“I think it’s at the back of every player’s mind in Australia to play for your country,” said the 27-year-old centre. “It’s the pinnacle of your sport so it will definitely be in the back of my mind.”

Assuming this is its entirety, it gives no reason as to why it has to be NZ players that Australian teams recruit and not Argentinians, Saffers, Brits etc..... Seems to me like, in the context of a TT competition, the strategy is one of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The article was actually citing the reverse, Aussies playing in NZ. As you were though.

I think the sentiment still applies though KOB. Why should RA's policy depend on NZ also playing ball. RA can simply say that Aus players in NZ remain Wallaby eligible no matter what NZRU decide to do.

 

[KOB1987]

I think the sentiment still applies though KOB. Why should RA's policy depend on NZ also playing ball. RA can simply say that Aus players in NZ remain Wallaby eligible no matter what NZRU decide to do.

I agree, but it doesn’t say anywhere that NZ have to agree to it as well, only that it might be discussed. It would make sense if NZ did it as well though, particularly if it becomes a pure TT/Pacfic comp.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Possible explanation as to why there would only be five SA teams in a future Pro18:

"SA Rugby is set to take administrative control of PRO14 franchise, the Southern Kings, as of Monday, Sport24 has been reliably told.

"This is SA Rugby’s second administrative takeover of the franchise in less than five years, after they assumed control in 2016 under similar circumstances. Previous EPRU president Cheeky Watson was voted out following failure to pay franchise and union salaries, leading to SA Rugby stepping in."

https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/pro14/breaking-sa-rugby-taking-control-of-southern-kings-20200620

 

[ForceFan]

Are the rugby players in a bubble like the NRL players were? Force are moving to Parra I think, probably wouldn't be silly for the Rebels to move to Illawarra or Newcastle.

Force going to Cessnock, Hunter Valley

 

[wamberal]

Force going to Cessnock, Hunter Valley

Not much rugby in Cessnock. Hometown of Andrew and Matthew Johns. Interestingly enough, Singleton, another mining town, not far away, is the birthplace of Steve Merrick, who was a blue collar worker and was plucked from obscurity to play two Tests for the Wallabies.

 

[Rugbynutter39]

Does it?



Assuming this is its entirety, it gives no reason as to why it has to be NZ players that Australian teams recruit and not Argentinians, Saffers, Brits etc... Seems to me like, in the context of a TT competition, the strategy is one of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

You are missing the bigger point here which is we struggle to compete with European and Japanese markets who can pay more - this is about competing in different way by allowing players who play in super rugby to still be eligible for national teams where currently BOTH nz and Australia place restrictions to stop flood gates to Europe and Japan

 

[KOB1987]

Force going to Cessnock, Hunter Valley

What an odd place to set up camp, considering Newcastle and the Central Coast are both about half an hour away. Lithgow would be a slightly worse option. I’m guessing they are staying at one of the vineyard resorts nearby at Pokolbin.

 

[ForceFan]

What an odd place to set up camp, considering Newcastle and the Central Coast are both about half an hour away. Lithgow would be a slightly worse option. I’m guessing they are staying at one of the vineyard resorts nearby at Pokolbin.

Considering the CV19 circumstances I suggest that they had few options.

 

[KOB1987]

Considering the CV19 circumstances I suggest that they had few options.

I can’t imagine the oval at Cessnock would meet professional team standards. I guess if they are staying at The Vintage or something like that they have plenty of space and a good gym and they will probably bus over to the coast for training.