'If foreign talent is the way to reignite the passion for rugby in Australia, then the sport is already lost'
Rugby Australia might have just had their most impactful month in years, only for this to have been effectively been undone by their latest attempt at innovation. Drafting surplus New Zealand players may stunt the growth of Australia’s promising young talent, so Finn Morton asks why jeopardise a system that’s already starting to work?
After months of debate, speculation and financial frustration, Rugby Australia might have just had their most impactful month in years, only for this to have effectively been tarnished with their latest attempt at innovation.
Earlier in the week, RA unveiled a broadcast package proposal that looked to clear up all uncertainty about the future of Australian rugby, giving New Zealand the deadline of September 4 to join their plans.
The proposal for 2021 and beyond includes a Champions League-esque series featuring the best sides from the southern hemisphere, a National Club Championship and the ambitious inclusion of a three-game ‘State of Union’ series, which is seemingly identical to rival code rugby league’s State of Origin.
RA also outlined plans for either a 10-team trans-Tasman or an Australian orientated competition.
Either way, five Australian teams is their expectation, so breathe easy Western Force fans.
Interim CEO Rob Clarke clarified that Australia needs a competition that “has integrity to it”, so that the game could grow Down Under.
Players and fans alike were impressed with their stance on the matter and the pressure put on New Zealand. Wallabies hooker Jordan Uelese was a notable player to publicly praise the governing body as they look to address the financial state of the game.
But on Thursday, all their good work – all their examples of revolution, progress and passion – have effectively been undone by the latest idea of what Australia could do differently.
It was reported that RA chairman Hamish McLennan will look to include a draft in whatever format Super Rugby is played in from next year. McLennan believes that Australian teams being able to draft surplus New Zealand players would be a solution to the apparent gap in quality between the trans-Tasman rivals.
His idea could also lead to the creation of rugby’s Big Bash, which has proved so successful in cricket over the last decade with players on short contracts.
This comes nearly a month after New Zealand Rugby invited Australia to join their proposed Super Rugby competition from next year, even though that might have seen them field as few as two teams.
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“Not interested,” was partly how McLennan responded to NZR’s plans.
RA stood their ground in saying that it was either five teams or Australia would go at it alone. But now, by even suggesting the draft concept, the chairman is all but acknowledging that there might not be enough talent to field five competitive franchises next year.
Super Rugby AU has been highly competitive up until this point, with the most recent round seeing two underdogs record famous victories by significant margins. Despite their winless record, even the Force have impressed, coming close against the Reds at Suncorp, and pushed the Rebels to Super Time.
Young players have stood up in these games as well, showing in breakout campaigns that the future for Dave Rennie and the Wallabies could well and truly be something special.
2019 Junior Wallaby Will Harrison has scored the most points in the competition so far, while his 22-year-old teammate James Ramm has the most clean breaks. 20-year-olds Harry Wilson and Byron Ralston have also been standouts.
But the draft would see players from New Zealand cross the Tasman and potentially take the places of lesser known up-and-coming players before they even get their chance to shine. Younger players coming through the ranks may be left to ply their trade in the National Rugby Championship and park rugby depending on the talent coming from abroad.
These remarks from the chairman comes just a year after the Junior Wallabies equalled their best ever record at a World Rugby U20 Championship, finishing runners-up to France. In the same year, Australia recorded a historic 24-0 win over New Zealand’s Baby Blacks on the Gold Coast, and the Australian Schools and U18s also beat their Kiwi counterparts 18-14 in Hamilton.
As RA try and usher in a golden generation, stunting their progression doesn’t seem logical, especially with the lure of league facing prospects as they come through the ranks.
While competition for places is healthy, Super Rugby AU is a product that works and the quality is only getting better. The Australian talent on display is energetic, youthful and exciting, with a number of players already putting their hands up for higher honours.
So why jeopardise a system that appears to be working?
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But let’s not forget why RA may be considering a draft in the first place: while the loss of talent to league is a factor, players staying in Australia and not heading overseas is arguably more significant.
RA are addressing the financial issues with the broadcast proposal, but Samu Kerevi, Liam Gill and Will Skelton are just some of the players to have gone overseas in their prime.
That’s a problem that needs to be solved, and it looks like RA are doing some of the right things at the moment.
It’s not going to be a quick fix, but if foreign talent is the way to reignite the passion for rugby Down Under, then the sport is already lost.
So, if RA have to bring in talent from abroad just to compete, then they owe the Australian rugby community an apology and explanation on why they’re the ones who’ve surrendered their integrity.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ever so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
24 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
24 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to comments