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Steve Hansen's advice to make the Wallabies and Rugby Australia more competitive

By Online Editors
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen believes Rugby Australia should take notes from the success of New Zealand Rugby’s structure in order to help them become “more competitive” at the international level.

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In recent discussions around next year’s Super Rugby structure, RA have made clear they want to feature all five of their franchises rather than accept NZR’s proposal of having two to four Australian teams along with a new Pacific Island team.

But speaking on Gold AM’s The Country Sport Breakfast this morning, Hansen said reducing the number of teams would do good for Australian rugby.

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“You can understand why they want all their teams because they want to grow the game in Australia and that’s the right thing for them to do, but I believe that at international level, they’ve suffered because they’ve had all those teams in Super Rugby,” Hansen said.

“I think if they just went down to three at Super Rugby and kept the same competitions they’ve just had, they’d be a lot stronger, they’d win more, and come international season, be in better shape mentally and be a lot more competitive.

“One of the things I think is a strength in New Zealand Rugby is we’ve gone from Mitre 10 to a higher level and not everyone can go there so if you want to get there you’ve got to improve – if you want to stay there, you’ve got to keep improving and there’s nothing like that happening in Australia.”

Hansen said he enjoyed watching Super Rugby Aotearoa, and although agreeing there were benefits to including overseas teams again, felt this year’s competition was of a high standard.

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“There was some great rugby played and it is a hell of an intense competition,” he said. “The thing I liked from a player point of view is they didn’t have to travel all around the world to play in it so I thought the rugby was great, brought out some new talent.

“Right across the board each team you could go into and see the talent.”

Meanwhile, RA has reportedly set NZR a deadline to agree to a Super Rugby competition from 2021.

RA is also reportedly interested in a ‘Super 8’ competition next year, featuring two club sides from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, along with one from South America and Japan.

It is part of a new content package the governing body is trying to entice broadcasters with, and save their flailing national game which struggles when compared to other winter sport codes.

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Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

11 Go to comments
T
Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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