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This argy bargy, trans Tasman bullshit needs to stop. NZRU are still hurting over their refusal to provide clean stadiums for the 2003 RWC, they have had rugby dominance for the past 20 years. To create a structure that ensures they continue their dominance is bad for the game. If you remember, Australian Cricket dominated the world after the demise of the windies in the 80's. Did CA ever say we should reduce the strength of our competition? I think Steve Waugh made a famous quote along the lines of " Australian Cricket has worked hard to reach this point and we will not apologise nor dilute our strengths to make 3 days test matches stretch to 4 and 5 just because the opposition is so weak. They need to come up to our level" I don't recall the thought process saying we won't play against weak minnows and the weak should combine to at least provide us with some competition!!! Look at the sport of cricket now, India, South Africa, England and even N.Z. are all competitive. NZRU should bottle up their arrogance, we know your shit don't smell, but maybe encourage Australia and others to put in 4 or 5 teams, be patient and in years to come that current smug smile you have will disappear.
Well said, Hansie!
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
I have to say I was a bit uneasy with AF's comments, if they are accurate and in context. His emphasis on team and community building in the Greenwood podcast don't mesh too well with "My players" and "My coach".
Nothing wrong with aspiring to get where he was quoted. But Hansie's thoughts are close to mine on the current proposal.
In fact my inclination, admittedly in ignorance of financial considerations, is that for the moment SRAU should forge its own Asia/Pacific way if possible.
Yes, I was surprised by the “my”. Maybe in the light of COVID he is shifting his mindset away from owning a new competition (GRR) to owning a team in a competition he can have some control over through his hip pocket? He has always been very supportive of growing rugby in the PIs, so the NZ proposal may be attractive to him from that perspective too. And less expensive for him in the short run than pushing on into Asia?
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
I have no problem with the my. It's the terminology of a business owner who talks about "his" employees every day and (Tbh) he is funding the team, so slipping into that parlance is forgivable.
I would be disappointed if he dismantles grr too meekly though. Even if it becomes a competition without the force, it still fills a hole that isn't filled by the self-serving blazers of sanzasr
C'mon the
I refer to the Force as mine as well.
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
After listening to his interview on the Kiwi rugby show, I don't think he has any intention of letting GRR go by the wayside and I wouldn't be surprised if the Kiwi's position fits in nicely with his own. Two separate leagues anybody? The best of the best (ie majority of the Kiwi teams, best couple of aussie and a PI team) and then the rest in (i.e remaining Aussie teams, and the GRR teams excluding the selected PI team). Say that's 8 or 9 teams in each. That's a nice length home and away season in viewer friendly time zones. Give the GRR teams some experienced players to bolster their stocks. Have promotion/relegation between the two. At least there will be enough silverware to go around.
GRR going forward will depend on travel restrictions. I can’t see overseas travel happening till June next year at the earliest.
The NRC’s future may also have an impact. The proposed club model doesn’t work outside of Sydney and Brisbane. It is debatable that it will occur there as well. Creating a further gap between the have and have nots.
Many of the recent comments above seem to miss the reality of Covid 19.
NZ is trying to come up with solutions in a post-SANZAAR/Covid 19 world.
Rugby Australia is very likely technically bankrupt.
The 4 Aussie franchises have no income beyond SRAu 2020 as no competition and no broadcast deal in 2021.
The is a strong possibility that there will be no Test rugby in 2020 (or that all games will be in NZ - if Aussies are even allowed to travel there).
So where do those above think the $$s are coming from to support the professional game in Australia??
I can't see GRR getting rejigged in 2021 due to Covid 9 (particularly with the PI nations' aversion to pandemics) and the China/Hong Kong situation.
Andrew Forrest has shown that he and his GRR team will work hard to maintain a professional rugby team in WA and support rugby development from the grassroots.
But the lads have played only 3 rugby games in 6 months.
They need some opposition.
No problems for me if the Western Force is one of the Aussie teams (or even the ONLY Aussie team) involved in a TT competition.
I too consider the WF as being "my" team and Tim Sampson as "my team's coach".
The reality is we would have no professional team in WA without Andrew Forrest's financial support. Forrest's passionate support is greatly appreciated. We may have been able to scrape up enough $$s to maintain the team but certainly not to maintain a competition in which the team could play.
Last edited by andrewg; 19-07-20 at 13:16.
My concerns about the nz proposal is the way it translates to new Zealand essentially owning trans Tasman rugby. Not in the interests of the game imho, new Zealand rugby might be great at working together for the good of the game, but the good of the game always appears to stop at the all blacks, they're no better than anybody else when it comes to thinking globally.
A move like that will prop up rugby Australia (which for the record is a bad thing) and ensure Aussie rugby is at the top of the second tier nations perpetually.
Force playing would be great, because I don't consider the force to be an Aussie team anyway, they are independent in my head.
Aussie rugby selling their future to new Zealand is simply another business move asking to keeping the Rebels afloat. Short term thinking, selling the sport down an endless drain to keep ineffectual directors from the embarrassment of an abject failure
C'mon the
Multiple GIGS. Either a joint venture or nothing. Even if it means players moving overseas. Still plenty to fill 5 teams, but no more huge salaries or top-ups.
In reference to "my team/my coach" - the comment was qualified referencing context. There's a huge difference between "my team" referencing your support and using it in a proprietary fashion. I think that's bleeding obvious TBH.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
[QUOTE=GIGS20;475678]I have no problem with the my. It's the terminology of a business owner who talks about "his" employees every day and (Tbh) he is funding the team, so slipping into that parlance is forgivable.
I'm with you there. If you have ever heard Twiggy talk about his companies he always talks about "my" employees as if they are a part of the business family.