Ball rolling on 'Super B' competition

[jono]

i saw that too!
does anyone know more?

[AndyS]

Not that uncommon a name, and not spelt the same anyway
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[DinkyDi]

next thing you know they will remove a few players from the game to create more space, cut out the set piece as refs cant work them out anyway and ..... of hang on its NRL.... and don't forget that tackling if dangerous so lets make it fun fast League touch so everyone except rugby fans can enjoy it....

[chibi]

Is this shortened game going to be 15-a-side? If so can we just have standard reserves match instead?

[RugbyRef]

I'm pretty sure there's been one at every game this year.

Many have been Schoolboys 7s fixtures, but there was a women's match (which I missed, it was the early game) and I have a mate who's playing in the Fireys vs Coppers game sometime soon.

Really?

I wasn't aware of any curtain raisers this year apart from U8's rugby. Where are these advertised?
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[GIGS20]

Advertised?

I don't understand what you're asking, they have just been on when I get there.

I usually arrive pretty early to beat the queues at the beer tent. There's always been some sort of rugby playing when I arrive.

[Elf1]

I have seen Women's games. John Welbourne cup games and u 7/8s games as curtain raisers at the majority of games I have attended.

[RugbyRef]

Advertised?

I don't understand what you're asking, they have just been on when I get there.

I usually arrive pretty early to beat the queues at the beer tent. There's always been some sort of rugby playing when I arrive.

I just thought they would be on the RWA website, or similar. Some of the adult games may be of interest to people, but if no one knows they are on, how can people expect to get any sort of crowd?
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[Pacman]

9th of June at home vs Waratahs the curtain raiser will be Western Wasps (W.A Police) vs Firies (W.A FESA)

[RugbyRef]

Thank you. :-)
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[travelling_gerry]

Australian 'Super B' competition a step closer to reality after ARU dumps national academies
JAMIE PANDARAM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH JULY 15, 2013 8:00PM

THE ARU is close to forming a "Super B" competition after disbanding its youth academy on Monday.

The nation’s elite young players were told they would no longer be training under the ARU’s academy, set up two years ago, and would instead revert to the previous system run by each of Australia’s five Super Rugby franchises.

The ARU wants to set up a Holden Cup-style third-tier tournament that involves home and away games between the Waratahs, Reds, Brumbies, Rebels and Force.

But unlike the rugby league version, which is for players up to 20 years, there is not expected to be an age limit for the reserve competition.

The Daily Telegraph has learned that the controversial national academy was given the boot after many complaints about its functionality within the game’s various levels, from club rugby to Super teams and the Wallabies.

National academy players were called to an early morning meeting on Monday and told the academy had been axed.

The academy was formed by former ARU high performance director David Nucifora, who left the organisation early this year.

The most talented young players in the country were drafted into two academy bases, Sydney and Brisbane, training three days a week while also training with their club or Super Rugby teams.

Franchises will now take in the academy players they want, and other players must ply their trade in club rugby hoping for a break.

A major criticism of the academy was that it was "out of sight, out of mind", with Super Rugby coaches especially reluctant to use academy players because they were training under different systems and unfamiliar with game plans.

Now each Super franchise looks likely to have a "B team" in the new third-tier tournament, which would sit above Sydney’s Shute Shield and Queensland’s Premier Rugby.

However, the franchises and ARU remain at loggerheads over who will actually fund the new eight-round competition.

ARU boss Bill Pulver recently said a possible new "Super B" competition could be played under differing rules to attract more live and television viewers.

"There’s multiple issues at play," Pulver said in April.

"One is to accelerate the development of elite players, another is to create more content available for television and a third is to get more people attending the games live.

"So a traditional curtain-raiser game - a 40-10-40 game - where you’ve got to start at five o’clock is a tough sell. It’s hard to get people there at five o’clock.

"We’re exploring a few innovative concepts of a one-hour curtain-raiser with a few rule changes such as no penalty goals, maybe a lot of short-arm penalties.

"A real focus on creating an environment for smart, creative running rugby; 25 minutes each way and designed to really show the Australian public, who are a little bit frustrated with stoppages in the game, that here’s a great chance to showcase Australia’s young talent in a one-hour curtain-raiser."

- See more at: http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug....1Gox72zF.dpuf

[RugbyRef]

So basically 7's laws, with 15 a side, over 25 minute halves.

Sounds ok to me.

[travelling_gerry]

THE ARU is strongly considering digging up the bones of the Australian Rugby Championship to serve as the basic structure for a new, 10-team third-tier competition next season.

But the ghosts of the old ARC also continue to linger, with the same budget blackhole that sank the 2007 tournament threatening to swallow the new ARU proposal as well.

Bill Pulver is a big believer in investing heavily in development and after months of strategic review, a new pathway and season structures have been the subject of board discussions at the ARU this week.

It is understood states are to get their academies back – 10 players each – and state under 20s programs are also returning.

Under Super Rugby, the new season structure would see a Super B/reserve team competition in Feb-March, followed by club rugby seasons, which would finish in late July.

A national third-tier competition would then be played in August, September and October. Like the ARC, teams from Melbourne, Perth and Canberra would be included, along with several teams each from Sydney and Brisbane. Some would be regional (think Western Sydney) and there is speculation big clubs could also buy licences to run teams. All non-Wallabies players would be available for an ITM-Cup equivalent.

The problem is – as always – the cost. The ARC was killed off after losing $8m in one year and the new venture would apparently still require at least half that sum to run. Anything national requires flights and hotels.

With precious little money to spare, the ARU are hoping to find a fair chunk of that change by selling TV rights to FoxSports, but the price tag falls apparently into the wishful thinking category. Stay tuned.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226706914962

[GIGS20]

I have said it ever since the ARC folded the ARU have to consider the loss made by such a competition as part of their development budget. I assume the problem is that their entire development budget doesnt add up to half of the 8 million they might need, but it's either suck it up and find the money or stop bleating about the Wallabies being crap when there is no commitment to developing Wallabies.

[beige]

Under Super Rugby, the new season structure would see a Super B/reserve team competition in Feb-March, followed by club rugby seasons, which would finish in late July.

A national third-tier competition would then be played in August, September and October.

So the ARU looked at the various alternatives and said, "All of them!"