Alignment

[Burgs]

Phil Waugh- “Part of the high-performance alignment is [helping] that performance in what we’re doing in Super Rugby so that it flows through to the Wallabies.”

Asked whether the number of franchises would change, Waugh said the structure of the competition needed to ensure that the Wallabies were “set up for success”.

“We’ve got five teams and we’re committed to five teams,” the former Waratahs captain said.

“I think then it’s about how creative we get in filling those five teams to ensure we’ve got five competitive teams.

“Everything is on the table in terms of the growth of the Wallabies performances and what will feed through to us being number one or two in the world.”

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Is the role of Australian Franchises in Super Rugby significantly about what is best for the Wallabies?

I think that is a fundamental question in all of this that has been treated as an assumption by Rugby Australia throughout this whole "alignment" move.

Previously I have mentioned that if we all jump on the same ship, but the ship proves to be sailing in the wrong direction, then we really will be in trouble.

I believe there is strength in diversity, you see it every year when fresh blood comes into SR Squads from different backgrounds.
Purely to illustrate the point for example, Sam Spink.

The assumption portrayed by RA is that the National Coaches will be the best source of development, innovation and player development.
How would that have that gone over the last 12 months?

SR Franchises (5 in our instance) spread the risk and develop competitive environments and alternative approaches.

I do see benefit in RA coming to SR training to explore overarching methodologies and request the trialing of certain players or combinations if it doesn't jeopardise the teams own approach, but I baulk at the prospect of RA taking control.

I believe that if we can see any two of the five teams vying for the title (let's call that winning a QF) and the other three fighting for Finals slots at the end of season, then the results will flow through to the Wallabies.

[AndyS]

The ingrained idea that the only reason SR exists is to help the Wallabies, is why no-one gives a shit about SR. They do their utmost to make SR a thing in its own right, which almost inevitably flows into sorting out the systems thst feed it, and the Wallabies will naturally sort themselves out.

They are trying to engineer an outcome regardless of conditions, rather than creating conditions that lead to an outcome. Only one of those approaches works.