Fix the Wallabies
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Rancid Schnitzel" data-cid="610740" data-time="1472525496">
<div>
<p>Do they actually include schools when counting juniors? They didn't used to.</p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe I'm getting the school carnival days mixed up there. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A few years ago there was a case where they were ballsing up the count deliberately to get federal funding. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>When player numbers are talked about for <em>any</em> nation, they're pretty useless unless you're saying every one of those people helps contribute to the pyramid of playing talent.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Subbies Rugby in Sydney is about the biggest centrally administered comp in the world, with up to 6 divisions at a time fielding anywhere from 1 Grade to 5 Grades + Colts. None of them are likely to front up for a Premier Club.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="610701" data-time="1472515923">
<div>
<p><br>
Go look at the Schoolboy Rugby threads on GAGR to understand why this is.<br><br><strong>People KNOW what we should do, but look at it through the lens of their own self-interest. Therefore as long as their club/school/kid is represented with prominence, they're happy that things are going swimmingly.</strong></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>... and it has ever been thus. It is a long time since I was involved at teenage level, with its coterie of insistent, self focused, maniacal parents however I would venture it is far worse now given the potential income on offer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ARU recently had one who was propelled by that system to the very top whose father, who appeared and conducted himself much like Richard Wilkins, was still not satisfied - he would regularly ring the Super Rugby franchise management and coach complaining about the position his splendid son was being selected in, as if he was still back in the Under 14s with a history teacher as part time coach on Wednesday afternoons.</p> -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="BartMan" data-cid="610795" data-time="1472545371"><p>
Fix the Wobblies?<br><br>
No.<br><br>
Let them keep hurting.<br><br>
Or step 1. Sack the coach.</p></blockquote>
I like how you put step 1 at the end.. -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mofitzy" data-cid="610850" data-time="1472562781"><p>Does the Olympic gold affect funding in any significant way?</p></blockquote>
Don't believe so - the allocation is to the sport, not the results. <br><br>
The womens sevens here are going to get a new pay deal though, giving them equal pay with the mens sevens. <br><br>
I think it's probably a good move BUT am always wary when big money enters rugby. Professionalism hasn't exactly sparked our professional rugby outfits to glory. In fact, when you think about the period from 99-03 when we were dominant, a lot of the guys involved had grown up in an amateurs environment -
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Mofitzy" data-cid="610850" data-time="1472562781"><p>Does the Olympic gold affect funding in any significant way?</p></blockquote>
- Or maybe indirectly eg more girls and/or schools playing sevens = more money for the ARU to fleece from parents.
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NTA" data-cid="610909" data-time="1472595054">
<div>
<p>Don't believe so - the allocation is to the sport, not the results.<br><br>
The womens sevens here are going to get a new pay deal though, giving them equal pay with the mens sevens.<br><br>
I think it's probably a good move BUT am always wary when big money enters rugby. Professionalism hasn't exactly sparked our professional rugby outfits to glory. <strong>In fact, when you think about the period from 99-03 when we were dominant, a lot of the guys involved had grown up in an amateurs environment</strong></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Then there'es your answer! Just pick a team of lawyers and accountants who all went to private schools, and play in the Sydney Club comp. Always stick with what works...</p> -
<p>More money to Shute Shield! We, um, i mean, They do all the heavy lifting in Australia!</p>
-
<p>damn straight</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/04/04/1226612/551017-larkham.jpg" alt="551017-larkham.jpg"></p> -
-
-
<p>We can't all be right none of the time.</p>
-
Sure NTA and his cobbers are right about the need to repair the 'funnel' feeding talented youngsters towards the pro game. <br>
But at the risk of being branded a heretic I think the woes of the Wallabies are well overdone. <br>
They may lack some fitness, and 12 is a disaster area with injuries/departures, but having been in France and just got to the replay of Bled 2 I don't think they were that bad for most of the game. In fact what most stood out for me was that the ABs looked like a well oiled machine whereas the Ws had the appearance of not having played much together.<br>
Nothing a decent tour couldn't iron out!<br>
I think they may give the Boks a surprise... -
<p>I was in Aussie some years ago and went to watch a nephew play an U15s game in the GPS Sydney School system. He is a kiwi boy and managed to make the NSW schoolboys that year as a fairly handy prop. The weather was a little wet, nothing untoward - but the respective coaches and referees decided to play the game uncontested scrums due to 'safety' concerns! I couldn't believe the nanny state attitude and felt at the time that if this is the main feeder for Aussie Rugby in the future, they will be in trouble. And so they are...</p>
-
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="GagaBoy" data-cid="611103" data-time="1472631520">
<div>
<p>I was in Aussie some years ago and went to watch a nephew play an U15s game in the GPS Sydney School system. He is a kiwi boy and managed to make the NSW schoolboys that year as a fairly handy prop. The weather was a little wet, nothing untoward - but the respective coaches and referees decided to play the game uncontested scrums due to 'safety' concerns! </p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Also the groundsman probably didn't want to have his nice turf wrecked.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That's another thing we do like a bucket of shit here: turf management. I've repeatedly requested our local council NOT mow the ground like a fucking cricket field during rugby season. But nope - every fucking week they take it almost down to the roots.</p>
<p>
And the silly bastards wonder why they have to re-turf every few years.</p>
