It's an ARC change...
December 19th 2007 04:08
...a permanent one...
The Australian Rugby Championships has gone to bed. It's gone to ARC-eed.
This is an excerpt from the post I wrote way back in July re the Australian Rugby Championships.
Oh. Whoops. Wrong excerpt.
This is the one:
....and this is why my anticipation is more on the anti side of things.
More of a dim scrum....
Although I am all for it...I don't believe this will last. Not because I'm psychic (I'm more cyclops than psychic...totally one-eyed when it comes to Rugby!...and that is always on theLarkham ball...)
...but because I belong to the grassroots level of Rugby. The ruck starts here...at junior level. At family level. At Club level. And Club level is already suffering thanks to ARU's greed.
**************************
It was announced yesterday that the ARC has been scrapped, after only one year, due to heavy financial losses.
The eight-team tournament, which featured sides from Australia's mainland states, cost the ARU A$4.7 million in its first year of operation with no signs of a quick turnaround.
The ARU said it expected to lose another $3.3 million in 2008 so had no alternative other than to ditch the tournament.
ARU deputy chief executive Matt Carroll said
Ahhh...this explains why Australian Rugby has gone to s**t.
The ARU established the ARC last season (under ex CEO Gary Flowers' regime) as part of a strategy to try to develop more top-class players so that Australia could compete with countries which have fully-fledged professional club competitions.
Carroll said
Well if they really want to do that at a pufteenth of the cost, all they have to do is send scouts to junior and Colt Rugby fictures.
The scrapping has been met with dismay, especially by the players...but one would expect that...who have said that this decision to terminate is a "big step backwards".
Queensland Reds breakaway David Croft, Captain of the Melbourne Rebels side (that lost the ARC final to the Central Coast Rays in October), said
...hey I already said that...
Brumbies forward Alister Campbell, who played in the ARC for the Canberra Vikings, believes players deserved more say.
Western Force and Perth Spirit forward, David Pusey fears Perth players have now had their pathway to professionalism cut.
State officials and Unions have also expressed their disappointment but overall, support the ARU's position...despite expressing their doubt about the ARU's statement of losses.
The Victorian Rugby Union has called upon the ARU to act swiftly to ensure that the growing interest in Rugby in an AFL-dominated market does not drop with the ARC's axing.
VRU president Gary Gray said
While excited about the prospects of a Melbourne Super side, Gray said Victorian rugby can't wait that long.
The ARU stressed it was still possible that a downscaled competition to bridge the gap between club and Super 14 Rugby, could be held in the ARC's place.
Matt Carroll said
...and The ARC needed an Angel...
************************
info complied with the help of Rugby Heaven
Thank you for reading. I very much appreciate your support.
Apologies in advance for not replying to comment/s...I am currently en route to the ARCtic Circle and...I've got nothing.
According to Blog Etiquette 101, I'm just rude.
And a bit snowed under. Pun intended...although it doesn't work for us Southern Hemisphere dwellers but, hey, you know...
...and I'm done.
The Australian Rugby Championships has gone to bed. It's gone to ARC-eed.
This is an excerpt from the post I wrote way back in July re the Australian Rugby Championships.
Stephen Larkham on ARC
Please don't quote me on that last quote. My sources tell me it's pure fabrication.
I'm very happy about the ARC because this means that DuskDevi will have more reason to mention my name even if I have nothing whatsoever to do with the post topic
Please don't quote me on that last quote. My sources tell me it's pure fabrication.
Oh. Whoops. Wrong excerpt.
This is the one:
The official announcement on the agreement of a national rugby competition in Australia was made in mid-2006, following a 70-person three day summit in Sydney that determined that such a national competition would be economically sustainable and commercially attractive.
However, the competition was not with out its share of controversy, with some of the clubs being against the forming of a new level of competition, claiming it could harm club and grass roots rugby.
However, the competition was not with out its share of controversy, with some of the clubs being against the forming of a new level of competition, claiming it could harm club and grass roots rugby.
....and this is why my anticipation is more on the anti side of things.
More of a dim scrum....
Although I am all for it...I don't believe this will last. Not because I'm psychic (I'm more cyclops than psychic...totally one-eyed when it comes to Rugby!...and that is always on the
...but because I belong to the grassroots level of Rugby. The ruck starts here...at junior level. At family level. At Club level. And Club level is already suffering thanks to ARU's greed.
**************************
It was announced yesterday that the ARC has been scrapped, after only one year, due to heavy financial losses.
The eight-team tournament, which featured sides from Australia's mainland states, cost the ARU A$4.7 million in its first year of operation with no signs of a quick turnaround.
The ARU said it expected to lose another $3.3 million in 2008 so had no alternative other than to ditch the tournament.
ARU deputy chief executive Matt Carroll said
Strong leadership is paramount to the success of our game and, to that end, there are times when tough decisions need to be taken.
Ahhh...this explains why Australian Rugby has gone to s**t.
The ARU established the ARC last season (under ex CEO Gary Flowers' regime) as part of a strategy to try to develop more top-class players so that Australia could compete with countries which have fully-fledged professional club competitions.
Carroll said
...the ARC had already achieved some of its objectives by helping identify new talent and the ARU remained committed to trying to spread the game in Australia.
Well if they really want to do that at a pufteenth of the cost, all they have to do is send scouts to junior and Colt Rugby fictures.
The scrapping has been met with dismay, especially by the players...but one would expect that...who have said that this decision to terminate is a "big step backwards".
Queensland Reds breakaway David Croft, Captain of the Melbourne Rebels side (that lost the ARC final to the Central Coast Rays in October), said
As custodians of the game I believe that we as a community need to look further into this competition than merely a financial balance sheet, and its true success cannot be fully measured at this early stage.
There are many long-term, important benefits of this competition that can not be recorded on a balance sheet. The players all bought into this concept and built teams and established cultures. It doesn't seem right for it to be that easily taken away. The decision to withdraw this competition is a big step backwards.
There are many long-term, important benefits of this competition that can not be recorded on a balance sheet. The players all bought into this concept and built teams and established cultures. It doesn't seem right for it to be that easily taken away. The decision to withdraw this competition is a big step backwards.
...hey I already said that...
Brumbies forward Alister Campbell, who played in the ARC for the Canberra Vikings, believes players deserved more say.
The review undertaken by the ARU senior management should have been more inclusive of the stakeholders including clubs, state unions and the players.
Western Force and Perth Spirit forward, David Pusey fears Perth players have now had their pathway to professionalism cut.
There is no pathway for Perth players. How does a club player in Perth get into a Super 14 team? The answer is easy. He doesn't.
What happens to players 23 to 40 who don't play much Super 14? Don't tell me 10 games of club rugby in Perth is all they play?
What happens to players 23 to 40 who don't play much Super 14? Don't tell me 10 games of club rugby in Perth is all they play?
State officials and Unions have also expressed their disappointment but overall, support the ARU's position...despite expressing their doubt about the ARU's statement of losses.
The Victorian Rugby Union has called upon the ARU to act swiftly to ensure that the growing interest in Rugby in an AFL-dominated market does not drop with the ARC's axing.
VRU president Gary Gray said
It's important from our point of view that the ARU outlines Victoria's place in the national footprint...The Rebels gave an enormous uplift for rugby in Victoria
While excited about the prospects of a Melbourne Super side, Gray said Victorian rugby can't wait that long.
We are looking at 2011 [for a Super side] … four years away. That is quite a long time...
The ARU stressed it was still possible that a downscaled competition to bridge the gap between club and Super 14 Rugby, could be held in the ARC's place.
Matt Carroll said
We will meet with the states in the new year to see if we can design a new competition - affordable and of standard of football that is suitable...It won't be grandiose or anything of that nature. It will be interim.
...and The ARC needed an Angel...
************************
info complied with the help of Rugby Heaven
Thank you for reading. I very much appreciate your support.
Apologies in advance for not replying to comment/s...I am currently en route to the ARCtic Circle and...I've got nothing.
According to Blog Etiquette 101, I'm just rude.
And a bit snowed under. Pun intended...although it doesn't work for us Southern Hemisphere dwellers but, hey, you know...
...and I'm done.
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Wonder if rugby has a New Year's resolution . . .
Or do we continue to lurch from cornerpost to cornerpost.
MNG
Comment by DuskDevi
Rucks and Rolls
Rugby World Cup 2007
We're stuck in a
ruckrut....lawn bowling is just looking so attractive for me to blog about right now...
Hope you're well MN-stG...
Dusk
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
Comment by sportsbar
Sports Bar
Fret X
A lot of money and resources go into a competition like that... I find it really baffling that it would be dropped after just one season.
I know I currently represent the enemy - so you can take this with a grain of salt... lol.
The NRL is launching its own version of a youth comp and I'm really excited and nervous to see how it goes...
See Toyota Cup
& Young Gun
The difference being that the U20s comp is being broadcast by Nine once a week (sundays) and that the teams follow and play curtain raisers for their 1st grade sides.
I have seen some of these 'kids' - they are enormous...
Anyways, I wonder what the appointment of Deans means for Australian Rugby and when the game will pick itself up.
-Sport saturated? It wasn't ever given a chance - they paid ABC to show it... the concept had promise. Can you ever really have too much sport?