GoulburnThe Australian Rugby Championships
July 31st 2007 21:30
This is something I haven't written much about.
Well okay I haven't written anything at all but I am looking forward to it.
There are other factors that dim this anticipation but I will leave those reasons for later.
Showcasing The Wallabies of tomorrow.
...although...some players are The Wallabies of yesterday and today...
What is it?:
The Australian Rugby Championship*, is a newly created domestic Rugby Union competition.
In Australia, for Australia, only Australians...which is why it's not called the New Zealand Rug...anyway....
*commonly known as the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship for sponsorship reasons but I refuse to add a flying kangaroo in front of Wallabies so what chance a car?
The ARC season kicks off on August 10th 2007, with the Final being playd on October 14, to decide the inaugural Champions.
The competition involves eight teams (to start off with) featuring more than 90 contracted professional players from Western Australia, the ACT, Victoria, NSW and Queensland, with a considerable number of Super 14 players set to star (and prove why they should have picked for the World Cup Squad).
That's because there is no other Rugby competition like it.
The natural progression of Rugby from wannabe to Wallaby:
- junior Rugby (minis through to U17s)
- then Reps (played during junior Rugby)
- then Colts (the 'kindy' of Club Rugby)
- then grade Club Rugby (grades range from 5th to 1st)
.....
- then Super 14.
This is a big leap - Club Rugby to Super 14 - many young players aren't quite prepared for the intense Rugby played at Super 14 level so this is may prove an excellent "trampoline" between Club Rugby and the "elite level" of the game.
What The Legends Say:
...and how did Stirling get in here?
Stirling Mortlock on ARC
George Gregan on ARC
Stephen Larkham on ARC
Please don't quote me on that last quote. My sources tell me it's pure fabrication.
Why?:
When Rugby Union went professional in 1996, there was much talk of developing a national club competition but, this idea faded away due to Super 12 becoming the main focus of pre Test season matches.
Obviously the idea didn't fade away completely.
Sadly, despite the success of The Wallabies in world Rugby and despite Rugby being such a huge sport world wide, Australia is not a big Rugby nation, not like NZ and SA and certainly not like Europe.
In France, crowds that fill a sold-out international Test match venue here, turn up to watch their equivalent of Club 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 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.
If you're curious as to why clubs would be against the idea, please read this article on Rugby Heaven:
Power Clubs To Oppose National Competition
The ARU may have approved of this competition and may have set the rules (and introduced new rules) but they're not actually funding it.
They expect the clubs to foot the bill and very naively think that the ground attendance will fill the coffers.
Hence the lack of marketing dollar.
If you're a non Rugby sportsfan/reader...have you heard about it? Have you seen anything on TV/print media? Or on radio?
And if you are a Rugby devotee ...how much do you know about this competition? Do you know who and what your local club is?
Although I do believe this competition is good for the future of Australian Rugby...it is the present that concerns me.
Will explain why later.
The WHO? and The WHERE? coming up soon...
***************
This has been compiled with the help of bloggers pal Wiki and the neccessary evil ARU
***************
I am currently en route to the Dagobah System to ask some Yoda dude if he'd like to coach the Wallabies and am unable to answer comments...and rather than leave you hanging (or obliged)...I thought it best to disable the comments section for now.
Thank you for reading. I very much appreciate your support. This is not the idiot you are looking for...this is not a mind trick...that is a vote button down there on the right...you know you want to click it...
May The Farce Be With You.
Well okay I haven't written anything at all but I am looking forward to it.
There are other factors that dim this anticipation but I will leave those reasons for later.
Showcasing The Wallabies of tomorrow.
...although...some players are The Wallabies of yesterday and today...
What is it?:
The Australian Rugby Championship*, is a newly created domestic Rugby Union competition.
In Australia, for Australia, only Australians...which is why it's not called the New Zealand Rug...anyway....
*commonly known as the Mazda Australian Rugby Championship for sponsorship reasons but I refuse to add a flying kangaroo in front of Wallabies so what chance a car?
The ARC season kicks off on August 10th 2007, with the Final being playd on October 14, to decide the inaugural Champions.
The competition, similar to New Zealand's Air New Zealand Cup and South Africa's Currie Cup, aims to bridge the gap between existing club rugby and international Super 14.
The competition involves eight teams (to start off with) featuring more than 90 contracted professional players from Western Australia, the ACT, Victoria, NSW and Queensland, with a considerable number of Super 14 players set to star (and prove why they should have picked for the World Cup Squad).
The Australian Rugby Championship promises to be a national Rugby competition that is second to none.
That's because there is no other Rugby competition like it.
The natural progression of Rugby from wannabe to Wallaby:
- junior Rugby (minis through to U17s)
- then Reps (played during junior Rugby)
- then Colts (the 'kindy' of Club Rugby)
- then grade Club Rugby (grades range from 5th to 1st)
.....
- then Super 14.
This is a big leap - Club Rugby to Super 14 - many young players aren't quite prepared for the intense Rugby played at Super 14 level so this is may prove an excellent "trampoline" between Club Rugby and the "elite level" of the game.
More than 550 applications were received from players around the country to take part in the ARC which is a fantastic response to this landmark national competition
What The Legends Say:
...and how did Stirling get in here?
Stirling Mortlock on ARC
The ARC is vital for the growth of the game in this country. Previously there has been a wide gap in standard between Club Rugby and the Super 14.
The ARC will bridge that gap and provide players with a quality competition to develop their game before they make the step up to Super 14 level
The ARC will bridge that gap and provide players with a quality competition to develop their game before they make the step up to Super 14 level
George Gregan on ARC
It’s a great result for the game. The ARC will provide players who are just below Super 14 level with a professional training structure and make them better prepared to make the step up to full-time professional rugby.
There is now a clear pathway for players from club rugby through to the Wallabies.
There is now a clear pathway for players from club rugby through to the Wallabies.
Stephen Larkham on ARC
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.
The Australian Rugby Championship trophy
Why?:
When Rugby Union went professional in 1996, there was much talk of developing a national club competition but, this idea faded away due to Super 12 becoming the main focus of pre Test season matches.
Obviously the idea didn't fade away completely.
It became ever-more apparent that there was a growing gap between the local club rugby competitions and the Super Rugby competitions....
...After success of the Australian-hosted 2003 Rugby World Cup, the proposal of starting a club national competition to bridge the gap between club rugby and Super Rugby came to the forefront once again.
....there was a fear that on a national level, Australia would be left behind by the All Blacks and South Africa, due to perhaps their deeper domestic competition.
...After success of the Australian-hosted 2003 Rugby World Cup, the proposal of starting a club national competition to bridge the gap between club rugby and Super Rugby came to the forefront once again.
....there was a fear that on a national level, Australia would be left behind by the All Blacks and South Africa, due to perhaps their deeper domestic competition.
Sadly, despite the success of The Wallabies in world Rugby and despite Rugby being such a huge sport world wide, Australia is not a big Rugby nation, not like NZ and SA and certainly not like Europe.
In France, crowds that fill a sold-out international Test match venue here, turn up to watch their equivalent of Club Rugby.
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.
If you're curious as to why clubs would be against the idea, please read this article on Rugby Heaven:
Power Clubs To Oppose National Competition
The ARU may have approved of this competition and may have set the rules (and introduced new rules) but they're not actually funding it.
They expect the clubs to foot the bill and very naively think that the ground attendance will fill the coffers.
Hence the lack of marketing dollar.
If you're a non Rugby sportsfan/reader...have you heard about it? Have you seen anything on TV/print media? Or on radio?
And if you are a Rugby devotee ...how much do you know about this competition? Do you know who and what your local club is?
Although I do believe this competition is good for the future of Australian Rugby...it is the present that concerns me.
Will explain why later.
The WHO? and The WHERE? coming up soon...
***************
This has been compiled with the help of bloggers pal Wiki and the neccessary evil ARU
***************
I am currently en route to the Dagobah System to ask some Yoda dude if he'd like to coach the Wallabies and am unable to answer comments...and rather than leave you hanging (or obliged)...I thought it best to disable the comments section for now.
Thank you for reading. I very much appreciate your support. This is not the idiot you are looking for...this is not a mind trick...that is a vote button down there on the right...you know you want to click it...
May The Farce Be With You.
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