Better Rugby Rules

Source: Bledisloe test stays in Honk Kong

Steve Tew is paid over $500,000 and he has yet to learn that selling the same thing over and over again is a failed strategy. Nobody wants to see NZ vs Aus three or four times a year, I mean who cares (Well they dont in Honk kong, so far ticket sale are very poor). This massive dilution of a great rivalry is criminal, and Mr Tew should be sacked.

If you have funding troubles CUT THE WAGE BILL, maybe cut your wages to $300,000 …see if you can survive on that !

Source: Dual-referee system on the table for Super rugby

Well having two touch judges (Assistant Refs) and a on field ref still doesn’t seam to keep the players on side at the break down.

How would you work this,,

A forwards ref, with a backs ref..

A ref on the left and side, and another on the right.

There is no doubt a problem in rugby when  a 36 to 45 year old ref cant keep up with game when it’s at full throttle. So I suspect if you have two refs and two touch judges who cant keep up, things wont change.

Ref do tend to whistle with the home crowd, so maybe two refs can balance this up. Or maybe not !

Seam to work in the NRL..So Jonny ONeill wants it, then most likely will get it.

Rugby kicking off soon…who would believe it…

Source: Trans tasman rugby declares bore war

Extracts..

John O’Neill, the ARU chief executive, admitted Australian rugby hit ”rock bottom” during a torpid 2009 campaign in which none of the nation’s four Super 14 franchises reached the tournament’s semifinals.

”Reds, Waratahs, Brumbies, Force … we’ve all sat around the table and looked at the reality of where crowd figures have gone and where the game generally is at. I think we’ve hit the bottom and every one of the four teams is determined to deliver winning and entertaining rugby.

There have been two main areas that fan feedback and our own evaluation process have highlighted, and that’s scrum time and the breakdown. We are hoping to simplify those facets of the game to make conditions more conducive to good footy.

O’Neill was optimistic the reversion to running rugby would lead Australia out of the doldrums at international and domestic level, and continue the mini-revival started on Australia’s autumn tour of the northern hemisphere.

COMMENTS:  Ok , if you are an ABs supporter you know that ‘running rugby’ all the time does not always win you the big trophy’s. (ak the last 4 RWC). Smart tactical rugby does, that knowing when to run, knowing when to maul and knowing when to kick. The Spring Boks get my vote as the smartest rugby team over the last two years, after all they won a second RWC and beat the ABs 3-0 this year in Tri Nations.

Running rugby and winning rugby is not the same thing. Administrators laying down the law as to the style the team plays to coaches is NOT SMART. I refer you to last RWC when Georgia beat Ireland using a tight forward game, not running rugby and WON ! A rugby team must play to its strengths and conditions of the day.

The above noise from John O’Neill just show how desperate his ELV campaign was to take on his local rugby league and AFL. His vision of rugby is not good for world rugby community. That said the slight adjustment to the rules this year just may be a good thing, see previous posts.

The IRB (including SANZAR) are conducting a big meeting the Dublin this weekend, the direction of rugby is certain areas will become clear

1) What ELVs are in or out ?
2) SANZAR or SANZAR ?

Its going to be very interesting…What will the ‘old farts’ decide (ak Wil Carling)

Source: NZRU, ARU drop the ball – David Moffett

Extracts..

A leaderless, rudderless and totally inept organisation. For once I am not talking about the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) but about Sanzar, or at least the Australian and New Zealand components of it.

Sanzar is the umbrella organisation of the Super 14 and Tri-Nations.

Super 14 is in dire trouble.

No mention by O’Neill of the damage to the game wrought by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU)-inspired ELVs (Experimental Law Variations). [BLOG: Bad management of the game means, lower attendance from the public, means lower sponsorship dollars, means lower pay for the players]

In their panic to try to compete with the other three football codes in Australia the ELVs were introduced to try to provide nonstop action as a way of combating the popularity of Aussie rules, league and football.

They have been an abject failure. Most will be ditched by the International Rugby Board in May. As predicted in a previous column, the northern hemisphere dumped most of the ELVs.

While the Super 14 implodes what are the views of the NZRU. Who knows?

Typically we have not heard from their all but invisible CEO Steve Tew. Just when long-suffering fans want to hear from their governing body, what do we get?

Nothing, nada, zilch, zero.

Just another example of the NZRU seemingly happy to toe the Australian line. There are times when I firmly believe that the ARU sees the NZRU as little more than a seventh state such is their ability to impact on the future of rugby in this country.

COMMENTS: You see there are idiots running the NZRU, its not my imagination at all.

Source: Big calls needed over Super 14 impasse  – Marc Hinton

Extracts..

New Zealand and Australia could split from South Africa, form a new alliance for franchise rugby, bring in Japan, possibly a presence in the Pacific Islands and start again with a blank canvas. Design the perfect season, with a heck of a lot less travel in it. In an ideal world the Tri-Nations would stay intact, but that would require significant goodwill from a  suddenly disaffected South Africa.

So, why wouldn’t they just go ahead and do it?

Money, that’s why.

At present South Africa bring in the lion’s share of the broadcasting revenue in Sanzar’s existing deal with News Corporation. That’s a tidy sum, and if the trans-Tasman alliance were to cut them loose they’d be sacrificing some pretty serious wedge.

Which brings us to the crux of the matter. Do Steve Tew and John O’Neill have the stones to make the big call?

Or will they fall meekly into line with the South Africans?

The next few weeks will tell that story.

COMMENTS: A: Of course they don’t, if it does happen (a split) it will because O’Neill says so, Tew is follow the leader. For the money or the good of the game, we shall see if professional rugby forces more stupid administration decisions.

Super rugby MUST:
1) Start latter !
2) Less travel demands.
3) 1 more Aussie Team.

Wynne Gray – Senior NZ Herald Rugby scribe.

Source: Time to ditch SA from Super rugby – Wynne Gray

The words in this article are sourced from heaven.  They should be placed on a stone tablet.

Excerpts

The tyranny of travel and time difference in this Super rugby series is one of its greatest downfalls while the seasonal familiarity of the accompanying Tri-series has eroded much of the sport’s intrigue.

New Zealand and South Africa have a rich rugby history but it is in danger of being watered down the longer Super rugby and the Tri-Nations continues. Tests every second year would do much to recapture some of that spark while it would also free up more time in the congested annual schedule.

This is a chance for New Zealand to get into a Pacific series where they can drive the tournament, they can make the deals, they can regather some lost followers.

Perhaps they could also reintroduce RUCKS instead of those disgraceful pile-ups, eliminate tap kick penalties for scrum infringements and get players on side; however, that is another story.

COMMENTS: I concur 100%, the bearded one has spoken, long live the bearded one ! NZ/AU should try his Australasian Cup idea as well ( see previous posts for more information).

Source: Republic threatens to split SANZAR– Greg Growden

SARFU says hands off Currie Cup!    So will SANZAR split ?

Good on ya SARFU stick to your guns. NZRU and ARU may just find out how small and isolated they really are, this was a stark reality after I read this statement.

South Africa has retaliated by saying it would form its own competition with Argentina, the US and teams from Scotland and Ireland.

Geographically the SA are better placed in the world to cater to the travel demands with other rugby playing nations. NZ and AU have the Pacific and Indian oceans to cross, we are 4 more hours on a plane from anywhere (… that has decent rugby opposition).

Of course SARFU may be doing all this squealing for a bigger cut of the SANZAR revenue pie.

PREDICTION: There is a 15th super rugby team to be allocated, SARFU and ARU both want it. ARU believe its there’s by right. If they don’t get you can bet that SANZAR is over. John O’Neill will see red and say to NZ lets go it alone, and form an Australasian Cup tournament ( note: which I favor, no matter the reduction in revenue for NZ/ARU).

Also dont you get the feeling SARFU union are getting a little pissed off with John ONeill brash and loud manipulative style of getting what he wants. He is not subtle.

UDPATE1: Source: Impasse over Super 14 expansion  – Marc Hinton

Money, as always, lies at the heart of the issue, even if the travel factor involving South Africa also creates major problems.

With South Africa’s SuperSport contributing 65 percent of the TV rights money for the tournament, any withdrawal by the republic would be felt hard in the pocket by Australia and New Zealand.

Whether the trans-Tasman unions are prepared to sacrifice that sort of money to forge ahead with a new competition without South Africa has to be highly doubtful.

COMMENTS: Little old NZRU and ARU better say sorry real quick, otherwise there are pay cuts coming and not only for the players !!

Source: Two-pool idea looms as plan B  Tony Robson

Mr Tew on SANZAR future

“We’ve made it clear we respect their desires around the Currie Cup, but you are either in a joint venture or you’re not and you are prepared to make some compromises or you’re not.”

Source: ELVs make Super 14 a big turn-off: O’Sullivan – Greg – Growden

 Eddie O’Sullivan on the ELVs in Super 14.

Eddie O’Sullivan, one of international rugby’s leading coaches, has described the Super 14 as a dud and, due to the glut of free kicks, he can’t be bothered watching it.

O’Sullivan, Ireland’s most successful coach of the modern era and who recently took over as the United States head coach, admitted on an Australian rugby podcast last night that he had lost all interest in the Super 14.

“I’m not that taken by the whole thing,” he said. “I don’t agree with the law changes. The dynamics of the game I don’t like. It just doesn’t do anything for me.”

He said the experimental law variations had led to the decline in standard. “The law variations with the use of all the free kicks, I just don’t agree with. It makes the game different. It’s a hybrid game that is being played.” [Please read foundation posts: Chess vs Checkers]

My Comments: Looks like to me changes are a foot on all fronts.

Source : Fears too many teams will spoil Currie– Greg Growden

ONeill

Before leaving for the SANZAR conference in Dubai last week, Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O’Neill revealed there were differences with South Africa over the Currie Cup.

“There are issues over whether Springboks continue playing in the Currie Cup,” O’Neill said. “The reality for all three unions is that we can only afford one level of professional rugby, which is Super rugby. Currie Cup, NPC and Premier Rugby in Australia is not the professional game.”

ONeill don’t care as his ‘Premier Rugby’ is a complete failure anyways ! Loosing $7mil, last I heard. So NZRU and the SARU have to bend to ARUs reality, by relegating the NPC and Currie Cup to 2nd grade standards.

Or do they !

SARU can go with the North, more money, easier time zone, less travel demands, and keep the Currie Cup (for how long, I dont know). NZRU can play with ARU by playing the Wynne Gray Australasian Cup plan, that would work. Yes revenue would be less, but thats ok as the ARU/NZRU now have a traditional overseas clash in USA/Japan each year ( well from 2009) to make up the short fall.

My bet is that SARU will go, if the 22 weeks idea is required by the ARU. Currie Cup is very important to the SARU, good on them !

UPDATE1: SARU is not singing the same song as John ONeill. John wants the extra team to be based in Aussie, and a April Start, SARU want the extra team in Sth Africa and a January start. CAN YOU SMELL THE END RESULT, bye bye SARU ! If John ONeill lets SARU get its way that a huge negative for ARU, a disagreement that will break up SANZAR. Good for this rugby fan, I favor a professional Austrialasian Cup, with an start in April.

Source: South Africa will fight for new team, says president

To Do list
1) SANZSAR break up – nearly done.
2) ELVS minimised – working on it.
3) Fruit Salad Super 14 jerseys scrapped – delegated to Lindsay Knight/Murray Mexted.
4) Bring back buck – long shot, but on the strategy table.

Joke Revised..

Q. You’re trapped in a room with a tiger, a rattlesnake and an Australian CEO John ONeill.  You have a gun with two bullets.  What do you do?

A. Shoot the Australian CEO John ONeill – twice

Source: O’Neill calls for end of ‘sunscreen rugby’

O’Neill set off on Monday for a Sanzar board meeting in Dubai where he will bring up the heat issue and also move for an expanded competition.

“Personally, I think we start Super rugby too early and that’s one of the things on the agenda for the Sanzar board meeting,” he said at a news conference in Sydney.

“Late February, early March in Brisbane is a very humid, hot place and an afternoon game to boot.

NO problems here mate! If this is SANZARs attitude then what about Rugby in NZ between June and July at night, that is ‘scuba rugby’, and a waste of time for the viewing public.

NO half measures please…yeah right ! (Tui)

Source: Unions discuss radical shakeup of NZ rugby – Toby Robson

There could be two side by side competitions.

Trans – Tasman Cup : One professional window from March to October: 14-team home and away (Nine from New Zealand, five from Australia).

Heineken Cup style tournament (to run alongside trans-Tasman trophy): Matches every four weeks with 24 teams in four pools of six made up of teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Japan, Pacific Islands and America.

Whats good..

Travel to south Africa as frequently as it is with the Super 14 is proving too much for the current players, and I agree. The Heineken cup travel demands are not light either, but it looks less and with plenty of time between games so that bodes well for the competition.

I guess eventually NZRU has to soak up commercial dollars by allowing Aussie into our local competition, a sponsor may very well like the ANZAC market better than just soley a pure NZ market. I guess sponsors like Adidas would see the TV coverage more rewarding over 30 million people, more so than just 4 million.

I think players would like this competition better. Less travel stress.

I would hope that players are still contracted to the NZRU and ARU, rather than the club, so a central union owns the players and not a billionaire at the club that would be reluctant to release star players on demand ( eg England and France).

Whats not so good..

Would the talent scouts from Aussie now start poaching NZ secondary school kids for their sides. We may have more players than Aussie, but the $5 million dollar salary to Matt Gateau means that NZ kids maybe on sale to the Aussie teams. How would the debate go, a player like Dan Carter playing for the Western Force. Will NZRU retain the rule that only players playing for the NZ sides can be picked for the ABs, or will they widen that to NZ players playing in the Trans-Tasman cup.

More here : Super rugby – It’s in safe hands (not) !

UDPATE1:

Source: NZRU won’t back transtasman competition

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) will not back any push for a replacement of the Super 14 rugby competition that excludes South Africa.

The union’s general manager of professional rugby, Neil Sorenson, said today that such a restructure would be at odds with the union’s preferred position at the moment.

My Comments: A NZRU CEO that ignores strong opinion from the power brokers of the stakeholders of the union, will eventually loose. The NZRU constitution is based on votes, so who is the dog and who is the tail may be surface very soon !

UDPATE2:

Apparently, South Africa is the largest piece of the revenue cake for SANZAR, so I understand that we need them more than they need us, that is why NZRU says that South Africa must be in any new competition. John Graham (Auckland Grammar Head, and ABs Manager) said it first ‘The professional era will be the death of New Zealand rugby”, so was he wrong, well not so far when you have the NZRU chasing money, money and more money !

UDPATE3:

Source: Union ready for flak over its axing decision 

Tew also played down suggestions some of the bigger unions were seriously contemplating forming a breakaway transtasman competition.

“We have made it clear that as long as we are committed to Sanzar we believe we have to have a New Zealand only-based domestic competition. It is part of our competitive advantage and we want to protect it.”

The clandestine nature of the discussions between the bigger unions was disappointing but he didn’t completely rule out the idea of such a competition if the rugby landscape changed. “It might be plan B. We can’t predict everything that is going to happen in world rugby.”

My Comments: Is the NZRU getting all soft, and warming to the power unions of NZ rugby !

   Boks Tears…Please stop it !!!

Boks, I never heard the Boks bleet sooo much ! Hell we (ABs) must be GOOD !

 GO the ABs (2nd Tri Nations test).

The New Zealand time of 7.30 pm Saturday (test match kick off), is:

• – Dublin – Sat 8.30 am
• – London – Sat 8.30 am
• – Paris – Sat 9.30 am
• – Moscow – Sat 11.30 am

So why cant the NZRU and the broadcasters re schedule the kick off to New Zealand time 4.30 pm (or 5.30pm). This will allow more chance to avoid such bad weather the Ireland vs AB game was played in.

The northern rugby fans wont mind getting up a 6.30 am.

Mr Tew (CEO NZRU) said “Win back the Fans!”, well he missed this stella idea.

Maybe there will be press release in the next couple of days, with news of this, wait and see.

Source: Tri-Nations ELVs confirmed

“We’ll be playing under the Super 14 ELVs plus the two that the IRB approved: unlimited numbers in the lineout and pulling down the maul”..

And we can see these laws applied four times against (ABs vs) Australia, woopee wont that be fun (not) !

Please read this post for my view:  ELVs – Endangered Species: Maul and Lineout 

Source: Carter’s deal a special case, says happy Henry– Duncan Johnstone

But the coach clearly doesn’t want to see a rash of players heading away on short-term deals and says measures need to be put in place to control that. [ME: ha ha ha, too late now !]

“I think you need to qualify (for a sabbatical). I think there needs to be some criteria … maybe a number of test matches, longevity in the All Blacks, that sort of thing,” said Henry.

What does Henry care about the long term effect of this deal, his only concern is winning back his reputation at the next world cup, after that, thats for the next poor bloke ! 

The lack of big nuts by Mr Tew and the NZRU will see in future years the top 5+ players off overseas in the immediate years after the world cup. Dan will be eligible for the All Blacks selection when he comes back, but will not be required to play in the preceding super 14 like his other team mates. Sure he could loose his position, but special deals like this is leaving the door wide open for hungry agents to work harder for more lucrative commissions. Damn NZRU fools ! This is why they couldn’t run a real business. I am sure the current local sponsors (Murdoch) are just rapt, (not) !

I guess sabbaticals will happen, but if the player does not return and play in the Super 14, how can match ups be viewed. Then the selectors personal bias allows an overseas player to walk into the All Blacks, where as currently a one on one contest allows the not in favor player to better the in favor player, and get selected based on true performance.

 All this fuss over Nick Evans, who cares, they guy doesnt know how to pass, its all me me with him ! Far to much media hype has gone to this guys head, hell let go now !

 Other posts on the subject: Dan Carter rule, very naughty!

UPDATE1:

Source: Carter Clause sure to irritate – Wynne Gray

Where there is money, more money, different rewards and criteria, there will be some resentment. The NZRU have done well if they have been able to stitch together some deal but no matter the wording of the press release, when Carter’s sabbatical is ratified, it means they have agreed to pick All Blacks from offshore.

How many other All Blacks would like a similar break and following Carter’s exemption, will feel they deserve the same treatment?

My Comments: Confirmation, thanks Wynne!

Source: (Peter) Thorburn slams trial of maul law changes

There is strong disapproval for one of the new Experimental Law Variations in place for this year’s Tri-Nations.

The International Rugby Board has agreed to a year long trial by SANZAR to allow the pulling down of a maul.

Former All Blacks selector Peter Thorburn says the change is a step backwards. He says the whole point of the maul is to allow players to group their defence and make a choice whether they want to join in or not. He says this is a short-sighted decision to allow players to pull the maul down.

Despite Thorburn’s comments, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has backed the new changes.

Source: Finals expansion on cards – Greg Growden

..”THE expansion of the Super 14 finals to a six-team play-off next year is all but a certainty after this season’s logjam saw two form teams miss the cut.

SANZAR officials have been considering revamping the finals, with the most obvious first step being to increase the number of teams involved following repeated complaints that a four-team final is far too restrictive.”..

 I have no problem with this, but it obviously a commercial decision for more (Murdoch) TV money, and the ARU and NZRU need the funds (to cover previous management errors).  So more rugby for the elite in the professional game, you can bet the professional players wont be seen in the amateur Air New Zealand cup as much (if at all), not so good for that sponsor. This is of course little concern to the ARU.

More here : Warning – ARU CEO John ONeill, Super rugby – It’s in safe hands (not) !

The latest headline is that Super Rugby will be re vamped, maybe as early as 2009. Broadcasters say that viewing numbers are falling, SANZAR must re jig the competition to keep players at home and to spark more interest for the fans and players. (Source : rugbyheaven.com.au)

Why the rush for change, why by 2009. Why not take more time to research, plan,  explain and sell the changes to the fan base. Are the fans deserting the game in droves because there love for the game has diminished, is this the reason or is it because the administrators have completely stuffed up. By over paying players (ARU), by resting players (NZRFU), allowing second rate players to be selected (SAFRU to boost the black player profile), or have unions miss managed there affairs producing financial losses (Yr 2007 results: ARU -$7 mil, NZFRU -$1.7 mil).

Playing viewing numbers should not be expected to sky rocket every year, remember the viewer has economic boundaries and an attention span that can only support so much rugby in a calendar year. So I put the forward the notion that the demand for the change in super rugby is not fan demand lead, it is administrator incompetence lead.

So what can the pandora box of a new re vamp super rugby competition be leading the fan into, god only knows, but rest assured fan, you are in good hands as the new plan has been well researched and thought out, all will be well (not) ! See more on performance of NZRFU and ARU in this post.

Do we really want Auckland to be a fruit salad of players (ooops it is now) from many different countries of origin? Do we really want to see the Western Force sign all the players from Christchurch boys high school 1st 15 with the promise of massive salaries?  (Ok maybe not in year one, but these new super rugby rules will be the yellow brick road for these changes !).

There may be a serious economic slowdown around the corner and the business of rugby will not escape a consumer lead recession.  So SANZAR priority must be to develop the quality of the product to ensure its survival. I get the real feeling that a lot of the super rugby changes will be throw of the dice and hope ! The fan is at the mercy of the pinheads running the game.

Some much needed guidelines for the Rugby Administrator:

1) See post on this blog, Win back the Fans. I have just read and article by Paul Lewis: NZRU in need of outside help to revitalise game , here there is no mention of the ELVs, I would estimate that the ELVs and the Checkers vs Chess posts cover at least 60% of the problem. Another article by Richard Loe: Tough encounter guide to All Blacks stating that the Blues vs Crusaders super rugby game on 25-4-08 was the ‘best game of the season’, and I thought that if this game was the RWC final it would be a massive embarrassment to world rugby  (see my review on the  ELVs post UPDATE2 at the bottom).  Where have the deep thinking philosophers of the game gone?

2) The best fan draw card is a contest between great teams, good players are secondary. Robbie Deans TV advert quote ‘A great team will always beat a great player !’ I would add a great rugby chess game within the contest is the best draw card of all.

3) Rugby fan loyalty has always been geographically based. If you are an Aucklander born and bred then Auckland will be your team. However this fan loyalty may be severely tested if the players are not Aucklanders born and bred. This is the tribe vs tribe theory. How are the Warriors doing with there 6 Aussie players, didn’t Eric Watson say he wanted to beat the Aussies at there own game (with Kiwis) ? A sound fan base is built best on the tribe theory and not the fickle ‘we won last week’ theory.

4) Get super rugby on free to view TV and or internet (Delayed, most likely).

5) Dont over charge at the stadium gate. There have been some very high ticket prices set for game’s. I think the French at the RWC 2007 did a fantastic job of getting attendance by packaging multiple games together for a single ticket.

6) Maintain national identity within super rugby teams. For the NZFRU to allow a New Zealander like ‘Dan Carter’ or ‘Jona Lomu’ to play for a non New Zealand super rugby side for $1.5 mil just so you can keep him happy and allow him to be in the national squad is opening the door for a rugby mad billionaire to come along and buy (say) the ‘Western Force’ and fill his team ‘star’ players at sky high prices. Oops the dawn of a soccer style rugby club. Then the ‘price’ of star players will have no limit. This will prove to be a major fundamental error of SANZAR. If a player wants the money then let him go, and dont allow him to be selected for international duties. The SANZAR unions must hold onto the international duties as there only valuable bargaining chip, once this is gone, they are doomed. No individual or group of players is greater than the game. So let them go! When the famed coach of the rugby league team the Broncos ‘Wayne Bennett’ had players demanding top dollar, after years of developing the young players up thru the grades, his response was ‘See ya latter!’. Yet players a like Allan Langer and Darren Lockyer never left the Broncos club for the big bucks. Loyalty, team culture and a sense of family is worth more to a player than cash. If it’s not let them go, you will never win with cash motivated player! Currently super rugby has a major fan pull of tribe vs tribe, thats Blues (tribe:NZ) vs  Brumbies (tribe:AUS), and it would be negative to see ‘Harlequins’ (tribe ?) vs ‘Badgers’ (tribe ?). It is not so much the individual match up of Dan Carter vs Stephen Bretts, its not tennis dude, it is a team (and combinations) contest.

7) Tax Break. Ok lets do the sums, NZ has about 150 professional players, lets say the player average income is $130,000 per year. That is gross revenue of $19.5 Mil, tax to the IRD at 30% equals $5.8 Mil. Lets give the players a tax rate of 15%. So thats reduced the players tax bill by 50% and the government looses $2.4 mil. But do they? If the commercial spin offs from professional rugby were to die off then the tax revenues lost from a poor performing super and international rugby season would be much greater than $2.4 mil. Would the government offer such a tax break, well the gave the Americas Cup Team $30 Mil plus, and there has been little return so far!

8) Create a SANZAR (and/or NZRFU) Official Super Rugby Internet Email Forum. An email forum where threads can be posted by the fan and answered by administrators and officials. Participation from the union CEO down to the touch judge is critical to the effectiveness of such a forum. The English RFU have such a forum were I have often seen administrators partake in ‘one on one’ fan issue discussions. This is a must have ! They are currently running a forum thread on the ELVs, good on the English RFU ! (If there is one already I cant find it !)

9) Player exodus. What benefit is it to french rugby to have a club like Toulon import so many foreign players just to get it out of the second division. This setup is purely a billionaires play thing, how does a flood of non french players improve the opportunities of french rugby players (Example, just consider the depth and experience of english soccer players for there national side). The player exodus is fueled by supplied side economics, that is the supply of money from a non central body, the control is not with a central rugby union. Therefore the central union should fight back and cap the number of foreign players per team. IRB please step up! Correct me if I am wrong, didn’t English cricket step and cap the number of foreign players for each county side.

10) This article is so important Pinetree blasts All Blacks coaches, NZRU. I bet before the day is over he will be rubbished and written off as a silly old fart and completely ignored.

This part is priceless…

The report was on the RWC 2007 failure.

“When the report was out [this month] the only one who was discredited was Richie McCaw because he didn’t instruct someone to have a dropped goal. Yet Graham Henry swears he sent down messages to them. What the bloody hell is rugby coming to? You have someone sitting in the box and trying to get a message to the captain.

“In our days we weren’t even allowed to leave the field at halftime. Once the game was on the captain was in charge and you never even heard from the coach until after the game.

“I think we’re getting over-coached and over- organised. You now have four selectors, a tackling coach, a scrum coach, a lineout coach and you have a couple of technical advisers. Now, which of those buggers do you have to listen to?”

Notice:

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