On Wednesday morning players, coaches and CEO’s from the five Australian Super Rugby franchises gathered at Wet’n’Wild in Western Sydney to launch the 2016 season – which is now agonisingly just over a week away.
While the Sydney 7s gave all Rugby fans and faithful a colourful reminder of the beauty of the running game, it’s been a long sabbatical since the end of the Buildcorp NRC and the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final. With the action all taking place off the field, there’s certainly been some interesting developments off the field in that time
With a record broadcast deal for 2016-2020 announced late last year and the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) giving the public a glimpse of their new strategic plan in the press last week, Rugby’s on-field revival has been complemented by more revenue and a clearer purpose for the game over the next five years.
Rugby is sailing in the right direction but we’d be naïve to think that there are not still some significant challenges, icebergs even, that lay ahead.
We thought yesterday was a timely opportunity to ask four leading players to give us their thoughts, and to give to you – in their words – what they identify as the code’s greatest challenge heading into a new season, new competition model, and new era of Australian Rugby.
Matt Hodgson, Western Force
We play against each other, but aren't the real competition.
"Like always, especially in Western Australia, I think its rival codes which present the biggest challenge to Rugby. For example, the amount of time and money that the AFL put into their junior programs and talent identification is unbelievable, and they do it so well. Trying to catch them and do what they do in that area should be a priority.
“Because Australia’s got such a small population with only so many players in the pool, but so many big football codes, it’s so important for Rugby to fight to find a point of difference so it stands out as an alternative to play and watch."
James Slipper, Queensland Reds
Flexibility helps, but needs to be managed.
"I think that the current volume of player movement overseas, especially the young talent that hasn’t reached 60 Wallaby cap threshold, represents the biggest challenge to the game in 2016. I don’t have the answers, but players leaving to go overseas when they’re still quite young and have a lot of Rugby still ahead of them is something I’m very alert to.
“In an ideal world, you’d have your Australian team filled with the best Australian players who are playing in Australia. It’s great to bring players back from overseas, but the reality is that there is such a large, competitive market out there and players will be enticed overseas; I think we need to find a solution to hold them here as long as possible in the first place.
“Flexibility helps, but then players risk burning themselves out by playing consecutive seasons as well. That’s each player’s individual decision; if they want to take that load on, it’s their choice.
“You’d never see me playing three seasons in a year, because I know my body isn’t up to it, however ultimately if a player decides to opt for flexible contracts then the Clubs have to be aware of how to manage them responsibly."
Nic Stirzaker, Melbourne Rebels
Maintaining the rage.
“I believe that the biggest challenge for Australian Rugby in 2016 is to keep the momentum and public sentiment built from a fantastic Rugby World Cup campaign. That’s for all professionals in the game to continue to keep in mind including players, administrators and our media partners; to keep our fans engaged and entertained.
“The Rugby World Cup illustrated how exciting and attacking Rugby can be, and the Wallabies captured the hearts of the whole Australian public; it was fantastic to watch from back home.
“It made me proud to be a Rugby player, and capitalising on that momentum is the biggest challenge as it seems like this is the most positive everybody’s been about the game in some time.”
Wycliff Palu, NSW Waratahs
Time to embrace the west (of Sydney).
“Other sports present such a big challenge to Rugby. I live in Western Sydney, and Rugby has far less presence than other sports out here. I can walk around here and people won’t really notice me or ask me anything, but Rugby League players out here would get recognised in a heartbeat.
“I think trying to get participation numbers up in Western Sydney would change that, and I think that’s the biggest challenge right now for the game.”
Rugby in Australia has always been and will always be the players' game, and it's great to see our members equally excited about the upcoming season but also mature and considered in their opinions regarding areas where improvement needs to be made.
The Super Rugby season kicks off next Friday, February 26th, with the Brumbies the first Australian team in action against the Hurricanes at 7:30pm AEDT.
Saturday February 27 sees a local derby double header, with the Waratahs hosting the Reds at 7:40pm before the Rebels visit the Western Force at 9:40pm.
