Aussie Pro Rugby

@Bovidae said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

Did any of you with Stan watch the Australia A games? A draw with Bristol and a big loss to England A wouldn't have been what was hoped for.

Nope, but when you throw together teams you sometimes get this.

I think the "A" program was mainly to support the touring Wallabies, given we're out of time for people to shine at rep level prior to Lions 2025.

If we had a proper third tier that wouldn't have been such a concern IMHO. Right now a lot of our pro players go back to club land and finish up in September, then twiddle their thumbs for a couple of months until provincial preseason.

Heremiah Murray has now signed with the Qld Reds.

Probably for the exodus thread or even NFL

@Tim said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

View embedded content

Bloody good on them. Should be aiming for the top, and this is but a start.

Don't suppose anyone's seen said strategic plan and can shed light on how Australia are going to achieve all their lofty goals?

As long as they follow through on the bit where they help clubs. They can start by reducing fees paid the the national body

@Dan54 said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

@Tim said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

View embedded content

Bloody good on them. Should be aiming for the top, and this is but a start.

I agree. Setting goals is important as it allows you to identify the steps required to achieve them, measure progress and adapt as required.

Given SA have fucked off to seek greener pastures where they can win (URC snigger) we need Australia to get better.; competition improves the breed.

@Tim tbh it would be a shame if Fox got the rights back. They were fucking hopeless (Greg Clarke aside) and I much prefer the coverage we get with Stan.

If the federal government has any sense they'll be having a quiet word to 9 about making Stan happen again

@NTA said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

@Tim tbh it would be a shame if Fox got the rights back. They were fucking hopeless (Greg Clarke aside) and I much prefer the coverage we get with Stan.

If the federal government has any sense they'll be having a quiet word to 9 about making Stan happen again

Coverage is way better on Stan and from a couch perspective that’s great, however if RA can secure more funding going to a DANZ route then surely they need to focus on that

@bayimports said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

@NTA said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

@Tim tbh it would be a shame if Fox got the rights back. They were fucking hopeless (Greg Clarke aside) and I much prefer the coverage we get with Stan.

If the federal government has any sense they'll be having a quiet word to 9 about making Stan happen again

Coverage is way better on Stan and from a couch perspective that’s great, however if RA can secure more funding going to a DANZ route then surely they need to focus on that

Hopefully it creates competition on the financial front between bidders.

Hopefully the fish heads spend it more wisely than the last windfall, regardless of the source.

Hopefully they they're a heap of it into developing pathways - particularly in western Sydney - and start realigning the pathways.

That's a lot of hope.

And it's the hope that kills you.

Isn't DANZ a company that loses a billion dollars a year?

@antipodean For the last two reported years at least. They're claiming an increase of revenue to GBP3.2B in 2023 (up from GBP1.4B in 2022), but who knows how much more they spent.

@SBW1 I'd be astonished if he didn't stick with them through to a home RWC.

Aust are losing some young players. First Gleeson, now Hooper.

These are the sort of fringe guys that we're losing more and more of. Good enough at Super level, probably not quite up to Wallaby quality at the moment.

We just can't pay them what they can get overseas. So I suppose you tip your cap and say good luck. But it's one reason why we can't support five teams and struggle now to support four.

@barbarian said in Aussie Pro Rugby:

But it's one reason why we can't support five teams and struggle now to support four.

And that would be true if we went back to 3 - the product has a certain value, out of which RUPA's slice of the pie is given to players.

Less teams = smaller pie.

Aus need to identify the ones they absolutely need to keep, and pay them. Bell, Valetini, i reckon Ikitau as well.

Let Thor go, he's not worth anywhere near what he is on.