Aussies finally catch up
31 May 2006
Australia will launch a new, eight-team national domestic competition next year to rival New Zealand’s NPC and South Africa’s Currie Cup.
The competition will be launched with an eye to strengthening the Wallabies and the country’s Super 14 teams, officials announced Wednesday.
The decision was a result of a three-day meeting of 70 senior players, coaches and officials of the Australian Rugby Union (ARU). The ARU said the “primary aim is to improve the Wallabies and
Super 14 teams and provide more opportunities for outstanding club rugby players”.
The competition will involve three teams from New South Wales state, two from Queensland and one team each from Canberra, Victoria and Western Australia.
With the introduction of the Super competition involving teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, the club game has suffered in Australia over the past decade with dwindling crowds, interest and sponsorships.
ARU chief executive Gary Flowers said the creation of the new competition would give Australia the same opportunity to find and develop talent as happens in South Africa and New Zealand.
“We did a lot of research looking at our competitors both in the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere and information about the number of elite games that those countries are playing,” he said.
“What we realised was that performance at international level isn’t just a stroke of luck. It doesn’t happen because people are born gifted. It happens because talent is identified and they play in the right competitions.”
20 Comments
31 May 2006, 16:08 pm
I am first
31 May 2006, 16:08 pm
dragons
31 May 2006, 16:12 pm
Australia catch up!!
And overtake at a rate of knots.
31 May 2006, 16:13 pm
Must Run
Cheers
31 May 2006, 16:16 pm
bokinozzie is aussies version of the tackler.pathetic.
31 May 2006, 16:17 pm
bigg i thought you going? get outa here now!
31 May 2006, 16:25 pm
Spot on Bliksem!!
31 May 2006, 16:56 pm
I thought SA had given up on the CC and had all but disbanded it?
31 May 2006, 17:10 pm
Ozzie mentality is great, they r using this competition to strengthen their S14 and international teams.Our CC is too old fashion, they need to dismantle the heritage of it and use as a glorified club competition.
31 May 2006, 17:23 pm
StMichel,
Always knew you knew f-all about rugby in general and less about SA Rugby, you have just proven it, tosser!!
leeanthonyw,
How can you possibly dismantle such rich heritage and not at the same time cause irrepreble damage to SA rugby, come on man be serious.
31 May 2006, 17:27 pm
Yes, they can use the currie cup as motivation – give it to the SA team that manages to crack a top 10 finnish in the Super 14 each year!
31 May 2006, 17:31 pm
Andries Bekker is tall.
31 May 2006, 19:16 pm
Groot and Bliksem
teaming up – cant battle on their own.
It was a joke!
JOKE
JOKE
31 May 2006, 22:37 pm
BokinOzzie…I think however told you about jokes omited one important little detail:
The key to a joke is that it is funny.
Even just a little bit funny is OK.
So now you know, lets see a smile from everyone next time you post.
31 May 2006, 23:19 pm
travel and distance is one of the reasons why we don’t have a comp. not sustainable when you aren’t making money , which the ARU didn’t do until O’Neill took over
1 Jun 2006, 00:08 am
ricane
Okay, Thanks for the tip – I will try next time.
1 Jun 2006, 07:59 am
Bliksem wie het op jou battery gepis?
1 Jun 2006, 08:31 am
About time that Ozzies have realised that they need to provide an opportunity for aspiring Rugby players in their country I believe this is good for Rugby overall and the World of Rugby….
1 Jun 2006, 08:37 am
Currently and in the past there has been that huge gap between club and super 14 level.
What is surprising how Australia had remained competitive in this time eg 2 world cups and 2 tri – nations.
If this new system strengthens their playing pool they are gonna be dangerous.
I fear for SA rugby – we have had a competitive domestic competition for awhile but cannot put that into international level.
1 Jun 2006, 13:57 pm
the aussies are smarter than us. they dont hav anywhere near the number of pro players as us or nz but look at their success over the last 15 years- 2 WC’s, and 3N’s. i reckon if they sort out the set-pieces especially the scrum and if this new competition works, they will be the best again in 3 years time.
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