Australian provincial rugby

[loosehead3]

is there a simliar competition in australia?

 

[jessta]

There is not unfortunately, and it is something australia need desperately to improve their depth. The second tier to super rugby is club rugby, which is crazy.

 

[Patchey]

Shute Shield not similar to the ITM?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Shute Shield not similar to the ITM?

Is the Shute Shield not limited to NSW? And only a club comp; not provincial as in SA and NZ.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

does aussie really have provinces like canterbury/otago/manawatu et al? thought it pretty much jumped straight to states, how would a comp be structured...always thought it would have to bu clubs like in the NRL, AFL and A league just elevated above their local comp.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

There has been a similar competition back in 2007, called the Australian Rugby Championship. It only lasted for 1 year because of financial reasons. The ARU noted a loss of A$4.7 million (US$4.0 million, € 2.8 million, £2.0 million)

It's just not feasible to organize a competition since the public won't be interested. In stadiums that can hold up to 25.000 people, only 3000 to 5000 showed up at games.

The teams that were founded for this competition were:

East Coast Aces
Canberra Vikings
Sydney Fleet
Perth Spirit
Ballymore Tornadoes
Melbourne Rebels (now a Super Rugby franchise)
Western Sydney Rams
Central Coast Rays (the champions in that 1 season)

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Why don't they use the college or universtiy teams? That would create a song second division with lots of upcoming players. If they allowed them to have 1 or 2 vets as such in the team it might work out?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Why don't they use the college or universtiy teams? That would create a song second division with lots of upcoming players. If they allowed them to have 1 or 2 vets as such in the team it might work out?

Why stop at vets?? Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists and even Chiropractors would play...

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Why stop at vets?? Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists and even Chiropractors would play...

That made me lol