What has happened to Australian Rugby?

[Jaguares]

This is for the for the first time since I've been following Super Rugby (2016 or so). Heck, since 2016 I don't think I've seen the Aussies have one decent team, never mind three. This is a huge bonus for Rennie.

So u are a Rookie in this business. Before of you Tahs won the competition in 2014, Brumbies played the GF in 2013 and Reds won the competition in 2011

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

So u are a Rookie in this business. Before of you Tahs won the competition in 2014, Brumbies played the GF in 2013 and Reds won the competition in 2011

Yes, I completely missed the glory days of Super Rugby sadly. Hopefully the Aussies can continue their improvement and make Super Rugby Pacific (and the RC) a strong competition. This year was already unrecognisable from 2017 when the best Aussie side had 6 wins, 9 losses. This is why I always thought Cheika did really well, because he was having to a coach a group of, literally, losers.

He is a polarising figure it seems but I do wonder if the Australian union has already blown it by letting Scott Johnson go. He has clearly got to be the main cause of their revival this year (given the remit of his role) and would have presided over Scotland getting to a RWC semifinal but for the false intervention of a ref. Sure, he ruthlessly pursued eligibility criteria but with Australia he has shown he is not a 'one trick pony'.

Scotland appear to have headed into a gradual and ongoing decline since his departure and I wonder if Australia will do likewise.

Scott Johnson gets his jotters from Rugby Australia

A shake-up of the performance department means that Scott Johnson will not have his contract with Rugby Australia renewed

www.theoffsideline.com

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Okay, the Tahs lost today and the Brumbies might also lose and the player drain continues. However, with the Reds valiant effort in Christchurch two weeks running I think it's fair to say the Aussies now have three teams playing to a decent standard week in, week out. This is for the for the first time since I've been following Super Rugby (2016 or so). Heck, since 2016 I don't think I've seen the Aussies have one decent team, never mind three. This is a huge bonus for Rennie.

If England are as disjointed as in the 6N they are probably underdogs for the series and the Wallabies should be able to act as spoliers in the RC who can potentially pick up a win at home to NZ and SA.

I've always thought 2016 was New Zealand's strongest year in super rugby. You had the canes, winners that year, the chiefs still had rennie, the highlanders had Joseph and won the previous year, and the crusaders made big strides that year - easily their best under blackadder. People said the blues were crap; the blues had been crap for some time and it was going to take a lot to turn that around, but umaga got them passionate in defence and they were actually pretty good - they just didn't look it because the format back then meant playing a lot of games against New Zealand sides, and the other New Zealand sides were very very good that year. The blues actually only lost one game to non New Zealand opposition that year (despite apparently being horrendous), and that was to the lions who made the final (also made the final the next year), but they only won one against New Zealand opposition although they had a lot of close losses.

After that the highlanders lost Joseph, the chiefs lost rennie, the blues didn't make progress the next year then had a season full of injuries (18 concurrent at one point) and lost a lot of their key players including kaino, luatua, and faumuina and then had to rebuild.

The Australian teams weren't great, they'd been depleted by trying to stretch to five teams even though they had clearly gone downhill after adding their fourth. And then having to play very good NZ turns really hurt their confidence, making things worse.

The 2020 super rugby aotearoa season was intense, the aus one wasn't, and you really have to play top sides to understand the required level. The Aussie teams needed to be taught a lesson in 2021 in order to improve.

But let's not pretend too much here, they are still lagging, and NZ teams weren't as good this year, with the exception of the blues .

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I've always thought 2016 was New Zealand's strongest year in super rugby. You had the canes, winners that year, the chiefs still had rennie, the highlanders had Joseph and won the previous year, and the crusaders made big strides that year - easily their best under blackadder. People said the blues were crap; the blues had been crap for some time and it was going to take a lot to turn that around, but umaga got them passionate in defence and they were actually pretty good - they just didn't look it because the format back then meant playing a lot of games against New Zealand sides, and the other New Zealand sides were very very good that year. The blues actually only lost one game to non New Zealand opposition that year (despite apparently being horrendous), and that was to the lions who made the final (also made the final the next year), but they only won one against New Zealand opposition although they had a lot of close losses.

After that the highlanders lost Joseph, the chiefs lost rennie, the blues didn't make progress the next year then had a season full of injuries (18 concurrent at one point) and lost a lot of their key players including kaino, luatua, and faumuina and then had to rebuild.

The Australian teams weren't great, they'd been depleted by trying to stretch to five teams even though they had clearly gone downhill after adding their fourth. And then having to play very good NZ turns really hurt their confidence, making things worse.

The 2020 super rugby aotearoa season was intense, the aus one wasn't, and you really have to play top sides to understand the required level. The Aussie teams needed to be taught a lesson in 2021 in order to improve.

But let's not pretend too much here, they are still lagging, and NZ teams weren't as good this year, with the exception of the blues .

I think the NZ teams are hamstrung by trying to play like the AB's want to play, structureless, counter attack focused....but we dont all have the players to pull that off (the AB's struggle sometimes!)...i honestly think we need some just well drilled backline moves off set play

 

[Derpus]

I've always thought 2016 was New Zealand's strongest year in super rugby. You had the canes, winners that year, the chiefs still had rennie, the highlanders had Joseph and won the previous year, and the crusaders made big strides that year - easily their best under blackadder. People said the blues were crap; the blues had been crap for some time and it was going to take a lot to turn that around, but umaga got them passionate in defence and they were actually pretty good - they just didn't look it because the format back then meant playing a lot of games against New Zealand sides, and the other New Zealand sides were very very good that year. The blues actually only lost one game to non New Zealand opposition that year (despite apparently being horrendous), and that was to the lions who made the final (also made the final the next year), but they only won one against New Zealand opposition although they had a lot of close losses.

After that the highlanders lost Joseph, the chiefs lost rennie, the blues didn't make progress the next year then had a season full of injuries (18 concurrent at one point) and lost a lot of their key players including kaino, luatua, and faumuina and then had to rebuild.

The Australian teams weren't great, they'd been depleted by trying to stretch to five teams even though they had clearly gone downhill after adding their fourth. And then having to play very good NZ turns really hurt their confidence, making things worse.

The 2020 super rugby aotearoa season was intense, the aus one wasn't, and you really have to play top sides to understand the required level. The Aussie teams needed to be taught a lesson in 2021 in order to improve.

But let's not pretend too much here, they are still lagging, and NZ teams weren't as good this year, with the exception of the blues .

Australian SR teams suck because no one watches or plays the sport anymore. Everything else is secondary.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

Australian SR teams suck because no one watches or plays the sport anymore. Everything else is secondary.

in its simplest form...yeah

next few years is going to be very interesting in the lead up to the RWC, are we going to see the same marketing approach as things like the super round...ie...none, or are they going to take this opportunity to save rugby here

 

[die_mole]

I love Quade Cooper. But you shouldn't be calling in a fly half that is playing second division rugby in Japan. You have to have better options available.

They have also dropped Skelton which is very questionable.

If I'm Australian I'd be concerned about why so many players are able to find form while in foreign setups but struggle while with domestic setups.

 

[Hmmmmmm]

I love Quade Cooper. But you shouldn't be calling in a fly half that is playing second division rugby in Japan. You have to have better options available.

They have also dropped Skelton which is very questionable.

If I'm Australian I'd be concerned about why so many players are able to find form while in foreign setups but struggle while with domestic setups.

Quade Cooper was instrumental in us beating the Boks twice last year. James O'Connor is injured, so I don't see the problem in having an extra 10 in the squad that has international experience. Skelton hasn't shown anything that makes him an automatic selection. Too slow and doesn't fit the style of game that they play.

Oz only have 5 super rugby teams. You can't expect that we can fit all of the players 'procured' by the north into 5 teams.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I love Quade Cooper. But you shouldn't be calling in a fly half that is playing second division rugby in Japan. You have to have better options available.

They have also dropped Skelton which is very questionable.

If I'm Australian I'd be concerned about why so many players are able to find form while in foreign setups but struggle while with domestic setups.

did you see the change quade brought last year? they should be looking to develop a replacement....but he is key at the moment for the wallabies

 

[die_mole]

Australians are sure giving off a lot of "economic anxiety" vibes about rugby

 

[Derpus]

Australians are sure giving off a lot of "economic anxiety" vibes about rugby

By that do you mean Australians aren't willing to pay to watch rugby? Been that way for a decade at least.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

By that do you mean Australians aren't willing to pay to watch rugby? Been that way for a decade at least.

and i dont think its any better in NZ....watching the AFL and the vast majority of people in the crowd seemed to be fully decked out in merch...have to be $100-200 each plus the price they've paid to go to the game....and then i looked around the pub i was in and it was the same, everyone had a beanie or scarf at least and half would have had a guernsey or hoodie or something...and realised id spent $200 on beers and food etc...and it just something i wouldn't do that often at home