First, concerning news has come to me that as result of our new drug laws, a major Middle Eastern crime gang from Sydney is set to come into the ACT with a view to taking over all major criminal activity here. Scary thought.
Second, it’s good news that Dan Andrews, the Victorian premier, has hung up his boots. He has virtually bankrupted Victoria.
Third, the sorry state of Australian rugby. I have played rugby since 1966 (veterans now with gold shorts). I’ve had numerous coaches, and successfully coached a number of teams myself. Three of my coaches were exceptional: Dave Stafford and Brian Friend (ex-Brumbies coach Andy Friend’s father), my junior coaches at Canberra Royals, and the late Brigadier Bill Rolfe at ANU.
It was sad to see the Wallabies’ performance in the World Cup in France. Unlike New Zealand and South Africa, where it is the main winter sport, rugby in Australia runs a poor fourth these days to AFL, NRL, and football (soccer). AFL, with its emphasis on developing the code in schools and juniors, has especially benefited at rugby’s expense.
I spent three years playing in the Upper Hunter rugby competition, and many clubs had three or even four teams. Juniors were also strong. Recently, I stayed for a few days with an old rugby mate who was a former Australian under-21 player I coached in Muswellbrook. His two boys both play senior grade Aussie rules. Rugby is virtually non-existent in the Hunter Valley now, and league is struggling.
Regardless of who coaches the Wallabies or leads the organisational side of rugby, a few things need to happen.
Let’s learn from the All Blacks. In NZ rugby, the best players only get 60 per cent of the money available. The other 40 per cent goes to development – especially at grassroots level, juniors and schools. I have heard our players in the five super rugby teams take about 90 per cent of the money, leaving very little for development.
We have also rarely ever been able to do the basics well. The Kiwis win because they play for the full 80 minutes. We rarely do. They make very few mistakes. Like their northern hemisphere brethren, they always have a goal kicker who rarely misses. I can count on one hand the good Australian goal kickers over the last 100 years.
A good team does the simple things well: e.g., unless you have only three minutes to go, and need to score six points to win, you should always take a shot at goal if you get a penalty in front of the posts. You should also always contest the lineout – it puts pressure on the other team. Rugby is a fairly basic game when all is said and done.
All is not lost, as rugby will always have its adherents. It’s a lifestyle as much as anything else – more than most sports. The two areas where I have made friends for life have been the army and rugby. Rugby Australia needs to use this opportunity to get its act together.
