Rugby Australia should buy European club to tap into northern wealth
In an historic, yet largely unnoticed announcement, Raelene Castle revealed last Friday that Rugby Australia was exploring partnership arrangements with Japanese clubs. Castle’s revelation was in response to New Zealand Rugby confirming it had entered into a partnership with English club Harlequins.
The details of the Kiwis’ partnership were a little vague, but it seemed there would be a mutually beneficial exchange of coaches, players and ideas between New Zealand and Harlequins.
“This alignment will create significant opportunities for both sides, with players, coaches and staff able to learn from different environments with different people, challenges and cultures,” NZR chief-executive Steve Tew said.
While the partnership is an interesting concept, I would urge Rugby Australia to go one step further and buy or invest in a European club to tap into the huge reservoir of Australian talent playing overseas and to capitalise on the riches in the northern hemisphere.
At present, Australians playing overseas are ineligible to play for the Wallabies unless they have reached a 60-Test threshold, which means the vast majority of Australians playing overseas cannot play for Australia.
With the axing of the Western Force, there are now more Australian professional rugby players playing overseas than playing in Australia. If Rugby Australia acquired a club in England or France, it could populate it with Australian players, who would become eligible to play for the Wallabies whether they had payed 60 Tests or not.
The details of the Kiwis’ partnership were a little vague, but it seemed there would be a mutually beneficial exchange of coaches, players and ideas between New Zealand and Harlequins.
“This alignment will create significant opportunities for both sides, with players, coaches and staff able to learn from different environments with different people, challenges and cultures,” NZR chief-executive Steve Tew said.
While the partnership is an interesting concept, I would urge Rugby Australia to go one step further and buy or invest in a European club to tap into the huge reservoir of Australian talent playing overseas and to capitalise on the riches in the northern hemisphere.
At present, Australians playing overseas are ineligible to play for the Wallabies unless they have reached a 60-Test threshold, which means the vast majority of Australians playing overseas cannot play for Australia.
With the axing of the Western Force, there are now more Australian professional rugby players playing overseas than playing in Australia. If Rugby Australia acquired a club in England or France, it could populate it with Australian players, who would become eligible to play for the Wallabies whether they had payed 60 Tests or not.
Source: theguardian
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