Massively. I think Ireland will be ok as the foundations are solid and it just needs some level headed thinking.
England and the RFU seem to be shrugging their shoulders at the incoming tsunami.
Wales, we’re in deep shit. I dont know how we sort ourselves out to be honest. Everything, and I mean absolutely everything is wrong, broken or empty. Changes are needed but no one seems to know how or has the balls to implement it.
The WRU commussioned a review on cutting the regions down to 3. I honestly do t see how that really helps much, and yet the WRU have just sat on it anyway.
Merge with the ARU. Two unions in deep doo doo combined…
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That story about Ireland should be seen by everyone as a huge blinking warning light. On the one hand you can look at their explanation and say it is understandable, but if that is the true story is says that international rugby is unsustainable in its current guise. It says that even the biggest event in the world, the game’s cash cow, cannot generate enough money to cover the costs of the teams competing in it.
Professionalism has been good in lots of ways, but it seems they have professionalized beyond the point the game can pay for.
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Caught the last 15 of Ireland vs Australia. Looked a great game.
I must dial into mire Australian rugby. The commentary is hillariously awesome.
Yeah, it was startling. Well-attended, and for Ireland not an expensive place in travel terms, the RWC should be funding most of the federations. If it isn’t, there is a massive problem.
Similar story, but worse in the significant dimension of the upper tiers lining their own pockets while the game slides into crisis. The pro club game has been in crisis, but England seemed solid. Now about 40 million less solid.
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Discussing stuff at work with regards to Welsh rugby and one person was of the opinion to simply scrap the regions and return to club rugby. Dragons lost again last night. When do you just admit it isn’t working?
Not sure myself but i’m also thinking that Argentina has been producing steadily improving sides over the last few years without their clubs being in any major competition. They accept their best players play elsewhere.
But the issue is also one of exposure. Kids today do not get the same exposure to the game.
And still we wait for the WRU review…
I was meant to be going to the Northampton v Castres game today. Trains are fucked. Not ideal but because I’m not on a train I’ll be able to watch the Liverpool game. Oh wait.
First Saturday I’ve had off all year. Fucking shit this.
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Canada is free of Kingsley Jones.
I think it is the right step, but he wasn’t the fundamental problem
Yeah, you’ve mentioned the issues previously, but this video suggests he was a very big chunk of the problem. It’s pretty bad when your best players refuse to play for you. Not sure i’ve ever seen a dismantling like this before
I don’t think the top players were refusing to play just because of Kingsley Jones. Rugby Canada has had real internal troubles for years. Our Women’s 7s were one of the best in the world, and the program has completely collapsed due to an internal dispute.
However, I am not much of a student of the game, and I found Canada’s attack in particular very predictable, while the defence was very static. Both of those point to what the coach is trying to do.
