Why do the Wallabies expect so much money to play?

Question

Grass roots rugby is now financially on it's knees in Australia.

A bit rich?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

The heart of the problem in Oz is in the first three words of your second line:

There is not enough depth (including of competition for Elite positions) because there is not a well constructed and properly organized pipeline for player recruitment and development. Without the sort of depth of planning and development that other nations (most obviously SA and NZ) have, Oz is left with nothing at all between Club and Super 15, and not enough leading up to senior Club level.

In an era of professional sport, Elite player compensation will be set by market forces (see SH players overseas). A few more run-outs like the SCO game, and some of the lads will see their international value sadly diminished. But rugby union takes many years to learn to play at top-flight level, and that learning has to be guided by coaches and trainers who actually know what they are on about. Otherwise you wind up with International props who can't scrum, hookers who can't throw the ball to their own jumpers, and backs who can't kick strategically. The RFU needs to work out a strategy to provide player development. Where they will get the money to do this is another question, but until they develop a formal strategy that goes form grass-roots to Wallabies, they won't be able to sustain a high-end national program.

Mark L

Answer 2

Any team that loses to Scotland doesn't deserved to be payed at all.

Money's the last thing they should be thinking about.

Answer 3

They are professional rugby players but I do have to agree with Sir Paddles here.

The big question is what is going to happen now? Our form over the last two years has been quite ordinary, and that's saying nice things about it.

Answer 4

i don't think we'll be laughing at australia a few years from now. they have some extremely talented and young backs coming through the ranks. they just seem to lack experience. i have to admit though, i was a bit shocked when i found out that they lost to scotland.

Source(s):

all blacks fan

Answer 5

based on there performance against Scotland they should get paid in head slaps

Answer 6

The answer is that it is the nature of professional sport in today's age. The ARU has to pay top dollar for players because it wants to keep players from going into other sports, such as league, or venturing overseas to places like Japan and Europe where they can make significant amounts of cash. The truly good players will be pursued by other parties and as such they have more bargaining power, allowing them to demand a higher salary or the ARU risks losing the player.

Answer 7

Grass roots Rugby has always been "on its knees in Oz, it cant compete with the mass appeal of Oz Rules. Rugby players are professionals and deserve to be paid what the market rate is. you dont want to match professional fees as paid by other countries, you can just write off Rugby in oz.
Also, their is not enough money in the world to compensate the players for the vicious abuse that they have endured this weekend. No one goes onto a sporting field if they arent trying their best, that may not be good enough, but it is their best.

Source(s):

lower grade Rugby player for 40 years

Answer 8

I am a proud Aussie, so this pains me, but this team is a joke - and coached by a foreign national doesn't help their cause at all. Pathetic, over-paid, over-rated - can't tackle, attack or think for themselves - being sabotaged from within.. Woefull, should be all given the bullett, including the coach. Put somebody who understands & has our national pride at heart in charge.

Answer 9

Because they have other options.
Look at how much they can earn as League players, and how much the NRL likes the top performing rugby players.

Because it's part of the Wallabies culture.
George Gregan famously said that national pride doesn't fire up professional rugby players, money does.

Because they can.
The ARU knows their income stream comes from tv rights and merchandising, and want to keep investing in the Wallabies brand rather than investing in grass roots rugby.

Because AFL is Australia's favourite ball sport
Rugby's for private schoolboys and expats

Because they're soft, mollycoddled tossers who don't have to fight for their positions
The All Blacks and Springboks have to fight really, really hard to make the starting lineup for their countries. Wearing the jersey is an honour, a privilege, and something that can be taken away from you in a heartbeat, because there are literally hundreds of players desparate for your position in the starting XV.

Source(s):

Observation.