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Fans point fingers after Fox Sports ends 25-year association with Australian rugby
By Josh Raisey
Fox Sports’ decision to end its 25-year association with rugby union in Australia has led to fans pointing fingers at what is to blame.
The broadcaster has shown union ever since the game went professional, but now Rugby Australia is seeking a new deal.
This is yet more damaging news for union in Australia after suffering over the past years, and this is indicative of the dwindling popularity of the sport.
RA CEO Raelene Castle and soon departing chairman Cameron Clyne have been singled out by many fans, with waves of criticism for how they have run the organisation.
The entire debacle surrounding Israel Folau proved hugely divisive amongst fans last year and while Castle and Clyne were doomed to face censure for whatever action they chose, it only added to the criticism over how RU has been run.
(Continue reading below…)
Israel Folau's first interview for Catalans Dragons
Castle is still not looked upon favourably after her stint with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NRL, and decisions in union have also not helped her cause.
Opting to keep Michael Cheika on as head coach after a poor run of results a couple of years ago was controversial, and this is yet more bad news.
However, fans have said that Fox Sports’ decision has to do with performances on the pitch as the Wallabies are not necessarily the force they have been in the past and neither are their Super Rugby teams.
The results of the national team do, however, tie in with Cheika and RA’s decision to retain him. The question is now whether a potential revival under new coach Dave Rennie could reignite some interest across Australia.
Equally, the entire Super Rugby competition has been lambasted, as Australia face similar problems to South Africa in terms of dwindling viewing numbers. The lack of success of their teams is partly to do with that, as well as the multiple time zones.
Optus has been lined up as a potential broadcaster of union in the future once the current Fox deal ends in 2020.
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Latest Comments
The boy needs to bulk up if wants to play 10 or 11 to handle those hits, otherwise he could always make a brilliant reserve for the wings if he stays away from the stretcher.
Go to commentsIn another recent article I tried to argue for a few key concept changes for EPCR which I think could light the game up in the North.
First, I can't remember who pointed out the obvious elephant in the room (a SA'n poster?), it's a terrible time to play rugby in the NH, and especially your pinnacle tournament. It's been terrible watching with seemingly all the games I wanted to watch being in the dark, hardly able to see what was going on. The Aviva was the only stadium I saw that had lights that could handle the miserable rain. If the global appeal is there, they could do a lot better having day games.
They other primary idea I thuoght would benefit EPCR most, was more content. The Prem could do with it and the Top14 could do with something more important than their own league, so they aren't under so much pressure to sell games. The quality over quantity approach.
Trim it down to two 16 team EPCR competitions, and introduce a third for playing amongst the T2 sides, or the bottom clubs in each league should simply be working on being better during the EPCR.
Champions Cup is made up of league best 15 teams, + 1, the Challenge Cup winner. Without a reason not to, I'd distribute it evenly based on each leauge, dividing into thirds and rounded up, 6 URC 5 Top14 4 English. Each winner (all four) is #1 rank and I'd have a seeding round or two for the other 12 to determine their own brackets for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. I'd then hold a 6 game pool, home and away, with consecutive of each for those games that involve SA'n teams. Preferrably I'd have a regional thing were all SA'n teams were in the same pool but that's a bit complex for this simple idea.
That pool round further finalises the seeding for knockout round of 16. So #1 pool has essentially duked it out for finals seeding already (better venue planning), and to see who they go up against 16, 15,etc etc. Actually I think I might prefer a single pool round for seeding, and introduce the home and away for Ro16, quarters, and semis (stuffs up venue hire). General idea to produce the most competitive matches possible until the random knockout phase, and fix the random lottery of which two teams get ranked higher after pool play, and also keep the system identical for the Challenge Cup so everthing is succinct. Top T2 side promoted from last year to make 16 in Challenge Cup
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