Quote:
Originally Posted by FireGilbert
Wow, tell us how you really feel...
I thought you might be somewhat positive considering Argentina is undefeated all time at the ARC and the last time Canada played them it was a 33 point loss.
Agree though if Canada is going to lose they should do it with a bit of excitement. What do you think is the problem? Coaching, a lack of skilled backs, or a lack of good forwards to set up the backs?
I think it is time you embraced the dark side of rugby and became a Sevens fan. You will get to see Canada score lots of tries and watch exciting comeback draws against Argentina.
|
1: Serving two masters
Rugby Canada is trying to serve both 7’s and 15’s. There just isn’t the player base to go support two different sports. Crowley identified this on this way out the door in Jan 2016:
http://theprovince.com/sports/rugby/...t-rugby-canada
Quote:
The poor run of results from the last two years was something he couldn’t hide from. This is a results-based business, he admitted. While the strides his players made in the skill department was pleasing, the fact his team couldn’t find wins burned him.
It was down to one big thing, he said: a lack of full-timers. The only place in Canada for his best players to earn some kind of living was sevens. Asking those players to jump back and forth between two very different styles of rugby just wasn’t sustainable in the long run. Just as specialized sevens players are being developed, Canada needs specialized fifteens players if the men’s team is to return to the heights so many Canadian rugby people hold in their collective aspirations.
|
Most telling is the play of the two sports. 7’s really is turning into a track meet with a rugby ball. The game is very much about finding 1 or 2 players with jets and have 5 other players that can win the ball and get the ball to them. Both Baker and Iles are rocket fast, but neither has garnered much attention from the 15’s community.
Take a look at John Moonlight. He came onto the scene as an openside that was big and fast. Physically he is near identical to the inventor of modern openside play (Michael Jones). Moonlight started to play more 7’s and when he went back to 15’s he honestly looked lost, his lines of running both in defence and support weren’t where they should be.
The days of 7’s being a proving ground for future 15’s players is over, dead and gone.
It appears that RC is moving forward with separation of 15’s and 7’s but it will take a lot to get out from under the mess they have made.
2: Unified season and Pro League.
This, to my mind, is key. Rugby needs a unified across the country. I 100% believe this is necessary to increase the profile of the sport, but 100% do not believe it will ever happen. The powers in BC Rugby has no interest. The sport can’t move forward and create interest until it can show case high level play across the country at the same time. The current set up draws complaints from BC about how their players are in their off season. If we went to a unified season all Canada would play through the summer on hard fast pitches with encourages attacking rugby. BC winter rugby conditions can be garbage.
Once you have a unified season you can look at a semi-pro (to start) league. Say:
>Crimson Tide
>Vancouver
>Maybe Fraser Valley
>Gold
>Mavericks
>Manitoba/Sask combined
>Blues
>Quebec
>Kelts (bring them back)
>Rock
You can then attract/sell the product across the country. To my mind it is easier to get a sponsor when the game is coast to coast.