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#Post#: 131003--------------------------------------------------
Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 4, 2024, 3:26 am
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From terrestrial TV to more local derbies and putting clubs back
at the heart of communities, Telegraph Sport assesses your
recommendations
Ben Coles
Rugby Reporter
03 December 2024 8:47am GMT
Ben Coles
A recent Telegraph Sport special report highlighted the decline
of grass-roots rugby clubs and sparked a surge in interest from
readers.
Here are five changes that you believe could help reverse that
alarming trend:
More terrestrial TV coverage
Perhaps the most common theme among readers’ comments was that,
without matches being broadcast on terrestrial television,
children were having limited access to the sport. Currently the
Six Nations matches are shown on BBC and ITV, while ITV
broadcasts a number of Premiership matches each season,
including the final, as does Channel 4 with the Champions Cup.
That limited window, however, is not substantial.
“It is not big enough to be pay per view and attract more
people. A truly awful short-term decision to sell the rights. A
new generation of kids are growing up having never seen it,”
writes Freddie Bellhouse.
Francesco Sacchi agrees: “It’s very simple, there’s no rugby on
TV, so kids aren’t growing up watching it.” Philip Redfern noted
the personal importance of having been able to regularly watch
cricket and rugby on the BBC growing up. “As a child I could
watch Test-match cricket and international rugby on BBC
television. This captured my interest in the sports. If you do
not capture the imagination of the children they will have no
interest in the sport as adults.”
More connection with communities to mitigate societal changes
Many lament the shift by the sport to professionalism in the
mid-1990s and, even though a return to the amateur days is
beyond the realms of possibility, trying to re-establish
connections with grass-roots clubs could help.
Austin Morris recalls as a boy being in awe of bumping into the
Llanelli players in the post office and the pub. “When I was a
boy we were in awe of the [unpaid] giants who wore a Scarlets
shirt. It was a privilege and honour to play for Llanelli RFC at
Stradey Park. They were real local heroes. Now the players are
foreigners who live in Cardiff and play in a sterile stadium
outside town. Nobody cares anymore. Why would we?”
A well-made comment by Nicholas Hingley notes that society is no
longer structured to allow the kind of time that was previously
allocated for team sports.
“Life generally is more competitive and its pace greater,
working hours are longer and unpredictable, and family time has
to be found where it can – which may be taking the children to
their sports, etc. Frankly, family men can no longer disappear
to play rugby, cricket, or go to club meetings and leave their
wives at home happy to look after children and do the chores.”
For David Murtagh, the decline of team sports such as rugby was
an indictment of society. “Being part of a team, playing week
in, week out with your mates, not letting them down, being
reliable and honest, are now far less important and valued in
today’s world, which is even sadder.”
Make rugby a game for all shapes and sizes once again
The modern game’s emphasis on size and power has both taken some
of the fun out of the sport and also put off many from taking it
up, others argue. The size problem has been recognised in New
Zealand, where some teams have been organised by weight, rather
than age.
“The back lines today look more like the second rows of
yesteryear. The art of the tackle has been overtaken by brute
force,” writes James Mundy, lamenting that “once upon a time the
game was for players of all sizes. Make it a game for all sizes
again and maybe young players won’t walk away after their teen
years”.
Others such as Stephen Brown take a different view, stressing
that the sport needs to embrace its physicality rather than
shying away from it. “Telling people it is an evasion game and
trying to be something to all people. Just be rugby, some like
it, some won’t. Talk up the collisions and skill in the game,”
he says.
Change the registration system
Some highlight that the Rugby Football Union’s registration
system, mandated for every player, has been difficult to use,
making it harder for players to sign up.
“If you want to do that, do you think it is a fast and smooth
five-minute process? No,” writes Catherine Burrell. “Would you
think you could register on your phone [which 95 per cent of
players carry all the time]? No. Would you think it would be
clear if you’ve registered or not? No. Do you think you could
register once and be registered? No. Every year it’s expected
you undertake this incredibly poorly administered task.”
Many note that the number of teams at each club has dramatically
shifted the focus towards the first team, with those not getting
regular minutes eventually becoming “despondent” and opting to
“stop playing”, as highlighted by Des Horner.
Remove the league structure
Finally, the introduction of league structures and the prospect
of travelling further afield at weekends for matches, rather
than the convenience of more local derbies.
John Veevers cites the league structure’s implementation as the
start of the game’s decline, after reaching the National League
1. “To maintain this level we were travelling many miles to play
teams in and around London, as well as Cornwall. Before being
promoted the RFU paid £14,500 towards travel costs, this was
increased by a considerable amount in the higher league. After
three years we ended up back in the lower level, where we found
the travel money had been reduced and continued to be reduced
year on year. This, plus the cost of paying players, meant we
fairly rapidly descended through the leagues, along with an
increased debt burden. In conclusion, the RFU are responsible
for the junior clubs struggling financially, as well as losing
friendships due to losing the old ‘friendly’ fixture system.”
“Our first team now only plays 11 games at home each season,”
writes Archie Labrador. “Instead of well-established and
attended local rivalries, teams come from afar with few
supporters and they want to get off on their long journey home
soon after the match ends. A lot of the fun has gone out of it.”
Sadly, that final comment can refer to large parts of the
amateur game.
#Post#: 131004--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: deadlyfrom5yardsout
Date: December 4, 2024, 3:27 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Not to mention Womens Rugby.....
#Post#: 131007--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: Yareet
Date: December 4, 2024, 3:41 am
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I have a couple of counter points.
As somebody who still plays, I'd say it's still a game for all
shapes and sizes. We have guys who are around 70kg and guys who
are 120kg+.
I'm also wary about the claim that the lack of terrestrial TV is
such a big issue. The quoted comment mentions growing up with
Test rugby on the BBC. It still is (for now) every 6 Nations.
Plus, I can only speak from personal experience but I play
because my dad played. AFAIK, none of the kids I coach come
along because they've seen rugby on TV. They have parents who
play (usually dads, one mum). Most don't know who any pro
players are.
#Post#: 131008--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: poorfour
Date: December 4, 2024, 3:50 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Also, back in the day I can remember the 6 Nations being
broadcast and then maybe one match a week and highlights on
Rugby Special. Autumn internationals were an occasional thing
(it was Woodward who insituted the current model of a regular
series).
So while more rugby is being broadcast, about the same amount is
being broadcast on terrestrial tv. The difference is that more
sport in general is being broadcast and there is overwhelmingly
more soccer than there was before Sky - but even then most of
that is not free to air.
#Post#: 131011--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: Quinky
Date: December 4, 2024, 4:07 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I agree with some of the points. It definitely seems that in a
World Cup year there is more rugby on TV, and there is a
reported surge in interest in playing the game. I started
because a brother played, I fell in love with the game, and
frankly I wasn't a great footballer (plus, even as a pre-teen
could see how cliquey it was, even if I didn't know that word at
the time).
The "focus on the first team" issue was there through my playing
years, though not as detrimental to the club as suggested. Not
at local level. It just meant players training less, and just
turning up for a game of social rugby.
The travel costs are definitely an issue. My club used to lament
the league they were in as it really disadvantaged them as a
club, due to their location.
The point I find hard to grasp is about the community. If you go
to the bigger rugby towns/cities - Bath, Leicester for example -
you'll occasionally see the players out and about. I was at Bath
v Quins a few seasons back, went to a coffee shop pre-game, and
bumped into Joe Marler and James Horwill. Said hi, wished them
luck, and others did the same before leaving them to get on with
their coffee. That to me is part of what makes the game so
accessible - the players are, in the main, treated as normal
people. I'd never want it to go the route of football where the
players are treated like icons who must be kept away from the
public.
For me, the biggest issue, and possibly the easiest to fix, is
the televising of games. As mentioned above, there used to be a
highlights show every Sunday. Now there isn't. Even if it can't
be free-to-air, a more affordable subscription method would be
attractive. The European games are being shown on Amazon Prime,
and I think it's about £10 per month? Compare that to a TNT or
Sky Subscription at 3 or 4 times the cost and it becomes more
viable. I've often thought that there could easily be a TV
channel specifically geared towards rugby, a mix of live and
recorded, with other features in between, and it would be
interesting to know if there's an appetite for it. If a channel
like "Manchester United TV" can survive, then "Rugby TV" must
surely stand a chance?
#Post#: 131014--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: Brown Bottle
Date: December 4, 2024, 4:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> ...
>
> If a channel like "Manchester United TV" can survive, then
"Rugby TV" must surely stand a chance?
>
--- End Quote ---
The global figures for MUTV are mind-blowing. Considerably more
people watch it than watch the RWC.
#Post#: 131019--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: poorfour
Date: December 4, 2024, 5:12 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Quinky link ---
>
> For me, the biggest issue, and possibly the easiest to fix, is
the televising of games. As mentioned above, there used to be a
highlights show every Sunday. Now there isn't. Even if it can't
be free-to-air, a more affordable subscription method would be
attractive. The European games are being shown on Amazon Prime,
and I think it's about £10 per month? Compare that to a TNT or
Sky Subscription at 3 or 4 times the cost and it becomes more
viable. I've often thought that there could easily be a TV
channel specifically geared towards rugby, a mix of live and
recorded, with other features in between, and it would be
interesting to know if there's an appetite for it. If a channel
like "Manchester United TV" can survive, then "Rugby TV" must
surely stand a chance?
>
--- End Quote ---
The issue is that what gets shown isn't solely in rugby's
control. The tv channels and streamers hold the whip hand - if
they feel it's worth more to them not to have a highlights show,
then they're likely to get their way. For example, Premier
Sports are clearly using the rugby and other sports to force
people into subscribing where in the past they may have ignored
the channel.
The good news is that there is a free streaming service
featuring all sorts of rugby content - RugbyPassTV, which is
World Rugby's own service. It has a lot of women's international
content and Tier 2 games, and I assume that the long term aim
could well be to get higher profile games on it and make it a
paid subscription service.
However, that only works for core rugby fans - so I suspect
there will always be a mix of dedicated channels for die hard
fans and higher value matches sold to the highest bidder, unless
rugby somehow reaches a point of soccer-like popularity.
#Post#: 131024--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: Camquin
Date: December 4, 2024, 5:48 am
---------------------------------------------------------
If you rely on the boys whose parents played, you are going to
have a dwindling sport.
The country is dying out, families are having 1.6 kids, not the
canonical 2.4.
The only reason the population is not crashing is immigration.
So you need to attract the immigrant families, and they mainly
from countries that do not play the sport.
So you need a way to get to them.
I do not know how you get eyeballs in the modern fragmented
media landscape. this is not the 1970s where everyone watched
BBC or ITV and barely changed channel.
#Post#: 131033--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: Bod
Date: December 4, 2024, 9:25 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Is there still Rugby at Comp Secondary Schools?
#Post#: 131040--------------------------------------------------
Re: Telegraph readers on the changes that must be made to save
amateur rugby
DIR By: northstand
Date: December 4, 2024, 11:02 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Agree with most, but nothing is really new news.
The registration piece whilst I agree GMS is not great (or
anywhere near great) it seems to be clutching at straws just to
pad the article out.
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