Call to broaden scope of NZRL 2017 World Cup review

Call to broaden scope of NZRL 2017 World Cup review

Statement following New Zealand Herald On Sunday’s article Auckland Rugby League make call for a major review of league ‘issues’ by Michael Burgess, Sports Writer for NZME

On field struggles of the ‘Kiwis’ and ‘Warriors’ have common thread

Auckland Rugby League welcomes the New Zealand Rugby League's World Cup 2017 review, following what was a disappointing world cup campaign. However, the Auckland Rugby League Board and Executive believe that a review of the World Cup campaign does not go far enough to address the issues confronting rugby league overall in New Zealand.

Systemic issues require wider investigation

ARL General Manager Greg Whaiapu – who leads the biggest governing district body in the country with over 60% of New Zealand’s Rugby League playing numbers (32 clubs, 574 teams and 11,961 registered players) – is calling for a more in-depth review of systematic issues which are weakening the game in New Zealand.

“The ARL believes that the failure of the Kiwis is due to wider systemic issues. What these may be should be investigated by a wider, more far-reaching review.

“We suggest that one of these issues is the drain of talented New Zealand rugby league players to Australia. It is unacceptably high. In 2013, New Zealand lost 859 players to Australia; in 2015, 813; in 2014, 843 and 622 in 2016.”

A time for unity and co-operation

Auckland Rugby League's deep grassroots involvement in rugby league has made the Board and Executive aware that the New Zealand rugby league community must unite and work together to explore initiatives that will help rebuild the game in our country.

“The on-field failures of the Kiwis cannot be viewed in isolation; we have to go back to root causes,” Mr Whaiapu said.

A semi-professional competition to bridge the gap between amateur and professional

Auckland Rugby League invites New Zealand Rugby League to work with the ARL and other relevant parties to address some of the issues that are a cause for concern. These include:

• The need for a semi-professional national competition to stem the loss of talent (the flow of players doubled the year after the Bartercard Cup ended);
• Governance and representation – and how this is achieved – of the game in New Zealand, from grassroots to elite international level;
• Greater support for a more regionalised national competition at all levels of the game;
• Greater support at the grassroots generally.

Would a semi-professional National competition help?

The NZRL has run two highly successful season long National competitions previously and the benefits to the professional game were immeasurable.

On the honours board at the headquarters of the New Zealand Warriors are the names of 30 players who secured Warriors NRL contracts. All came from the NZRL Lion Red Cup National competition, which ran from 1994-1996 inclusive.

Among the thirty names are some of the games stars including Stacey Jones, Nigel Vagana, Logan Swann, Jerry Seu Seu and Joe Vagana, just to name a few. Other players from the Lion Red Cup also secured professional contracts with NRL and Super League clubs.

The Bartercard Cup was another NZRL National Competition started in 2000 and run until 2007 inclusive. Out of this competition, more than eighty players secured professional contracts with the NRL and Super League. Among them were stars like Manu Vatuvei, Simon Mannering, Lance Hohaia, Thomas Leuluai, Francis Meli and Isaac Luke, among others.

In New Zealand there is a huge void in the pathway to professionalism and there is no level or quality of competition that prepares players for a professional career. Australian clubs (and not just the NRL clubs) will continue to target New Zealand’s youngsters for places in their systems at an early age because they believe the only pathway to meaningful player development can now only be found in Australia.

Addressing failures at elite level begins with bridging the gap between the amateur and professional games in New Zealand.

ARL growing in strength

The ARL governs a highly successful club and schools programme.

As a result of astute investments through the Carlaw Heritage Trust, the ARL has built up significant financial resources, which have in turn have helped deliver a deep level of expertise, support staff and volunteers to support the game of rugby league in Auckland; but Auckland cannot go it alone.

ARL Board Chairman Cameron McGregor confirmed that the Auckland Rugby League wants to work alongside the NZRL and Sport New Zealand to rebuild and strengthen the game here in New Zealand.

“We would welcome the opportunity to work together to make the Kiwis strong again. Under pinning our NRL flagship the New Zealand Warriors with a semi-professional competition would also be hugely beneficial to our game.”

Ends.

*AUCKLAND RUGBY LEAGUE NUMBERS

• 32 Clubs
• 574 teams
• 11,961 registered club players
• 15,185 players in total
o Boy/girls up to 12 years, boys and youth from 12 to 18 years (girls excluded), ladies and men 18 years up, men’s masters over 35 years, college and high school boys and girls (35 schools, 1,140 players), Intermediate school boys and girls (30 schools, 1,139 players), primary school’s boys and girls (40 schools, 945 players)
• Auckland Rugby League Tag Football numbers 1,680
• New Zealand’s only women’s competition

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