Opportunity Rugby

We just had a team from Spain placing an advert for players paying 2000euro per month, accommodation and flights to go and play for them.


I was just wondering if people thought that was good from rugby?

Clubs from nations including Norway and Denmark are offering similar deals.

At the moment our registered players are lapping up these offers instead of the other registered teams from traditional rugby nations like Australia, New Zealand, France and England.

This can only be good for rugby... right?

Melon

In the short term, there is certainly nothing wrong with this spending, provided the rugby clubs outlaying this money can sustain the payments long enough for the clubs to gain the desired outcomes which is obviously growth and success.

This is becoming more and more popular as amateur clubs are finding the limits of amatuer rugby are too constraining and want to take their game to the next level. Of course this doesn't always work out optimistically, but the idea is there from the outset. All that is needed is careful planning. These clubs venturing in to new territory adopt a kind of new small business structure initially which enables for careful feasability studies and the like to see whether venturing in to this new realm is feasible. For most clubs considering it, it should be possible. In the short term all it can do is strengthen the match quality.

However, in the long term, without growth in players salaries and an overall approach which is stale and has been used for too long, will cause the club to fail. Constant re-evauluation of the envisaged goals must take place with new goals to be set. This is the only way a club will grow.

So yes, in essence this "BIG" money is good, just as long as careful planning comes hand in hand.

stcharlie92

I think this will help increase the popularity of rugby in America, because American athletes are choosing American football over rugby due to the money. Also with our better athletes playing rugby instead of American football, our team will be better. At least I hope that's what it will do.

ESM

Great news if the Spanish teams can sustain the payments as mentioned by Melon. I have heard some horror stories of French rugby league teams that have offered similar contracts only for the club to go bust mid season and leave their imports stranded. You would hope that Spain's recent success would bode well for their domestic comp though.

Xavier

Paying Kiwi mercenaries does nothing to develop the game in spain. We have had a similar problem in Ireland. It is still a problem in Ireland. As much as we like Felipe Contepomi to play for Leinster. It means that an irish-qualified outhalf doesnt get game time.
Instead of paying players, amateur clubs in Spain should concentrate on developing Spanish players.
They players they are going to get are only going to be cast offs anyway.
Irish Rugby has put up with a few jokers over the years, Kiwis Ozzies even a "US Eagle" who didnt produce the goods. That said we have foreign players who did the business, Contempomi, Le Roux, Mafi, Tepoki etc but thats in the professional game and the stakes are higher. Getting in mercenaries at amateur level makes no sense. Its short-sighted. let the Kiwis work in bars.They took out our Brian in 2005.

tidenumber1

You would think all this would do is help. It may get other countries doing this, and will only get more people interested in playing if the money is right.