Worrrying news from Australia the rugby union over there has said the super 14 sides based in Australia must play a more expansive style of rugby. The reason falling attendances. The conclusion that playing a more expansive style of rugby will attract more crowds is ridiculous.
Sport is in a worldwide recession, even Manchester United are not selling out anymore. Manchester United has sold out for twenty years. Maybe this is the reason for falling attendances in Australia. The rugby union insisting on a more expansive style is dangerous firstly for Australian rugby union as the players forget how to do the physical things well, witness the Australian scrum in the 2003 world cup. Secondly the world game may suffer as the Australians will no doubt insist on the dilution of the scrum and the lineout to make the game more expansive.
If the rest of the world is looked at the game is in rude health with attendances up all over the world and expanding into places such as Georgia. The problem Australia has is that super 14 rugby is trying to spread to non rugby areas such as Melbourne. Once the novelty wears off no wonder attendances fall. A pacific nations super 14 side would have made much more sense. When has sense ever been used by the administrators of rugby?
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