Every week, two things occupy the minds of rugby fans in this part of the world. The first is the question of how, exactly, are we to revive the popularity of the sport of rugby union in this great nation which has such a sporadically proud history in the game? The second is, will we ever see an end to the frightful off-field infighting, backbiting and blame-shifting that plagues Australian rugby and makes it near-impossible to turn the spotlight onto the on-field action? There is no doubt that these two issues are connected, and many people believe the way to make improvements on the first point is to try to eliminate the second. The question is whether this is even possible – when you put together the dire financial state of the game in this country, the general confusion and fear around the future of the game, and the fact that everyone in a position of power in Australian rugby, to all appearances, seems to get a real kick out of huddling in backrooms and scheming to find the next great idea for kicking the sport in the crotch, it would be a Herculean effort to end the obsessive focus on off-field matters.
(Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images) Given that, I think it is time to take a fresh approach, think outside the box, push the envelope, and several other phrases I read in Marketing For Dummies. I believe rugby union can indeed regain a state of mass popularity in Australia, but it is going to take a bit of innovation. For my plan I have taken inspiration from the t.
