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THE ANNOUNCEMENT
An announcement will be made today regarding the formulation of a "hybrid" rugby league/rugby union game.
The game has been in the planning stages for sometime now and whereas previous "hybrid" games consisted of playing half a game of league and half a game of union, this game really is its own code with a unique set of rules.
The brainchild of Sydney entrepreneur Phil Franks in conjunction with Bob Dwyer, Bob Fulton and Mark Ella, the "hybrid" has already been tested with a one off game between Keebra Park SHS and The Southport School which was held in November 2010. This game allowed for tweaking of the rules and the next game will be held in Sydney between Keebra Park SHS and St Augustines Brookvale at the Brookvale Oval on May 11th at 7pm.
In future it is hoped that this game will be played at the senior levels with announcements expected to be made in the near future.
HYBRID BACKGROUND
The birth of rugby union & rugby league
The roots of the rugby codes can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games which bear little resemblance to modern sports.
William Webb Ellis picked up the round ball and ran with it at Rugby School in England to mark the beginnings of rugby union.
In 1895 rugby football was beset with a schism that resulted in the formation of the Northern Rugby Football Union (NRFU) and rugby league was born.
Rugby league took off in Australia in 1908. A major motivation for the schism was the payment of players. Rugby league players were paid. Rugby union players were not.
Although coming from the same beginnings, the two rugby codes are two distinct traces, breeds, varieties, or species of football. The lessons of history tell us that, as with everything in life, football codes are in a constant state of evolution. Life is about evolution.
The evolution of the rugby codes should be embraced.
100 YEARS LATER…
The motivation for the schism between the codes, which was the payment of players, has now been removed, with rugby union becoming a professional sport in 1995. The reason for the original schism has now become irrelevant.
With players in both codes now being paid as professionals, it is now time for “…a person or group of persons produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions…” to emerge.
Now is the ideal time for the two codes to cooperate as one and challenge their competitors, AFL and football who are encroaching into the rugby league and union territory to regain market share in a win win scenario for both codes.
Now is the time for the Hybrid Code.
Will the Hybrid Code replace the rugby codes?
The Hybrid Code will not replace either rugby league or rugby union. That would be both impossible and completely undesirable. On the contrary, rugby league and rugby union will jointly participate in a single annual and unique event.
The annual event will have the major benefit of bringing substantial additional revenue into each code, revenue which each code would not otherwise be able to have access to.
The Hybrid Code may assist in alleviating the problems associated with the restrictions imposed by the salary cap with the games’ marquee players having representation in this unique annual event.
Other sporting codes such as AFL and soccer are increasingly encroaching on the rugby league and rugby union markets. The Hybrid Code will provide a vehicle for the two rugby codes to tackle this emerging threat on a united front.
The Hybrid Code is an opportunity for the two rugby codes, not a threat to them.
What opportunities does the Hybrid Code have to offer?
For the codes, the opportunity to jointly own a majority ownership in an exciting new concept and to control its progression and development.
It also creates a lucrative new revenue stream and may assist in alleviating some of the pressure on clubs to keep their superstar players under the salary cap with a significant one-off annual Hybrid
Code match payment.
“The Hybrid Code will never be played without the consent of the rugby league and rugby union governing bodies”.
For the sponsor, the opportunity to partner with a unique and exciting product.
For the major events organisation, the opportunity to bring tens of thousands of visitors to their state.
For the players, the opportunity to test their skills against the best of the best and the opportunity to earn valuable additional income commensurate with their elite
status.
And for the fans, pure rugby excitement.
The Hybrid Code will have a comprehensive marketing and media strategy
including:
• Support from State Major Events Boards
• Support from the rugby league and rugby union governing bodies
• Support from professional and amateur rugby clubs
• Print, radio, television and online advertising and editorial
• Social media
• Specifically designed website
• Local and international media rights
• Merchandising
• Viral campaign
Some of the most recognisable identities from the worlds of rugby league and rugby union support this concept.
Bob Fulton, Rules Consultant
Bob Fulton is an Australian rugby league legend. Fulton played, coached, selected for, and has commentated on the game at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.
As a player Fulton won three premierships with Manly in the 1970s, the last as captain. He represented Australia on 47 occasions, seven times as captain. He had a long coaching career at the first grade level, taking Manly to premiership victories in 1987 and 1996. He coached the Australian national team to 40 Tests and World Cup games.
In 1985 he was selected as one of the initial four post-war “Immortals” of the Australian game and in 2008 he was named in Australia's team of the century.
Bob Dwyer, Rules Consultant
Bob Dwyer coached Australia to victory at the 1991 Rugby World Cup, the very first person to have achieved this feat for Australia He enjoyed two separate and highly successful stints as Australian coach. After a lengthy stint coaching rugby in Great Britain, Dwyer returned to Australia and became coach of the New South Wales Waratahs.
He is an Australian Rugby Union legend.
He is a member of the order of Australia (AM) and an inductee to the Sport Australia
Hall of Fame”
Mark Ella, Rules Consultant
Mark Ella is a former Australian rugby union captain often considered as one of this country’s all time sporting greats.
Between 1980 and 1984 he represented Australia 25 times, captaining the team for the 1982-83 seasons.
In his final test season, the historical Grand Slam Tour of Britain and Ireland, Mark scored a try in each of the four Test matches, a feat that still hasn’t been repeated today. Amongst the recognition he has received for his outstanding sportsmanship, in 1982 Mark was named Young Australian of the Year and in 1983 made a Member the Order of Australia (AM).
He has also been inducted into the Sports Australia Hall of Fame and the International Rugby Hall of Fame Inaugural XV.
Phil Franks, Rules Consultant
Phil Franks is a Sydney based entrepreneur who has an extensive background in both sport and business.
As a sportsman, he played Rugby League at a professional level for the Balmain, Penrith, North Sydney and Western Suburbs clubs in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
He was also instrumental in Manly Sea Eagles being granted a license to play in the NRL after their failed Northern Eagles joint venture.
Paul Gibson, Business Consultant
Paul Gibson is a politician and former rugby league player. He is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Blacktown since 1999 for the ALP, having previously represented the electorate of Londonderry from 1988 to 1999.
Gibson initially commenced his rugby league career as a junior player with Manly. His first grade career commenced with South Sydney in 1962. He returned to Manly in 1966, moved to Parramatta in 1967, before he transferred to Penrith in 1969.
Colin J Smith, Media Rights Consultant
Colin J Smith is the Principal Advisor, Media, Entertainment, Sports and Gaming practice of L.E.K. consulting.
L.E.K. Consulting was established in 1983 and today has more than 900 consultants in offices in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Australia. They advise FTSE 100, Eurotop 300, Fortune 500, and the largest Asia-Pacific firms in business strategy, finance, marketing and sales.
Colin advises all of Australia’s leading sporting industry groups on their media rights.
What the media have said about the Hybrid Code concept
“A truly Hybrid game would be a significant once in a 100 year event that would be a stadium sell-out, with record television numbers” - Colin Smith, L.E.K. Consulting
“The administrator who knocks back that sort of cash may end up feeling like the drummer who knocked back the gig with the Beatles” - Glenn Jackson, SMH
“It would simply be irresistible television” - Paul Kent, Daily Telegraph
“It’s time to settle things the new fashioned way - head to head” - Richard Hinds, SMH
“People bang on about ANZ Stadium having no atmosphere…but here’s a guaranteed way to turn it into a colesseum on Australia Day. Stage a Wallabies match against the
Kangaroos” - Lote Tuqiri, Sunday Telegraph
“The game would combine the national free-to-air television audiences of the marquee game in league, being the State of Origin, and the marquee game in union, being the
Bledisloe Cup, for a potential national free-to-air audience of over 4 million” - Colin Smith L.E.K. Consulting
THE FIRST HYBRID CODE MATCH IN SYDNEY
On Wednesday 11 May, 2011 the first ever Hybrid Code match to be played in Sydney will take place at Brookvale Oval on Sydney’s North Shore.
The game kicks off at 7:00pm and is free of charge to all spectators.
This landmark match will be played by schoolboy sides from St Augustine’s College, Brookvale and Keebra Park State High School, Gold Coast.
Both schools are steeped in rugby union and rugby league tradition and have produced a number of marquee players in both codes.
The first Sydney Hybrid Code event will serve as a “test case” to demonstrate to the public, corporate and media interest of the Hybrid Code and its validity as an exciting and feasible annual event at an elite level.
It is anticipated the event will attract an attendance of 5000 spectators including special invitations to key government, corporate, league and union officials, media and players.
What started over 100 years ago at Rugby School in England is now being evolved into something truly unique. Enjoy the spectacle. Be part of the excitement.
Be part of the Hybrid Code.
Darren Hart H.P.E
Remember for any information you may need on the school and its programs please contact the school on 07 55 092 555
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