Rugby Australia should be commended for spreading the game
Rugby Union provides one of the best atmospheres at stadiums due to the passion of its supporters. Australians love their rugby and often sell out venues across the country for big matches.
Rugby is embedded in the culture of the country, especially up the eastern seaboard. And although Australia isn’t the dominant force they once were in world rugby, the passion of their support has not abated despite a slip in the standard of their performances compared to the leading lights of the game.
Australia are backed in the rugby union odds at 12/1 to win the 2023 Rugby World Cup, well off the pace of New Zealand, who are the leading contenders for the crown with the rugby union betting tips. The Wallabies have some way to go before evening considering a return to the latter stages of the tournament, let alone winning the tournament. However, the enthusiasm for the Wallabies will not subside across the sports-mad country.
Stadium Australia continues to pack large crowds into the ground on a regular basis for Wallabies matches and the occasional NSW Waratahs game. The Sydney Olympic stadium has hosted many famous moments over the years, but perhaps its most notable came in 2003 when Australia were defeated by Jonny Wilkinson’s late drop goal in England’s Rugby World Cup triumph. The atmosphere on that occasion was spectacular and has arguably not been matched in the competition since given the intense rivalry between the two outfits.
One of the greatest strengths of Australian rugby is the amount of quality venues that are available. Stadium Australia and Suncorp Stadium are the signature venues to host major matches, but Rugby Australia have made a strong commitment to ensure that residents outside of Sydney and Brisbane are able to watch the Wallabies on an annual basis.
It is a different approach from the teams in the Northern Hemisphere, with England, France, Ireland, Wales and Scotland play exclusively at their premier venues. Attendance at those venues are excellent, but it does speak volumes about their commitment to taking the game to new regions and allowing a new audience to witness the best of the best compete in the Six Nations and against the Southern Hemisphere sides.
Australia have called on Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast, Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, and Optus Stadium in Perth, among others in their recent home Tests, including matches in the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup. Compare that to England, who have played just one match outside of Twickenham over the past five years, which came at St James’ Park in September 2019.
The approach of Rugby Australia should be commended, and they are ensuring that rugby union remains at the heart of Australians, not only in Sydney and Brisbane, but right across the country to keep the enthusiasm alive and the game growing, even when the Wallabies aren’t at their peak.
