Payto & Panda: why Cooper Cronk won’t be switching to rugby union and the NSW Waratahs
PAYTO & PANDA: the latest on Cooper Cronk, the Wallabies potentially jeopardising their own World Cup campaign, SBW on Te’o, and Georgia’s Australian insider.
Rugby
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Waratahs shut down the rumour mill linking them to Cooper Cronk last night, saying they’d not had any contact with him and they had a policy of developing their own juniors.
That’s one reason.
But here are the three that really count: money, opportunity and the FoxLeague channel.
1. Less money, more problems.
Speaking from Japan, Michael Cheika encouraged the Tahs to have a crack but said the ARU wouldn’t be involved. That translates to they wouldn’t contribute top-up money - and for Cronk to play rugby in Australia, he’d need ARU money.
Without it the Waratahs would have about $250,000 to offer in wages, meaning they’d need at least $400,000 in third-party deals to put forward a respectable offer, which is pie-in-the-sky stuff for a Super Rugby franchise.
2. The Waratahs don’t need another big-dollar playmaker.
PODCAST: Iain Payten and Jamie Pandaram discuss the Wallabies’ dream draw for the 2019 World Cup, the Rebels’ uncertain future and why Cooper Cronk won’t play rugby
Kurtley Beale, who helped Wasps finish first in the Aviva Premiership at the weekend, will be back next year to play No.12 and alongside him at No.10 will be Wallabies teammate Bernard Foley.
Cronk could have made it in rugby, no doubt. He’s that good. But is he good enough to force a move Foley and/or Beale? Nope.
3. TV life is better.
JOHN EALES: Wallabies can party like it’s 1999
Cronk’s move to Sydney next year will see him take a much-increased role at FoxSports - as a league commentator.
Cronk has been working for FoxSports once a fortnight for a while and the network swooped and re-signed him long-term after he announced he was leaving Melbourne.
He is highly regarded at FoxSports as an erudite and incisive league pandit and showed as much with an impressive performance on Sterlo’s show on Tuesday night.
Live sport boss Steve Crawley is a massive fan he told us he sees Cronk as not just a panellist, but sees him “hosting within the year” after his retirement.
And that’s what most people think will happen.
Cronk will hang up the boots and take up a fulltime, well-paid role at FoxSports.
Perhaps club rugby sides may make a play for Cronk if they think he needs to keep scratching a footy itch.
They’ll have to get in line behind the Warringah Rats, though.
Our Manly Daily colleague Jon Geddes revealed last month the Shute Shield club had submitted an ambitious invite to Cronk to join them, offering to help him find accommodation and to sell “Cronk Burgers” at their barbecue. $1 dollar from every burger would go to his charity of choice.
INVITING THE ENEMY
THERE wouldn’t be many nations trying to help a likely rival in their World Cup pool but Australian rugby is pushing ahead with plans to include Fiji in this year’s NRC.
Fiji, who many believe will claim the “Oceania 1” qualifying spot in the Wallabies’ pool for the 2019 World Cup, have been in talks for over a year about fielding a team in the NRC.
We hear those plans are close to being confirmed for the 2016 NRC, which begins in August.
It is designed to be a development pathway tool to help Fiji-based players make a step up but it won’t just be a team living and playing in Australia for the duration of the NRC.
DRAW: Wallabies avoid World Cup pool of death
Draft draws doing the rounds show Fiji’s NRC team will play half their home games in Fijian cities, and Australian rivals will travel up to play them.
World Rugby has committed funding to cover the costs, so Australian rugby won’t have to carry that burden.
Fiji’s main Test team will also play against the Wallabies in June in Melbourne.
SBW V TE’O ANYONE?
SONNY Bill Williams has welcomed the prospect of taking on archrival Ben Te’o when the All Blacks host the British & Irish Lions next month.
There’s little doubt Williams will start as New Zealand’s No.12 if fit, while England’s Te’o could be a shock option to mark him after coach Warren Gatland selected him in the touring squad ahead of Jamie Roberts.
English legend Jeremy Guscott poured flame on the fire when he told BBC Five: “There will be no aura about Sonny Bill Williams, Ben Te’o will carve him up and he will look forward to doing it. This man will think nothing of cutting [Williams] in half.”
But Williams had nothing but praise for Te’o, who put on a memorable shoulder charge on SBW while playing for Souths against the Roosters in 2014.
“It’s good to see that he made the squad, it’s always good seeing fellow ex-league players doing their thing,” Williams told us.
“He must be playing some good footy over in England to warrant that selection.”
Williams has already achieved most things in his sporting career, but being part of a historic Lions series would be near the top of his list.
“It would be massive,” Williams said.
“I try to do my best day to day, and if I keep that mindset things seem to fall in place so God willing I’m there when the Lions come out.”
EX-WALLABIES COACH SWITCHES ALLEGIANCES
THERE will be a familiar face in the Georgian coaching staff for many Wallabies when the two pool D nations clash in Japan in 2019.
Former Reds and Force coach Richard Graham has been with Los Lelos as an attack coach since last year.
He commutes between Australia and Georgia for six weeks blocks, and is heading to Tblisi on Sunday to link up with the team.
Graham told us the sport is hugely popular in the eastern European nation, where despite competition with soccer, rugby was officially declared Georgia’s no.1 sport in the wake of their strong 2015 Rugby World Cup showing.
They beat Tonga and Namibia - and pushed New Zealand 43-10 - and automatically qualified for 2019.
“They’re extremely passionate,” Graham said.
“They get 60,000 people to games against Romania and Russia and mate the noise is just deafening.
“They gained a lot of confidence out of the 2015 World Cup. They’re realistic about playing a team like the Wallabies but at the same time they’d be excited by the opportunity, and they wouldn’t be scared about it. Not one bit.”
TIGHT KIT
QUEENSLAND will unveil a new playing kit this Saturday against the Rebels - and the jerseys only arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday.
The shipment came through manufacturer Zoo Sport’s warehouse in China. Let’s hope they all fit.
Sweet 16! Smart, dangerous Next Gen Sevens player you need to know about
There are former elite netballers, touch footballers, the daughter of a gun and a teens with speed. New faces and rising stars you need to know about in the Next Gen Sevens series. SQUADS
‘A little clunky’: Aussie U18s battle NZ Barbarians in high-scoring thriller
It was a taste of things to come between Australia and New Zealand rugby and while it didn’t disappoint there’s room to improve. Stars, result wrap of Australia U18s v Barbarians.