Talking Footy

Michael Cheika and SCG back rugby union State of Origin match
Sporting News
Published on Feb. 9, 2017

The push to have a State of Origin game in rugby union is gaining momentum, thanks to backing from some major stakeholders in the game.

Stephen Moore and Israel Folau have been very vocal about wanting to see a Rugby Origin match and others are now warming to the idea.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika believes it could be a great tool for selection but would like to see some amendments made.

"No.1, what's important is that if we do something like that, we've got to have a uniqueness about it," Cheika said.

"You can't just go and copy off rugby league and see if that works. It's got to have something about why it would be a special event as opposed to sticking another game in the calendar and then it's also about the timing and when it's on."

There is a working proposal to play the game in the last week of June, as the June Tests have finished and Super Rugby doesn't resume until the following week.

Ballymore Oval has been mooted as the potential venue, but the SCG Trust have also expressed an interest in holding the game at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground.

The SCG hosted this clash on 45 occasions in the late 19th century and it would be the first rugby union game played at there in 31 years.

http://www.sportingnews.com/au/rugby/ne ... taddtd9pj4

rugby365 wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 12:12 pm

Silly idea! Reason SOO is so successful in league is because it has a great history and is generally played by the best players in the game. right now only handful of australian players can be regarded as great players. They need to start from scratch and focus on grassroots.

leagueiscrap wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 12:26 pm

rugby365 wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 12:12 pm

Silly idea! Reason SOO is so successful in league is because it has a great history and is generally played by the best players in the game. right now only handful of australian players can be regarded as great players. They need to start from scratch and focus on grassroots.

It's people getting excited watching one state play another state, it's an excuse to have a mid week BBQ, piss up & hang out with mates

That is why soo is mainly so successful

Terry wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 7:30 am

I'm not sure why semi literate, uneducated fumbleball zealots would be commenting on SOO in RL and RU. Jealousy? Envy? Base stupidity? Yep.......that'd be it......lololololololooolol.....dills!!!

ParraEelsNRL wrote: Sat Feb 18, 2017 8:43 pm

Yeah and you live in qld where you wouldn't know what winter was if stuck in Antarctica.