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SYDNEY - Australian rugby is about to undergo its biggest transformation since the game turned professional amid fears the Wallabies are falling behind their traditional rivals.
Australia dominated world rugby for most of the 1990s but have fallen on hard times in recent seasons, losing the 2003 World Cup final to England then sliding behind New Zealand and France into third place on the IRB rankings.
Australian Rugby Union (ARU) officials are so concerned about the slump that they have launched a series of major initiatives to recruit more players and improve the depth of top-class players.
Australia have entered an 'A' team in this year's Pacific Nations Cup to expose more players to international competition as well as starting up an inaugural national competition.
The ARU are also expanding their elite player development programme as well as conducting a massive advertising blitz to encourage more people to play the game and stave off the threats posed by rugby league, Australian Rules Football and soccer.
"Since the game turned professional (in 1995) the rest of the world has been catching up and we have to stay one step ahead," Wallabies coach John Connolly told reporters at yesterday's official launch.
"We've got to get everything right and now we've got the competitions to do it.
"The national club competition is great for the players .... it's taken a long time to get this in place but I think our domestic competition will be pretty good now and there can be no excuses going forward for the Wallabies."
Despite Australia's comparatively small player pool, the Wallabies won the World Cup in 1991 and 1995 and were finalists in 2003, but their success was built largely around brilliant individuals including David Campese, John Eales, Nick Farr-Jones, Tim Horan and Stephen Larkham.
"It's not about a 15-man team any more, you have to have a squad of 30 players," Connolly said.
"At the moment, we don't have the depth that we need but we're realistic about where we stand. I think we've got depth in the forwards now, but we're still light on in the backs.
"We made a conscience effort last year to broaden our player base but injuries to key players are going to be a factor for us this year."
With the start of the World Cup now less than eight months away, Australia are running out of time to experiment with new players.
Connolly said he would continue using different combinations in Australia's tests against Wales and Fiji in May and June but would have to unveil his likely World Cup side for the Tri-Nations matches against New Zealand and South Africa.
"I think the season will be approached in two blocks, but it will depend on how far the Australian teams go in the Super 14," he said.
"We've got our fingers crossed that everyone gets through the Super 14 unscathed. It is one of the issues with Australian rugby and always has been that if we get a few wounded players we don't have the depth.
"But if we can get through it we're reasonably confident that with a bit of luck we'll be very competitive."
- REUTERS
