The NRL has picked a bad time for global domination

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The NRL hasn’t been shy about their plans to globalise the code. They’re like the property owners with the best house on the street – complete with great renos and good extension plans – but deep down they just want to move streets.

They’ll struggle because their direct rival, the 15-man code, is already established and could deliver an international TV audience of 20 million per round of the new seven-round Nations Championships, which starts in July and concludes in November.

France v Italy in the Six Nations peaked at 8.8m in France alone, England v Wales hit 5m in England, and England v Ireland peaked at 1m in the Emerald Isle. Add South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Japan to the Nations Championship in July and that 20m figure becomes attainable - it might even be conservative.

The Nations Championship is the match to light the petrol

The reason for these big audiences is simple: lots of people around the world who are predisposed to watching big athletes crash into each other find rugby more interesting than league.

France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey crosses the line to score against the Wallabies in 2025.

It’s not as if they don’t know league exists (and they might enthusiastically dip in for the State of Origin or Vegas hoopla) but they prefer rugby’s greater tactical variety compared to league’s hit-up and repeat formula.

And the brilliant Six Nations also shows that away from the set-piece there is still ample space for the game’s stars to fill the highlight reels that feed the social media algorithms, keeping the show going 24-7.

And in the Nations Championship, rugby now has a single “property” (as the marketers like to say) that brings this all together, much to the love of advertisers. In fact, every Nations Championship game will be on free-to-air television in England and France.

This huge change will put the Wallabies in front of millions – especially when they play England at Twickenham in November – in a way that previously hasn’t happened outside Rugby World Cups. Rugby has many issues – and the rugby media takes its obligation to point them out, both real and imagined, very seriously – but this Nations Championship will reach a far greater audience than previously.

Waratahs are fighting for just one play-off spot

That might seem like a negative spin on things after the opening rounds, but the logic is as follows. Before the season started it already looked like five of the six play-off spots would go to the Brumbies, Reds, Chiefs, Crusaders and Hurricanes.

Nothing in the first three rounds suggests this will change, meaning the Waratahs are effectively competing with the Blues – and possibly the Force – for a spot inside the top six. They’ll understand the importance of the game against the Hurricanes in Sydney on Friday, and were probably not too unhappy that the Brumbies took points off the Blues in Canberra on Saturday, courtesy of Charlie Cale’s last-gasp try.

Stone-cold Steve Larkham

The former Wallabies No.10’s half-time interviews are a rarity for that genre because he quite often actually says something interesting. And they can be unintentionally amusing too, because more often than not he delivers stone-cold rugby pragmatism far removed from what the entertainment-focused broadcasters are looking for.

Brumbies players celebrate a winning try by Charlie Cale against the Blues.

During the break against the Blues on Saturday, Larkham revealed the Brumbies’ game plan was to force a yellow card from the New Zealanders by provoking multiple infringements inside their own 22m. And this is exactly how the game unfolded: No. 10 Stephen Perofeta was sent to the sin bin, giving the Brumbies the numerical advantage to complete their comeback win. Larkham would be a terrible salesman, but he certainly understands what it takes to win.

Australian sides are 5-0 against the potential All Blacks coach

The Reds were too slick for the Highlanders on Friday as their attacking shape and late plays on the line complemented some excellent, pressure-building kicks. Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph is now 0-5 against Australian teams since he returned to the head coach role for the southerners at the start of last year. Joseph is in a tight race with Dave Rennie for the All Blacks job; an announcement is expected within the next two weeks.

Too much can be read into Super Rugby results – look at Scott Robertson’s success with the Crusaders and his struggles with the All Blacks – but if every piece of information is valued that 0-5 record might count in Rennie’s favour.