Ross Munro Williams

Passionate about skills, decision making, creativity & leadership in coaching. Games & constraints approach coach. Just #LetEmPlay

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@TheSportingMind @ikeytigers Sorry but waaaaat 😵😵😵

[Tier 2 Rugby @T2Rugby]

THE FOLLY OF WORLD RUGBY LAW TINKERING!

Nearly every year we get the latest set of World Rugby law tinkering. These often tend to be driven by Aussies and with their own words claim to be "increasing the sport’s entertainment factor to attract new audiences and grow the sport" or "increasing the spectacle".

Now you may agree or disagree on that on the merits of the law tinkering and have your opinions, but that misses the point.

The reality is that this tinkering that has been going on the last 20 years or so makes NEGLIGIBLE difference to the sport's popularity worldwide to new audiences.

The primary most significant factor behind a sport growing in popularity is nothing much more complicated than what gets there and establishes itself first.

Is the reason American Football king in USA because it is more entertaining than Rugby Union and wins out in a free competitive market? Or the reason Union is more popular than League in South Africa or Ireland or Japan because it is more entertaining? The answer is NO!

The question of which code is more entertaining is totally subjective but also irrelevant. The real reason Union/League/American Football is more popular in the locations is closer to the reason that Twitter or Facebook are more popular than any similar rivals.

Not because they were necessarily better products, but because they beasted the competition in the early days to establish themselves as the dominant player in the market niche and from there onwards it is very hard if not impossible to dislodge (even if the platforms can do some either quite dumb or unpopular things).

Law tinkering will make barely any difference to the sport's popularity. There is an extremely miniscule number of fans who will think "I wasn't going to watch before, but now I will because they have changed a scrum to a free kick after an accidental offside".

You may or may not agree with that change, or any others, but it is barely making any difference to the sport's popularity, and World Rugby should stop acting like their 9324th law tinkering trial of the past 20 years is the key to growth. It is just foolish to think that and the sport wastes a large amount of energy, time, resources, and brainpower every year thinking up new trials.

Instead if they paid attention to the lessons of the first mover advantage in sports. They'd devote far less time to law trials every year at a "Shape of the Game" conference, and more to a "Growth of the Game" conference, and then look at strategy to evangelise and invest in the sport in regions where there is still openings and potential available for Union to get ahead and be that first mover in the team contact sport niche.

That is where the real difference to the sport's global popularity can be made and time and energy should be directed. (Note this is of course South American & continental European markets, not USA where the contact team sport niche is filled and it is almost as hopeless as League trying to become big in say South Africa or Japan).

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@Carl_LewisZA Stuck in the past, just wow 🫠

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@bernardjackman @URCOfficial @RTEsport @ChampionsCup @leinsterrugby @Independent_ie @LeinsterBranch @OLSCRugby Always feel far smarter after listening to Berch 🎓

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@russellearnshaw Exactly right 👌 he was incredibly humble person and the time I spent with him left an everlasting impression on me.

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

Appreciate analysts 👏

[Angus @AnalystGus]

Short video explaining "Double Banking" and the All Blacks maul try 🔍👇

For educational, not whinging purposes.

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

Why did the @ikeytigers choose to kick instead of going for gold?? 🤷 the one side who could have, and probably would have pulled off something magical at the end. Super frustrating 🙈, but still they've made two finals in a row and had an exceptional semi final last week 🙌

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

Ah @ikeytigers what a shame 🙈 But super happy for @AndreTredoux9 🍻🍻 thoroughly deserved 👌

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@Carl_LewisZA Comedy festival 😂

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

Farcical 🙈

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@T2Rugby Agree! Would be compelling to meet the players we rarely get to see.

Think of the various docs for tennis, f1 etc, the majority viewers were casuals at best, but with great storytelling the fanbase grew.

I guarantee the passion + stories behind the scenes would be crazy!

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@Oom_Rugby Love this 👌 good insight there Oom, and so true. "How they want to be perceived." <--- Lots of (unacknowledged / unaware) anxiety behind that desire. Often comes from the fear that they may one day be 'found out' as being less than.

[Simon Borchardt @SimonBorchardt]

Politicians should be banned from sports podiums.

[Ivo Vegter @IvoVegter]

I have received this text of a letter addressed to World Rugby chairman, @BillBeaumont, about Ramaphosa's presence on the Rugby World Cup winners' stage. It's a great letter. If anyone knows who wrote it, please let me know.

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

On so many levels, this 👇 is incredibly true. We need this. We always need this

[Ryan Coetzee @RyanCoetzee]

South Africa is a country in enormous pain. Hard to explain to those abroad what this is all about. It doesn’t actually change anything fundamental but it gives people a sense that success is possible. It’s not just about rugby. Never is.

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

Ahhhhh it feels good 🥹🇿🇦

[Murray Kinsella @Murray_Kinsella]

Back to back World champions!

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

I never pictured Sam Cane lifting the trophy. Somehow the leaders that lift it are in a different class. Siya is in that league. Has there ever been a more deserving, incredible leader the world over? Incredible man. Incredible team.

🏆🏆🏆🏆🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

@Carl_LewisZA Ridiculous 😂

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

No lies detected 😂

[Thuso™ 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦 @ramalokot]

Did you know!

If #Springboks 🇿🇦 win, Mandoza's wife will be R179m richer

[Ross Munro Williams @RossRugby]

I do enjoy @WorldRugby scoring own goals in the media distribution of this world cup 🙈 Pollards winning kick isn't available in South Africa 😂😂😂🤷🤷🤷🤷🙈🙈🙈🙈