For over 40 years, State of Origin has ruled supreme in the NRL, symbolising both bitter tribal rivalry and footballing excellence. Rugby shares a similar state rivalry and predominantly relies on the talent produced by Queensland and New South Wales.
The concept of a State of Union was never necessary for most of rugby’s history in Australia, as the two proud state teams were dominant, with little player movement across borders, creating an assembly line of talent similar to a representative Origin series.
As the Brumbies entered the fold, they established themselves as “the best of the rest,” aggressively recruiting overlooked NSW and QLD talent, adding local Canberra talent, and building a cohesive team often better than the original states. While the state rivalry in rugby has never matched its league counterpart, it has had moments, such as the famous Wendell Sailor appearing in sky blue.
With the introduction of the Force and Rebels, and the explosion of high-paid international rugby opportunities, the stable and predictable state pipeline became fragmented. The original state monopolies were broken, and the “Origin-style” quality and intensity of Reds vs Waratahs matches slowly declined, becoming more about playing for competition points and less about the blood and guts, intense state-against-state pride.
But with the dispersal of Queensland and New South Wales talent across the globe over the last ten years, is it time to consider a State of Union competition? Probably not, but we can dream, can’t we? There are many reasons why an Origin-style competition might never work, such as overshadowing Super Rugby and the optics of it being league’s little brother.
However, one benefit could be that as Australia’s rugby talent is increasingly diffused and pulled overseas, an Origin-style clash could be the best way to bring the top-level talent back to Australia for a short competition, negotiating a time when Japanese and European teams could allow Australian stars to return. One point of difference from Origin which rugby could utilise is a third Australian Barbarians team that combines the best talent produced from other states and territories.
Exploring this concept has revealed the surprisingly high-level talent that this team could draw from.
So, how could we practically go about it?
• Following league Origin rules, the teams below adhere to eligibility criteria based on the earliest junior clubs players represented (where data is available).
• If not a junior club, school is a major eligibility driver, as rugby union schools are more often than not the primary driver of Origin talent.
• Players must have eligibility for the Wallabies or have played one Wallabies Test match, opening up to players worldwide.
• If players were born and raised playing rugby overseas, eligibility is based on the first state they played in when starting rugby in Australia, such as Taniela Tupou with Queensland and Marika Koroibete, and Suliasi Vunivalu with Victoria.
• Harry Wilson is a controversial pick who should technically play for NSW, but I am picking him “that’s in Queensland” style based on his school background, and I assume he might choose QLD if given the option. Without him, the QLD team would have a big hole with a lack of depth in the loose forwards. Wilson seems like a perfect blood-and-guts Origin player built for a concept such as this.
• Bernard Foley and Quade Cooper get a gig purely out of experience, as no current Super Rugby fly-halves have truly dominated their positions so far. I would love to see the old dogs tested against the new lions.
• The Barbarians team is strong, with a solid backline and top-quality loose forwards with some depth problems on the bench. NSW has the strongest forward depth, especially in the tight five with a number of high-quality locks not making the cut.
• NSW players make up 42 per cent of players considered, followed by 32 per cent for QLD, 12 per cent Victorian, 6.7 per cent ACT, 5.6 per cent WA, and 1 percent Tasmanian.
NSW Rugby Union Origin team (player/club)
Angus Bell and Langi Gleeson. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
1. Angus Bell/ Merewether Carlton Rugby Club
2. Billy Pollard/ Lindfield Junior Rugby Club
3. Allan Alaalatoa/ West Harbour Juniors
4. Will Skelton/ The Hills Sports High School
5. Nick Frost/ Hornsby Lions
6. Charlie Cale/ Beecroft Junior Rugby Club
7. Michael Hooper/ Manly Rats
8. Jed Holloway/ Southern Districts
9. Nic White/ Maitland Blacks
10. Bernard Foley/ University of Sydney
11. Max Jorgensen/ New South Wales Waratah Academy
12. Lalakai Foketi/ Manly
13. Mark Nawaqanitawase/ Eastwood
14. Andrew Kellaway/ Hunters Hill Rugby Club
15. Tom Wright/ Clovelly Eagles
16. Scott Sio/ Northern Suburbs
17. Brandon Paenga-Amosa/ Southern Districts
18. David Porecki/ North Harbour Rays
19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto/ Randwick
20. Jake Gordon/ Canterbury Juniors
21. Jack Debreczeni/ West Harbour Juniors
22. Ben Donaldson/ Clovelly Eagles
23. Kurtley Beale/ Northern Suburbs
Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific ad-free, live & on demand on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport
Queensland Rugby Union Origin team (player/club)
1. James Slipper/ Bond Pirates
2. Matt Faessler/ USQ Saints
3. Alex Hodgman/ Sunnybank Dragons
4. Darcy Swain/ Trinity Anglican School
5. Ryan Smith/ Caboolture Snakes
6. Liam Wright/ Easts Rugby
7. Fraser McReight/ Albany Creek Brumbies
8. Harry Wilson/ Gunnadah Devils/St. Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
9. Tate McDermott/ Flinders Rugby Club
10. Quade Cooper/ Souths Rugby Union
11. Filipo Daugunu/ Wests Rugby Club
12. Samu Kerevi/ Brisbane State High School
13. Josh Flook/ Brothers Rugby
14. Tim Ryan/ Brothers Rugby
15. Mac Grealy/ UQ
16. Zane Nonggorr/ Gold Coast Eagles
17. Josh Nasser/ Easts Rugby
18. Taniela Tupou/ Brothers Rugby
19. Lachlan Shaw/ UQ
20. Will Genia/ GPS Rugby
21. Tom Lynagh/ University of Queensland
22. Hamish Stewart/ Toowoomba Bears
23. James O’Connor/ Brothers Rugby
Tate McDermott. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Australian Barbarians Origin team (player/club)
1. Isaac Kailea/ Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, VIC
2. Jordan Uelese/ St. Kevin’s College, VIC
3. Pone Fa’amausili/ Dandenong High School, VIC
4. Adam Coleman/ New Town High School, TAS
5. Lopeti Faifua/ Myrtleford, VIC
6. Rob Valetini/ Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, VIC
7. Rory Scott/ Royals, ACT
8. Rob Leota/ University of Melbourne, VIC
9. Ryan Lonergan/ Trinity Christian School, ACT
10. Noah Lolesio/ Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT
11. Corey Toole/ Gungahlin Eagles, ACT
12. Hunter Paisami/ Harlequin Junior Rugby Club, VIC
13. Len Ikitau/ Tuggeranong Vikings, ACT
14. Marika Koroibete/ Melbourne Rebels, VIC
15. Glen William Vaihu/ University of Melbourne, VIC
16. Marley Pearce/ Joondalup Brothers Rugby Club, WA
17. Lachlan Lonergan/ Trinity Christian School, ACT
18. Charlie Hancock/ Canberra Grammar School, ACT
19. Carlo Tizzano/ Trinity College & Hale School, ACT
19. Ryan Louwrens/ Churchlands Senior High School, WA
20. Reesjan Pasitoa/ Perth-Bayswater club, WA
21. Suliasi Vunivalu/ Melbourne Rebels, VIC
22. Nick Jooste/ Hale School, ACT
Other players considered
Angus Blyth/ Casuarina Beach Rugby Club
Blake Schoupp/ Woonona Shamrocks RUFC
Cadeyrn Neville/ Manly
Carter Gordon/ Sunshine Coast Grammar School
Darby Lancaster/ Kempsey Cannonballs
David Feliuai/ Sunnybank Dragons
Dylan Pietsch/ Leeton Phantoms
George Blake/ Bond University
Harry Johnson-Holmes/ Cowra/Newcastle
Hudson Creighton/ Brothers Rugby
Izack Rodda/ Lismore City Rugby Club
Jeremy Williams/ Wahroonga Tigers
Jock Campbell/ The Southport School
Langi Gleeson/ Harbord Harlequins
Lawson Creighton/ Brothers Rugby
Maciu Nabolakasi/ Southern Districts
Paddy Ryan/ Tamworth
Richie Arnold/ Murwillumbah rugby club
Rory Arnold/ Murwillumbah rugby club
Sam Carter/ The Scots College
Sef Fa’agase/ Beaudesert Warriors
Tom Hooper/ Bathurst Bulldogs
Jordan Petaia/ Brisbane State High School
Izaia Perese/ Anglican Church Grammar School
Who do you think would win? Have I missed anyone? Who would you pick and would a concept like this ever work?
