SPORTS JOURNALISM

Follow Rollo's views on the Super 14, Tri Nations and other Test matches at www.scrum.com
These can be viewed from the home page – just follow the links.

Articles by Rollo are also appearing on Scrum.com and his insightful wrap of the Super 14 rounds can be viewed from the home page straight after a round and later at Super 14 previous news go to http://www.scrum.com

Now a regular correspondent to the E-sports Media Group sports writing community, his contributions to that site can be viewed at http://www.e-sports.com and follow the link to Rugby

In 1908 Rugby League was formed from Rugby Union to allow players to be paid 1995 saw Rugby Union become professionals so elite players are paid 2008 will be the Centenary of Rugby League

Will it make it ?

What of the past and is there a future for the two rugby's?

In an age of “dollar driven” sport Rugby League struggles to maintain popular support over the emerging professionalism of the previous bastion of amateurism Rugby Union.

Rollo has been supported in his studies by winning a Tom Brock Scholarship to further research in 2002. An outline of his research and final report to the Tom Brock Scholarship can be read by clicking here.

To advance Rollo’s study he joined the Australian Society for Sports History and made a presentation at its conference in Adelaide in July 2001. The presentation Rollo made to the 13th Biennial conference of ASSH can be read by clicking here. This gives a potted version of the full story with a profile of every player who switched in his forthcoming book due to be published in 2008 for the 100th year of rugby league in Australia.

This foray into sports history was followed up with a presentation to the 14th ASSH conference in Sydney, click here and this was his final commitment for receiving the Tom Brock Scholarship.