Opinion
International Rugby
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Campbell Burnes
Campbell Burnes is one of New Zealand's most experienced active rugby writers, having first taken up the quill in 2000. He cut his teeth as the Western Leader sports editor from 2002-04, winning the NZ Herald/DJ Cameron Young Writers' Award at the 2004 TP McLean National Sports Journalism Awards. From 2005-12 he was deputy editor of Rugby News magazine before entering the freelance world, where he still lives, writing on sport and occasionally non-sporting issues. His work has appeared in myriad print publications and online, including the NZ Herald and the Irish Examiner. Burnes has also made regular radio and TV appearances over the years, and has written for Rugby Pass since 2017, the same year he was media manager for Auckland Rugby. He is also the co-editor of the Rugby Almanack.
111 Articles
Opinion
There always seems to be a 'but' when it comes to the career of Akira Ioane
Seven tests deep into an international career that once looked like it might never get off the ground, the elder Ioane is coming o…
Campbell Burnes
06 Sep 2021, 18:12
What Richie Mo'unga's critics don't understand about his form with the All Blacks
It’s intriguing that, no matter how well Richie Mo’unga plays in Super Rugby, he has a legion of critics who do not rate his w…
Campbell Burnes
22 Mar 2021, 21:27
'Neanderthal rugby straight out of the 1950s': Why Super Rugby Aotearoa 'leaves the Six Nations for dead'
The Six Nations is great for its history and the passion it engenders, not to mention the fact that Scotland periodically lowers a…
Campbell Burnes
15 Mar 2021, 17:17
Why the Crusaders have an unfair advantage over their Super Rugby Aotearoa rivals
Whitelock and Barrett will, all things being equal, be the starting locks for the Crusaders in 2021. Off the bench will come Stran…
Campbell Burnes
24 Feb 2021, 16:51
Why it's 'patently absurd' that the Blues aren't allowed to train a week out from Super Rugby Aotearoa
If the Blues cannot train together from Thursday in the region, it will throw a tight schedule into chaos. It doesn’t have to ha…
Campbell Burnes
15 Feb 2021, 21:44
Kiwis in Europe: The New Zealand trio suffering a tough start to the new PRO14 season
Glasgow’s Kiwi contingent of TJ Ioane, Aki Seiuli and Fotu Lokotui have endured a tough start to the PRO14 with the Warriors.
Campbell Burnes
23 Nov 2020, 19:14
The lesson the Six Nations can teach New Zealand Rugby when it comes to All Blacks tests
Sunday’s Bledisloe Cup encounter at Eden Park answered several questions and raised a few others.
Campbell Burnes
21 Oct 2020, 0:21
'Certain arrogance': Why the All Blacks didn't shoot for a drop goal against the Wallabies
Jonny Wilkinson, Hugo Porta, Naas Botha, Dan Carter and Grant would have snapped a dropped goal in similar circumstances. So why d…
Campbell Burnes
12 Oct 2020, 17:30
Kiwis in Europe: Why New Zealand Rugby and the Chiefs still miss Charlie Ngatai
New Zealand rugby, and the Chiefs in particular, still miss Charlie Ngatai, who continued to show his class for Lyon in the French…
Campbell Burnes
05 Oct 2020, 18:10
The 11 players the All Blacks should call upon to bolster their Rugby Championship squad
The All Blacks selectors will soon name the extra 11 players to travel to Australia for the Rugby Championship, which is good news…
Campbell Burnes
28 Sep 2020, 19:48
Read, Messam, Thomson, Rutledge: The Mitre 10 Cup veterans who are defying rugby's youthful standards
They say rugby is a young man’s game, but the 2020 Mitre 10 Cup has welcomed back more veterans, seasoned campaigners, than ever…
Campbell Burnes
17 Sep 2020, 19:50
'Prototype of the new breed': What Cullen Grace's surprise All Blacks call-up means for the next World Cup
No one picked Cullen Grace to be an All Black so soon. Now he looms as the prototype athlete the All Blacks could base their World…
Campbell Burnes
08 Sep 2020, 2:50
Eight things that would make Super Rugby a must-watch competition in 2021
Whatever form Super Rugby takes in 2021, the stagnating competition needs a shot in the arm to keep the fans' eyes glued to televi…
Campbell Burnes
21 Jul 2020, 21:51
The Mo'unga-Barrett debate for the All Blacks first five finally settled after Christchurch
That should have been the thinking before last Saturday night’s epic Crusaders-Blues in Christchurch, but the Crusaders’ victo…
Campbell Burnes
13 Jul 2020, 0:16
Unfortunately for the Chiefs the world's best lock has his feet up amidst injury crisis
Chiefs fans will be cursing these accursed sabbaticals while their team, 4-2 by mid-March, and still well in the mix to win its th…
Campbell Burnes
06 Jul 2020, 19:38
Why the Crusaders are more like the great Auckland provincial sides of the '80s
Every champion team needs a slice of X-factor to break open a tight clash in which they are not quite firing in all cylinders.
Campbell Burnes
30 Jun 2020, 20:50
Why the Blues' triple playmaker experiment wasn't successful despite victory over Bulls
The Blues will be counting down the days, and probably the minutes, until the coming of Beauden Barrett.
Campbell Burnes
25 Feb 2020, 21:26
Kiwis in Europe: Bears-Saints Premiership derby almost a Kiwi Super Rugby match
We had the two New Zealand head coaches in the competition – Chris Boyd of the Saints and Pat Lam of the Bears – going head to…
Campbell Burnes
16 Feb 2020, 17:50
Why it would be dangerous to select Damian McKenzie ahead of Jordie Barrett for the All Blacks
Selection headaches loom for Ian Foster as the All Blacks' fullback role comes up for grabs.
Campbell Burnes
10 Feb 2020, 22:46
The reason why Hurricanes fans shouldn't panic after Cape Town capitulation
Those many pundits who wrote off the Hurricanes prior to the season will see little to change their minds. Here's why they should.
Campbell Burnes
03 Feb 2020, 0:28
