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All Blacks receive support from rival coach to change Rugby Championship dates
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie is backing New Zealand Rugby’s call to play the final Bledisloe Cup test earlier.
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The last match of the six-week Rugby Championship in Sydney has been scheduled for December 12 – meaning the All Blacks won’t be out of quarantine in time to spend Christmas with their families.
Rennie says the Wallabies would have tried the same tactics if the competition had been held in New Zealand.
“It would be hypocritical of us to not support New Zealand now when we thought it was a good idea. I know Australia did support them but the decision but be unanimous amongst the group,” Rennie said.
“That’s what we want. It’s been a tough year for everyone. The All Blacks are going to be away from home for a long time, but so is everyone else.”
New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson is staying positive about the prospects of bringing All Blacks players back home in time for Christmas.
On Thursday the fixtures for this year’s COVID-affected tournament were announced by SANZAAR and Rugby Australia (RA) and appeared to have dealt a blow to New Zealand Rugby (NZR) by not allowing players enough time to return to their families in time for the festive season.
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As it stands, New Zealand’s players and management won’t be home in time for Christmas Day due to the final test between the All Blacks and Wallabies being played in Sydney on December 12.
If the All Blacks return home a day later, the earliest they will see their families after the standard fortnight of quarantine is December 27.
The announcement appeared to have blindsided NZR with Robinson admitting to media that the organisation had made all their plans based on a final fixture for the All Blacks on December 5.
Despite the setback and ongoing tension between the organisations involved, Robinson told Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday that he remains optimistic a happy resolution can be found for this particular issue.
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New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson is staying positive about the prospects of bringing #AllBlacks players involved in the #RugbyChampionship back home in time for Christmas.https://t.co/uq7PWoAvbh
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 26, 2020
“I think we can work through it… from our perspective, and I’m sure the Australians are the same, there’s not a lot to be gained by going over the last six, 10, 12 weeks.
“This issue, as it relates to this specific tournament and the challenge of getting the team home by Christmas, is a separate issue altogether to all the other narrative that’s been put out there.
“I’m really encouraged hearing Rugby Australia’s comments over the last two days, they’re very committed to trying to find a resolution to this, to get the All Blacks home by Christmas.”
Robinson indicated that NZR is preparing multiple propositions to bring to SANZAAR and RA, who they believe are open to compromise.
“I think they’re showing intent through their public comments just as we are, and as we are through the dialogue we’ve had since Thursday via email, about trying to signal that we are looking to put some solutions on the table shortly.”
Rugby Championship 2020 fixtures
Round One – Saturday 7 November 2020
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Argentina v South Africa
Australia v New Zealand
Round Two – Saturday 14 November
Bankwest Stadium, Sydney
New Zealand v Argentina
South Africa v Australia
Round Three – Saturday 21 November
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
New Zealand v South Africa
Australia v Argentina
Round Four – Saturday 28 November
McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle
Argentina v Australia
South Africa v New Zealand
Round Five – Saturday 5 December
Bankwest Stadium, Sydney
Argentina v New Zealand
Australia v South Africa
Round Six – Saturday 12 December
ANZ Stadium, Sydney
South Africa v Argentina
Australia v New Zealand
Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments