Blame game: The Christmas sacrifice the All Blacks must now make after losing Championship hosting bid
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has hit back at claims the Government’s quarantine regulations are to blame for Australia securing the Rugby Championship over New Zealand.
This comes after New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association boss Rob Nichol on Friday said the Government’s reluctance to allow visiting teams to train effectively once they arrived led to the tournament being moved across the Tasman – despite the fact governing body Sanzaar had earlier indicated New Zealand was the preferred destination.
The New Zealand Herald first revealed that New South Wales had pinched the four-nations Championship tournament from New Zealand and that it would be hosted from November 7 to December 12. The first two Bledisloe Cup matches will be played in New Zealand on October 17 and 24.
According to Nichol, the need to isolate without training for a set number of days, and restrictions around the size of bubbles thereafter were the major sticking points that swung the tournament in Australia’s favour. While South Africa, Australia and Argentina were expected to travel to New Zealand with squads of more than 45, they would only be allowed to train in bubbles no bigger than 25.
“The biggest challenge by far is they would have been coming with 45 players plus team management and when they arrived under New Zealand quarantine conditions, as was explained to us, the first three days they would have to spend in the hotel rooms by themselves, then they would have to return a negative Covid test,” Nichol told the Herald.
Rugby Championship is heading to Australia https://t.co/rH0DNTQ8l8
— Liam Napier (@liamnapiernz) September 10, 2020
“Ultimately, the quarantine requirements required by the NZ Government frankly made it impossible for South Africa, Argentina and Australia to come and prepare appropriately. They won’t be able to train together as a team, and they’re going to be asked to play Test matches after two weeks of quarantine.”
When asked about the reports that Australia had secured the Championship tournament before the official announcement, Ardern said the New Zealand Government had put in extensive work to secure it.
“We put in a huge amount of effort into that bid, worked really hard to accommodate the needs of the tournament and the players, even creating a regime where they could be training within three days of arrival in New Zealand,” Ardern said. “If we are not successful, I’d say it would be a result of being caught up in Sanzaar politics.
“The arrangements that we proposed as part of the bid did include training while in quarantine. We worked very hard with [Ministry of] Health and the tournament organisers to make it work in a way that looked after people’s health and didn’t jeopardise the tournament. It would mean they would’ve been able to train within three days of arrival.”
Ardern also backed the training facilities set to be used. “New Zealand has very successfully hosted tournaments of this nature on a larger scale before,” she said. “And I have every confidence that actually the facilities that we were proposing were up to scratch and the ability to train within three days of arrival was also an important part of that pitch.”
Sports Minister Grant Robertson said the isolation proposal would “protect the tournament” in case one player became infected with Covid-19. “If one player goes down with Covid they run the risk of infecting their whole team and putting the Rugby Championship in jeopardy whereas we would have isolated cases at day three,” he said.
“We still believe this was a very competitive proposal, especially given that we have the best prospect of being able to have full stadiums for the games.” Australia’s successful pitch is believed to centre on 50 to 75 per cent crowd capacity.
According to Nichol, however, these quarantine rules meant Australia was a far more attractive option. “It’s not just playing a one-off game, it’s six games in five weeks. That’s just not palatable to an international team. Unfortunately, New Zealand’s quarantine rules, as relates to these sports teams, just meant it wasn’t going to be possible,” he said.
“Compare that to Australia and our players can hop on a plane, land, they can immediately train and prepare together as a full squad and they are able to play a test match the day after they come out of quarantine. It’s an incredibly attractive option compared to New Zealand’s system. Ultimately that’s what swayed it.”
The All Blacks will travel to Australia after the Bledisloe Test matches, likely to be in Auckland and Wellington, where they could be based for up to ten weeks and will have to quarantine on their return home. That would mean All Blacks players, several of whom have young children, will be in quarantine on Christmas Day.
– New Zealand Herald
The moment when Tupou Vaa’i told his family he had made it into the @AllBlacks squad ? pic.twitter.com/f7zZSdflmR
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 6, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
82 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments