Former All Black’s surprise praise for NPC versus Super Rugby Pacific

Im a Hugh supporter of first Grassroots Rugby and second Provincial Domestic Rugby and third the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby

I never supported Super Rugby it took away the very heart of New Zealand Rugby in the heartland being Grassroots Rugby level which covers from the kids and youth to high schools to club rugby that feed into the New Zealand Provincial Rugby level

so the super rugby franchise concept set up back in 1996 when rugby first turned professional a year after the 1995 World Cup in South Africa who won it and the union vs league wars in 1995 as well was like a number of provinces makes up one super province New Zealand have five teams its base on the five main city centres

in NZ it took away the Grassroots and Domestic aspects of New Zealand rugby which is vital that is where history and tradition and up and coming players and local community support it it also took away the competitiveness of the NPC teams and comp and it got weaker and weaker

over time

in 1996 back then it was the super 12 5 New Zealand teams and 3 Australia teams and 4 South Africa teams

before 1996 I was a Hugh supporter of the NEW ZEALAND NPC that was New Zealand Domestic Rugby Championships there were three divisions division 3 had 9 provinces teams division 2 had 9 provinces teams

and division 1 the top division had 9 provincial teams and the log of wood challenges

and promotion and relegation follow with the 3 divisions championships

there were many many ALL BLACKS who were all fully available in all the division one teams they were fully strong provincial teams back then it had a test feel about those games you had up and coming NZ players from the Grassroots rugby playing along side the All Blacks and the fanfare about it was massive it was a tribal feeling to it the All Blacks teams were selected from the division 1 province teams

heres an idea

NZRFU should have made at the time back in 1995 and 1996 to make the NPC all the

provincial teams in the three divisions professional have them professionally set up

each team privately own or own by private investors or have wealthy businessman own them and own the stadium Parkes of each NPC team for home games from marketing of the merchandise of each team and players and media and sponsorships of each NPC team and then have three professional domestic rugby championships independence from one another and own privately examples like sky sports could own NPC division 1 championship to broadcast division 1 NPC games or fox own NPC division 2 championship to broad cast division 2 games or super sports South Africa own NPC division 3 championship board cast those games there's automatic promotion and relegation between the championships there's no bottom team of say division 2 face the top team of division 3 face off all automatic

plus there are salary caps in the three championships each beginning with division three is the lowest then division two is higher and then the top division division 1 is the highest

the log of wood challenges still go ahead

between teams from division 1 2 and 3

to make it more entertaining having All Blacks in all the NPC division 1

provincial teams

also have international rugby players in there as well imaged having top players from the Wallabies and the Springboks and rugby players around the world say each province team has 6 international players in all these division 1 provincial teams

it gives the NEW ZEALAND NPC rugby division 1 championship a NEW ZEALAND rugby and INTERNATIONAL rugby flavour to it these are just ideas I believe it can still happen today Super Rugby Pacific today is no good its struggling no one is interested

specially in Australia It struggles in Australia sporting market AFL and LEAGUE those sports codes are so dominant and rugby is behind SOCCER and CRICKET in

Australia what do those professional sports have in common in Australia they all

have a domestic competitions and it works and it all ways will over super rugby

not the way the NZRFU are doing they want to get rid of domestic provincial rugby

super rugby pacific is not a true national domestic rugby competition

its a regional rugby competition between many countries involved

a true National Domestic Competition is played within the country

that be the Bunnings NPC provincial rugby competition fits that in this professional sporting era

and as of today 2024 the silver lake deal with the NZRFU and the NZRPA cause a lot of division within New Zealand Rugby and the Pinkerton report saying

the NZRFU cannot support all of NZ rugby and wanting to get rid of the provincial rugby and provincial unions put there foot down and want to form there own domestic competition good on them for standing up to these changes

Its time for Rugby in New Zealand to do away with the Super Rugby franchise system its done its time its time to fold up and return to its Domestic NPC provincial roots professionalise all the 27 NPC rugby teams make them the rugby franchises and let them run and fund the NPC championships seperate from the NZRFU

and All Blacks made to be available to the NPC teams

just like I mention in the above

but work together with the NZRFU as partners to help fund and run and own NZ Grassroots Rugby

NZRFU should just focus on professionally running the ALL BLACKS and New Zealand test sides 7s and 15s

Mens and Women's and NZ Grassroots Rugby and be partners with the privately own NPC teams woking together running and funding and owning NZ Grassroots Rugby

Agreed some of the Ranfurly shield games have had a test match feel to them.

Its sad that about 70% of the professional rugby in nz is only played in the cities when rugby is loved in the provinces.

You also see in the NPC players from the grassroot clubs get a run around rather than just the out of school recruits. I don't why we only recruit from schools for super rugby, club rugby can be more intense and high pressure than some of the school games and should be a pathway to professional rugby too

Yeah, we all prefer watching NPC to SR since Penney turned up Izzy lmao.

Agree with Izzy - the provincial tribalism is more motivting for spectators and the talent depth required allows new players to emerge. Daytime games are more family friendly and kids watching free would motivate even better crowds - especially at the bigger centers where, ironically, crowds seem smaller.

Brilliant attacking rugby to watch. Better in smaller venues.

Really needs someone who knows what they are doing to market it though.

Turning out in droves lol I suppose it has been compared to normal, but Rugby Park in Invercargill is the only place I remember seeing full stadiums.

Caught Cam Roigard today, single handedly help turn the tide for Counties. Bonus that, he helped get them in the playoffs so might start next week.

SR is the comp not fit for purpose. The pro game should have had 10 provinces instead of the 5 SR sides then the tribalism would have sustained it. Im a full on 100% Mooloo and 50% Chief supporter