How hosting the Rugby Championship could lead to New Zealand becoming the world's 'sporting hub'
Hosting the 2020 Rugby Championship exclusively in New Zealand could pave the way for the nation to becoming a global “sporting hub”, according to two Super Rugby Aotearoa stars.
New Zealand been a leading light in the worldwide COVID-19 recovery effort from a sporting perspective, with Super Rugby Aotearoa among the first professional sporting competitions on the planet to kick-off in front of unrestricted live crowds.
Other domestic leagues, such as the national basketball and netball competitions, are also well underway in front of live audiences, but things could be taken a step further later on this year.
Reports have emerged in recent weeks about the prospect of staging SANZAAR’s Rugby Championship – featuring the All Blacks, Wallabies, Springboks and Pumas – solely in New Zealand between November and December.
International travel restrictions and ongoing coronavirus outbreaks in Australia, South Africa and Argentina have made it implausible for the annual tournament to be held in its regular form across the Southern Hemisphere.
SANZAAR has, however, announced plans for the competition to be held in New Zealand, where there are currently just 27 active case of COVID-19, all of which are being managed in isolation facilities.
The governing body stills requires Government approval for travel exemptions and quarantine measures, but hopes remain high for those plans to come to fruition.
Speaking on RugbyPass’ Aotearoa Rugby Pod, Crusaders halfback Bryn Hall said allowing New Zealand to host an international event like the Rugby Championship could lead to other sporting fixtures to be held in the country.
“It’s been great with how New Zealand’s gone through this whole COVID situation,” he said.
“Other sports coming here, whether it be UFC, there have been a few talks about that, or whether it be boxing or some other form of sports… I think it’s a great idea, if we could get them in here in a bubble where it’s going to be safe.
“I know as consumers, it’s going to be great to have some international fixtures this year as well.”
Blues hooker James Parsons agreed with his North Harbour teammate, noting that New Zealand “could be the sporting hub” of the world.
“From our spectators point of view, [it’s] an opportunity for boosting the economy in a tough year, it’s great,” the two-test All Black told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“It sort of gives us an opportunity to be that place to come to play, not just footy, maybe other sports or other comps can come down here as well.”
Whispers of the UFC, international boxing bouts and even the NFL coming to New Zealand have been touted in recent weeks.
UFC boss Dana White last week said “it’s possible” the sporting franchise could return to Kiwi shores this year after hearing of sport being played in front of live crowds in New Zealand.
There were also reports last month suggesting New Zealand stood as a primary contender to host the third title fight between heavyweight boxing stars Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
Senior ESPN writer Mina Kimes also brought up the idea of New Zealand hosting NFL games on The Bill Simmons Podcast last week, but retracted that suggestion as “incredibly irresponsible speculation by me” when pressed on the concept.
However, podcast host Simmons labelled the outlandish idea as “great”, stating: “I feel like New Zealand would reject us, though it’d be the greatest advertisement for New Zealand, which is gorgeous.”
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While rugby players from New Zealand and Australia are back in action via Super Rugby Aotearoa and Super Rugby AU, players from South Africa and Argentina still haven’t played since Super Rugby’s suspension in March.
Latest figures show there are nearly 170,000 active coronavirus cases in South Africa, and over 75,000 in Argentina.
Players in South Africa have only now been granted permission to return to training in groups of five, leading to questions regarding the possibility of warm-up games against local Kiwi sides to help bring the Springboks and Pumas up to speed ahead of the Rugby Championship.
Hall endorsed the idea of the international teams playing in regional centres such as Napier, Invercargill and Palmerston North, while Parsons said provincial teams and Super Rugby sides would relish the chance to play the Wallabies, Springboks or Pumas.
“I know teams would jump at warm-up games,” Parsons said.
“When we played France for the Blues, when we played the Lions, those are massive fixtures for those sorts of teams and guys who don’t get those opportunities, so I don’t think there’d be too much hassle there.”
Parsons added that while some might perceive South Africa and Argentina to be at a disadvantage going into the Rugby Championship due to their lack of game time, he believed the attrition of Super Rugby Aotearoa could even the playing field.
“After 10 weeks of derbies – I think two Crusaders got ruled out for the rest of the year, there’s myself and a number of other guys at the Blues and obviously every other team – it’s starting to wear on certain teams,” he said.
“Where the bodies are at come that [the Rugby Championship], if you looked at Argy and South Africa, [they] could be really fresh, so you don’t know.
“It’s sort of like a six of one, half a dozen [another]. Yeah, the skills might be a bit off, but the energy levels will be through the roof.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments