How the Mitre 10 Cup is shaping up as New Zealand's most important provincial competition in years
Fans should get behind Mitre 10 Cup more than ever in 2020, and not just because All Blacks will be putting on their provincial stripes for a much longer stint than has become the norm.
Now that the North vs South glorified All Blacks trial is out of the way, focus should quickly turn to what is shaping up to be the most meaningful season of Mitre 10 Cup rugby in some time.
It’s easy to point to the fact that some of the country’s top All Blacks are set to play provincial as the key reason for increased excitement this year, but as always, it’s about far more than that.
Despite the ever insistent push of high performance into rugby at certain high schools of popular pedigree, Mitre 10 Cup is still the first big step into the professional environment for so many of the youngsters that will get what’s being marketed as a privilege to play alongside some of their idols who they’ve only ever seen on TV in the black jersey.
But who’s privilege is it really? One could argue it is the privilege of those All Black players themselves, because this might be the one and only time in their careers that they can make a genuine impact on the game at a community level.
That, of course, will come down to how much New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the unions themselves are able to work in that area while also ensuring that the competition retains something close to appointment viewing each week despite delivering it in a scenario still foreign to all.
Mitre 10 Cup has especially struggled in recent years from the all-important aspect of mindshare and hasn’t been marketed particularly well by either New Zealand Rugby or certain unions themselves.
That factor has been a massive shame because the quality of what’s been on show in Mitre 10 Cup has always deserved far greater importance, be that for the hardcore rugby fan or the casual. For a while now, those responsible in the Mitre 10 Cup marketing department appeared to not understand that, even now, this particular competition (once simply called the NPC) sits deep in the hearts of many rugby fans in the all too often forgotten rugby heartlands.
In fact, provincial rugby is the thing for these rugby fans year in year out.
There are rugby fans, larger in number than many in the rugby punditry space would realize, who care more about their club and provincial sides than whatever is happening in Super Rugby and regardless of how successful the All Blacks are.
It’s easy, perhaps even understandable, for many of us to look at provincial rugby and the pride of the game in the heartlands through rose-tinted glasses when there is so much else to consume on the rugby front each year.
Furthermore, don’t forget one very important fact. None of the rugby at the provincial level, Mitre 10 Cup included, actually happens without the respective finances coming from Super and particularly everything that brand All Blacks trickles down.
Tasman have named an impressive squad that features four All Blacks, 21 Super Rugby stars and a German teenager to defend their #Mitre10Cup crown.https://t.co/6zdtQf42Yb
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 5, 2020
COVID-19 and its disruption to the normal rugby calendar may have thrown competitions such as the Mitre 10 Cup into increased difficulty on that financial front, it’s also given the competition an all-important attention lifeline which can only come from having some of the sports’ biggest names being a part of it.
That aspect has been needed for some time, but don’t underestimate the financial difficulty many provinces are in right now.
The apparent limitless buying power of teams such as Tasman and Canterbury don’t paint an accurate picture because many provinces have been hit massively in terms of finances as a result of the pandemic. Like NZR themselves had to, many provinces let go a sizable chunk of their operating staff in 2020, and if you were to take a look at the books, you’d realise just how close it came to there being no Mitre 10 Cup at all in 2020.
With crowds set to be ruled out for at least the first week of competition due to New Zealand being in Level 2 restrictions, the financial returns that would’ve been hoped for are already taking a serious hit whilst hope remains that Sky Television bring in sizeable viewership counts to somewhat lessen their costing scenario to broadcast all the games at different venues around the country.
It’s hard to see how the unions themselves can have any financial targets for as long as no crowds are permitted through the turnstiles.
But for as grim as the financial situation will remain, and despite all the other uncertainty, fans should be doing all they can to get behind the Mitre 10 Cup in this, a rugby season like no other.
The players certainly have, the likes of Liam Messam and Nasi Manu have dropped a lot of other priorities to come back and play for a fraction of their worth, and they’re doing that because they’ve got nothing more to do other than give back. Messam has spoken highly of his drive to give back to the Waikato and once some of the current All Black stars get a chance to don their provincial stripes over the next few weeks, you’ll find that many of them will treat it as a breath of fresh air.
We, as rugby fans if nothing else, should treat this competition with the same gusto.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept 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.
37 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.
3 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
37 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
37 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.
37 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. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. 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.
37 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.
37 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.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments