Leaked documents supposedly reveal agreed upon Rugby Championship dates
New Zealand Rugby has a fresh fight on its hands, with claims that leaked documents show they agreed to a schedule that would involve the All Blacks being quarantined on Christmas Day.
NZR chief executive Mark Robinson denies that he signed off on an agreement which included a six-week Rugby Championship that would end on December 12, before a two-week quarantine period for the players as mandated by the New Zealand Government.
Both Newshub and the Sydney Morning Herald are reporting that leaked minutes of a meeting between the SANZAAR chief executives shows that New Zealand were not “blindsided” by the announcement of the six-week tournament.
Newshub said the minutes clearly show a six-week draw was accepted by everyone, and that all parties were comfortable with the September 24 announcement of the draw.
The Sydney Morning Herald stated: “Leaked minutes from a meeting of SANZAAR CEOs have revealed New Zealand Rugby agreed to play a six-week Rugby Championship which would finish on December 12, despite their insistence otherwise.”
The SMH says it sourced the minutes from New Zealand. They “clearly show” the six-week format was agreed upon by all four nations.
However, speaking on the Mike Hosking Breakfast this morning, New Zealand Rugby Players Association boss Rob Nichol said the date of the reported minutes didn’t lineup.
“All the information we have is no they didn’t [agree to it],” Nicol said. “The minutes story was an interesting one because our information shows there wasn’t even a meeting on that date and no one’s seen any minutes.
“There’s some real irony in this because what we’ve learnt is exactly the same time that Sanzaar management put out a press release effectively changing the draw to show our last game on the 12th of December, the broadcasters themselves had circulated a draw that showed the last game on the 5th of December and all approved it,” he said. “So we’ve just got a whole lot of questions because it’s our players and team management who are going to be asked to go through this and until we get some transparency then we’re not going to be committing to anything.”
Meanwhile, Robinson and has also rejected the claim from Australian rugby chairman Hamish McLennan that transtasman relationships are at their ‘lowest ebb”.
He claimed the comment was a “strategy” New Zealand would not be drawn into, and said both McLennan and Aussie chief executive Rob Clarke had, within the past fortnight, and extended an invitation for the NZR top brass to come over to Australia.
“I think it’s a bit of bluster, to be honest…we don’t operate like that,” Robinson said.
“There has been no agreement to play in the tournament on December 12 at any time and at any meeting.”
The SMH wrote: “Robinson may have been consistent but the minutes show the SANZAAR and RA side of the story to be the more accurate account of events.”
All Blacks captain Sam Cane has claimed the players were “blindsided” by the prospect of being in quarantine on December 25.
All Blacks coach Ian Foster told Cane “we didn’t see this coming”.
“Yeah, it doesn’t excite us overly much,” Cane said of quarantining at Christmas.
“It’s not our fight to fight. What is ours is preparing for these two test matches against Australia. To have that certainty after so much uncertainty leading up to now is pretty awesome. For players that gives us a clear focus of what’s coming next after a few months of wondering what’s coming next.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I do not really get why put Ollivon at 6 when he’s a 7, while Cros was the best Frenchman of the tournament, playing at…6. His only game replacing Aldritt at 8 doesn’t change much in terms of his impact. Lamaro was also outstanding in that brilliant Italian side, probably better than Reffell. So putting 2 Welsh players from the wooden spoon holders, and none of the 4th nation (Scotland) is also strange. Is it about showing that in this harsh transition Wales is, there were some standouts…?
6 Go to commentsThe events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
4 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
27 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
6 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
6 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
27 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
20 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
27 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
27 Go to comments