New Zealand Rugby's day of reckoning isn't far off with a broken model heading towards bankruptcy
New Zealand Rugby’s day of reckoning isn’t far off.
Whether it’s precipitated by South Africa’s potential withdrawal from Sanzaar is a moot point. The fact is the game in this country is now unable to sustain itself at any level and radical change is required.
It’s not good enough for NZR to bankrupt itself to meet the wage demands of its elite players. And it’s definitely not good enough to then reward the pampered few with rest weeks and sabbaticals.
Continue reading below…
Community rugby in this country is dying of neglect at a time when some of our better All Blacks, despite annual salaries to $800,000 to $1 million, demand time off to keep them enthused.
Let’s begin with South Africa, who effectively bankroll the game in New Zealand. We’re tired of their Super Rugby teams and whatever mystique that Springboks v All Blacks games had is long gone.
Ask your average rugby fan if they’ll miss South Africa, or Super Rugby or The Rugby Championship and the answer would be no. Only, as stale as the whole thing’s got, it’s also paying our way.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8TTU1Lgnlb/
Well, that’s not quite right. At its most recent Annual General Meeting, NZR forecast a $30 million loss over the next five years.
The model, as it exists now, is not working. Not for fans, not for clubs, not for players and surely not for NZR.
Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners are now about the most powerful force in the game, with financial stakes in the Six Nations, English Premiership, and Pro14 competitions. If they want southern hemisphere teams playing in Europe, for instance, there’s every indication they’ll get it.
In a New Zealand context, we really have come to the point where All Blacks should be selected from overseas clubs. We almost have anyway, with Matt Todd getting the nod while in Japan and Sam Whitelock soon to follow suit.
Let a wealthy private owner or corporation shoulder the burden of paying our best players. After all, as South Africa showed at last year’s Rugby World Cup, plucking players out of competitions elsewhere is no impediment to success.
We’ve been fed all sorts of jingoistic reasons why NZR can’t pick players from overseas. In the end, it’s just about broadcast money.
With no product, or at least an even more inferior one than what we have now, NZR have nothing to sell to TV. And no TV means we have no sport at all, basically.
There’s some terrible hot air being talked in Australia, as the existing television rights holder uses the other arms of its business to bully Rugby Australia (RA). The whole picture isn’t as bad as it’s being painted, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that RA are stuffed if they can’t secure a good TV deal.
As we are here in New Zealand.
Television has become almost the sole revenue stream for sporting bodies and that’s fine when demand’s high and the product’s good. But as much as we’d probably like one, no overseas broadcaster is going to pay big bucks for a competition purely comprised of New Zealand teams.
The marketers will tell you next year’s Super Rugby competition marks a return to the good old days. The much-maligned conferences are gone, baby, and it’s survival of the fittest.
Some of that’s true but it overlooks the fact we’re about to be served up half the diet of New Zealand derbies. Never mind that they’re the only games that pull a decent viewership on Sky or get punters through the gates.
Our Super teams can ‘theme’ games as much as they like, in an effort to generate bigger crowds, but New Zealand fans simply don’t want to come and watch the Stormers et al.
All of which brings us back to the start and this notion – however fanciful – that South Africa will depart Sanzaar for the comparative riches and novelty of the Six Nations. Frankly, you wouldn’t blame them if they did, nor miss them greatly.
But whether South Africa does or doesn’t go in 2026, or sooner, NZR has to change. The current model, with its reliance on TV money and emphasis on the All Blacks at the expense of all else, is no longer fit for purpose.
Better for NZR to be the ones to lead that change than find it suddenly forced upon them by South Africa or whoever else.
Eddie Jones warns against Six Nations expansion:
Comments on RugbyPass
Safas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
69 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
69 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
69 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
69 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
69 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
69 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
69 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
69 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
69 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
69 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
69 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to comments