Scotty Stevenson: Auckland is out of love with Rugby
New Zealand Rugby needs its biggest city to be in love with Rugby Union. But, if last weekend is anything to go by, Auckland may be considering yet another love affair with that other rugby code. Can the Blues win over a jaded public? Scotty Stevenson says this weekend has more riding on it than just competition points.
In the final ten minutes of last weekend’s capitulation against the Sharks, you could see the signs of exasperation writ large on the faces of the Blues’ most experienced players. There was Jerome Kaino, a bona fide colossus of the modern All Blacks era, standing hands on hips, shell-shocked by what was happening around him. There was James Parsons, sitting in the covered dugout, headgear still on, helpless to do anything, staring at the grass. They were but two of the players out there, but they have been through more than the rest. And they looked for all the world like they had nothing left to give.
They do, of course, and they’ll give it again this weekend when the Blues try to snap a 13-game losing streak against the Chiefs. Kaino, in particular, will have a point to prove because last Saturday was far from his best night out in a Blues jersey. This is his final season for this besieged club. He has never won a title here. This weekend will mark the last time he takes the field against the Chiefs. There will be many lasts this year for Jerome Kaino.
What he and Parsons and the rest of this Blues team will be cognisant of is the importance of not posting another last. Bottom of the New Zealand conference is not the natural home for the team representing the largest population base of the nation. And that population base is as exasperated by this interminable slide into decline as the players must surely be. We know this because last week they voted with their television remotes, and watched the Warriors play league.
Regardless of what you think about television rating methodology in an age of time shifting, streaming and second-screening, they remain the fundamental, staple accounting of what viewers want. Last week, and this has not happened often, the New Zealand Warriors, another Auckland sporting side that has endured its share of sharpened knives and blunt assessments, out-rated the Blues.
Some context is required: the Warriors are the only professional NRL rugby league club in New Zealand so it stands to reason that they could expect a national eyeball catchment, and the Blues were playing the Sharks, which is not a matchup that comes close to a New Zealand conference game. That said, Rugby Union still proclaims itself the national game. When New Zealand Rugby’s franchise side in New Zealand’s biggest city can’t retain its place atop the ratings heap, alarm bells must surely be ringing.
Fortunately, from a ratings point of view, the Blues v Chiefs match this weekend should go some way to restoring the ratings order from Rugby Union’s point of view. But much of that interest will likely be driven by those outside the Blues borders. That is where things start to look grim. Success is no marketing plan in sport, but entrenched, loyal and enduring fan support is. Just ask the Warriors.
The adage that the All Blacks are strong when Auckland rugby is strong may have been disproved some years ago, but don’t be so quick to dismiss the basic tenet here: As CSM CEO Simon Porter pointed out last week on the Rugby Pass Short Ball Podcast, “The big cannons are in the northern hemisphere” and New Zealand Rugby does well to compete against much greater financial heft. They cannot hope to continue this fight if a region representing at least one third of New Zealand’s population is disinterested in the game. New Zealand Rugby is strong when Auckland is engaged.
Right now, they are not.
The Blues need not only results but also an ability to more efficiently evangelise the game to a public that wants to believe in a turnaround of fortunes. The Warriors opened their pre-season to SKY Sport Producer Paora Ratahi this year in order to give fans an exclusive look behind the scenes. The fans saw the hard work and honesty, began to believe in what the team was capable of and have, on the back of an historic opening win streak, started to flock back to Mt Smart.
Blues fans have heard nary a whisper from the front office, and not a peep from the board or the owner representatives. It has been left to the same old players to front the public, to explain away the latest loss and to convince us all that a change is gonna come. We need more than that. We can’t heap it all on the shoulders of those on the playing field. New Zealand Rugby needs a robust and long-term plan to regenerate the game in the big smoke.
Not another piece of puff.
Comments on RugbyPass
It was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
5 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to comments