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
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 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
4 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 comments