The indisputable problem with the NPC
Rebrand it to whatever you like, but the NPC still has a major problem.
Do you remember the last time NPC rugby captured any semblance of the national sporting conversation? How about the last time a sellout crowd attended a Ranfurly Shield match in one of the major stadiums?
You’re probably scratching your head a little with that one, and that’s ok, because this is not exactly a new question.
Nor is it the easy fix many would make out as this is an issue that is becoming more apparent by the year in Super Rugby also. Crowds are thinning out, mainstream interest is more than dwindling and, as always, it appears the powers that be are insistent on keeping with the same old same old.
If Super Rugby was the beginning of New Zealand’s professional rugby era, it took little over a decade to show that this era wasn’t going to be kind to the NPC in terms of the finances.
2020’s provincial season might have been a glimmer of hope, when a who’s who of New Zealand’s top talent were pulling on their provincial blazers, but it feels like nothing but false hope now.
Aside from a few All Black hand-me-downs who aren’t quite at the level of Ian Foster’s liking, like TJ Perenara who’s clearly a way off since returning from Japan, the NPC will be made up mostly of players either getting their first taste of professional rugby, those into their second or third seasons on the grind, or a handful of old greats who’re far past their prime.
There’s also kiwi NRL superstar turned All Black hopeful Roger Tuivasa-Sheck suiting up for Auckland, but let’s not pretend this is some sort of coup for the NPC. In the case of the former Warrior, this is all about using a season with Auckland as a stepping-stone for something far greater, most likely to never be seen again.
The Auckland rugby union knows it, as do the fans, and while some may say that Tuivasa-Sheck being a part of the competition does its part to increase attention, they could well be right for all the wrong reasons.
Also, just while we’re talking about the plight of Tuivasa-Sheck, are we really going to argue that his performances in NPC will dramatically increase or reduce his chances of being an All Black?
What made the opening few weeks of last year’s competition so great was that it gave rugby fans a rare chance to see their actual All Black idols in action without having to pay the premium price of admission to a test match.
It felt so much like the good days of old, the names you knew were playing alongside the ones coming through the system. Speak to those All Blacks and they’ll all tell you they loved the opportunity to play provincial footy and longed for it to continue.
What we’ve got a year later is a return to the stale competition the NPC was prior to that brief reprieve.
One would loath to be a communications guru or an engagement specialist trying to conjure up an idea to get fans into the stands. They’re aware of its history and place in the national game but trying to convince the mainstream rugby public to buy in has got to be one of the toughest jobs going at NZR right now.
Several unions around the country are planning to only open a portion of their home stadiums to the public on matchday this season, not out of choice, but as a necessary cost saver.
For those unions, there’s simply no logic in flinging the gates open when chances are that only a few thousand will walk up for the match.
They’re also bound by long-standing licensing and commercial agreements, effectively forcing them to play home matches at these empty stadiums with little to no atmosphere.
It all just adds to the poor logical long-term planning long ago.
In terms of the provincial rugby landscape, there has been a dramatic shift since the classic old days, when in 1993 for example, the entire nation stopped to see Waikato beat that famous Auckland side to take the Ranfurly Shield.
That era and the ones before it provides much romanticism to the hardcore rugby tragic, but in the modern era, convincing players to take their chances in the NPC is a particularly tough sell for some coaches who’re looking to convince a few of the top talents to either stay or come back.
Take Fletcher Smith, for example. Getting the talented playmaker to agree to come back and give it another shot with Waikato after already heading offshore was an almighty task for Mooloos to pull off.
What about the curious case of Marty Banks? The deep south legend arrives in Southland having his best rugby days behind him. He’s done his dash at New Zealand’s top professional level, left these shores and played in overseas leagues, and now is looking to end it all on a high – though he’s apparently keen on a further Super Rugby stint.
The same can be said for so many of the star names floating around in the NPC, names which have returned to where it all started.
Were these men a few years younger, were they yet to have successful careers either in the black jersey or playing rugby offshore with the considerable revenue dollars which comes with that, their decision to play in the NPC in 2021 might not be so clear cut.
This is a business reality that is clear as day to see. What’s hard to see right now is the real return on investment for a competition like the NPC – outside of television ratings, that is.
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 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
1 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 Crusades , you can keep going.
1 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!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 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.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments