The lack of meaningful games until the next World Cup is hurting the Southern Hemisphere game
When the revolution comes, let’s not give any credence to the views of players.
World rugby leagues, be they based around clubs or countries, are on their way and, boy, do we need them down in the Southern Hemisphere.
You’ll remember the hue and cry from various players’ associations last year, when they leaked a story to supportive media about a proposed Nations Championship. Then-All Blacks captain Kieran Read, for instance, enlightened us with these observations, in voicing his opposition to World Rugby’s proposed 12-team competition:
“We need to be very careful that we balance the commercial needs of the game with the player welfare needs and ensure the quality and integrity of matches meets expectations,’’ Read said.
“Fans want to see meaningful games; they don’t want to see fatigued players playing a reduced quality of rugby as part of a money-driven, weakened competition that doesn’t work for the players and clubs.’’
Bodies such as New Zealand Rugby (NZR) need masses of money for one reason alone – to meet the extraordinary wage demands of their players. The same players who also want to be rested, rotated and sent on sabbatical when it suits them.
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Meaningful games? The All Blacks won’t play one between now and the knockout rounds of the next Rugby World Cup.
There’s already no integrity to Super or All Blacks rugby because of all the workload management that’s going on.
Honestly, the more Six Nations rugby you watch, the more futile you feel the footy we get down here is.
Sure, some of the skill-execution leaves a bit to be desired in the Six Nations, but there’s no doubting the intensity. It’s not confined to the playing field either. The passion of the fans puts us all to shame as well.
But who could blame us? This year, Scotland are here for a Test, then Wales for two, before the eternally dull Rugby Championship.
The All Blacks’ team will be unrecognisable from one week to the next and sometimes the players won’t even be in the same country. Playing Argentina, for instance, is such a non-event, that history suggests half the team will fly direct to South Africa instead.
Heaven help us if the All Blacks really start doing things to diminish the ‘integrity’ of the competition.
World Rugby might have been rebuffed a year ago, but money will eventually talk. Reports that CVC Capital Partners are about to purchase a share of the Six Nations suggest significant change is coming.
Already stakeholders in the Pro14 and English Premiership competitions, CVC are said to want a more global game. To that end, talks between themselves and World Rugby are well underway.
What becomes of those discussions remains to be seen, but you can feel fairly certain that our best players – whether as the All Blacks or in their Super Rugby guise – will be spending more time in airports and the like.
Frankly, we need them to. The Six Nations still stirs up its fanbase, but we don’t have too much to cheer about down here.
Change has to come, in whatever form.
The last World Cup cycle featured a British and Irish Lions tour, but there’s nothing to look forward to this time. Just more and more matches with nothing on them. No title of significance, no promotion or relegation, no tournament qualification. Just a glorified friendly match to satisfy the TV paymasters, played by men whose reward will be to sit the next one out.
Players might like what’s on the horizon. They might complain en masse, as they did about the Nations Championship, but it’s them who’ve put us in this position.
They all enjoy the trappings of professional rugby, but few of the obligations that go with it.
Take New Zealand’s three best players: Beauden Barrett is still on holiday, Brodie Retallick is boosting his retirement fund in Japan and Ardie Savea is wondering aloud about playing rugby league.
You can’t look at that and tell me change isn’t long overdue.
Ardie Savea reveals shock Rugby League ambitions:
Comments on RugbyPass
No Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
5 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
5 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
18 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to comments