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'We think we've given them ample time to prepare for the tests': RA bitterly disappointed at Springboks' withdrawal
Cash-strapped Rugby Australia remains furious with South Africa for pulling out of the Rugby Championship and admits the Springboks’ no-show will cost it – and all SANZAR’s competing nations – millions of dollars.
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South Africa’s governing body only announced last Friday it was withdrawing, just two weeks before the tournament kicks off.
The world champions’ absence has forced SANZAR into reverting to a Tri Nations tournament featuring Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, with the original 12-match competition reduced to six games.
It’s been speculated that South Africa will forego 50 million rand ($A4.3 million) for not fronting up.
“The financial loss for them will be great,” Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan said on Wednesday.
But the Springboks’ scratching will also seriously impact RA’s finances.
Even before COVID-19 struck and wiped out the entire Super Rugby season, forcing RA to lay off more than 40 per cent of its staff and slash players’ wages, the governing body forecast a loss of some $9 million for the 2019-20 financial year.
Leaking more money because of South Africa’s doing is the last thing RA needs.
“It will cost us quite a lot of money but we’ll find a way through it,” McLennan said.
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“We were surprised because South Africa did agree to the tournament scheduling.
“So we’re disappointed that they pulled out but we’ll just have to move on.”
McLennan all but ruled out RA seeking compensation from their South African counterparts.
No policy change after the two Bledisloe Cup games https://t.co/xqbwBp9chS
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 21, 2020
“It is what it is. We’ll just all have to deal with it,” he said.
“We’ll just find a way to deal with it. It’s very tough for all sports in Australia through COVID.
“We’ve proven so far that we’re a pretty resilient organisation and we’ll just make it work.”
South Africa cited “player safety”, having missed months of rugby, as the reason for not coming to Australia, which is hosting the entire tournament.
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“Our view’s different to theirs. We think we’ve given them ample time to prepare for the tests. We thought it would be good,” McLennan said.
“We’ve already got the Argentinians out here at the moment, and they’re quite satisfied with how their preparation will go.
“But, to be honest, we’re very disappointed that they’re not turning up.
“They agreed to the tournament so we expected them to turn up. I think it would have been great for their game.
“We hear on the grapevine their players wanted to play.”
McLennan pointed out it will be 20 months between Tests for the Springboks by the time the touring British and Irish Lions arrive in South Africa next year.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGieNE4h1R8/
Asked if he expected the next Wallabies versus Springboks Test to contain extra spice, McLennan said: “I think there will be, also with the All Blacks and the South Africans too.”
However, the RA chairman didn’t believe the Springboks’ non-appearance suggested in any way that South Africa wanted out of SANZAR and Super Rugby – when it returns to normal after COVID-19.
He reaffirmed RA’s preferred Super Rugby model for 2021 was a trans-Tasman competition featuring New Zealand, if not just another domestic tournament involving only the five Australian sides.
“We’ll be better players if we play Kiwi sides week in, week out and I think the broadcasters want that as well, and the fans,” McLennan said.
“There’s no stumbling block from our side so it’s really up to New Zealand – what they want to do.”
– Darren Walton
Comments on RugbyPass
Naaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
141 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
141 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
141 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
141 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
141 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
141 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
141 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
141 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
141 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
141 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
141 Go to commentsHo hum.
141 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
141 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
141 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
141 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
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