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'We've all made this sacrifice': All Blacks legend's impassioned plea to NZ Government about hosting test matches
Sir John Kirwan has sent an impassioned message to the Government around the lack of progress made around All Blacks tests this year.
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Speaking on Sky Sport‘s The Breakdown, where he is a co-host of the show, the All Blacks legend called out the Government over the roadblocks around creating a tournament to bring teams into the country to face the national rugby side.
“What’s upset me the most is we’ve created an amazing environment in New Zealand. Even this last lockdown was only in Auckland,” Kirwan said.
“Our Prime Minister said the other day it can happen. I don’t know why the tournament is not here. How can Fiji go to London? Why aren’t we having this competition in New Zealand with England, with whoever it is?
“We’ve made all this sacrifice to make it the safest country in the world and what is happening? I heard it’s going to be in Brisbane. Like I said, Fiji is going North. What is happening?”
Kirwan’s comments come after several leading sports administrators made pleas to the Government about the need to open borders in a controlled manner to allow international teams into the country, otherwise professional sports could be in huge trouble.
The prospect of having All Blacks tests this year – in New Zealand or abroad – has been a mystery, with fresh doubts emerging following several setbacks around the Bledisloe Cup and the Rugby Championship.
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New Zealand Rugby hopes to play test matches against at least Australia and a Pacific team, and possibly hosting the Rugby Championship – featuring Australia, South Africa and Argentina – later this year.
However, doubts have emerged over the logistical difficulties of securing locations for visiting nations to train while in quarantine, as strict border restrictions continue due to the pandemic.
News over the weekend that six players from the Pumas tested positive for Covid-19 added fresh doubts over the likelihood of the four-nation tournament going ahead.
NZ Rugby is more hopeful of a Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies but that has also been complicated by border restrictions and a resurgence of the virus in both countries.
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Rugby Australia recently announced that the Bledisloe test scheduled to be held in Melbourne this year would be postponed to 2022, while reports from the Sydney Morning Herald suggest Australia are about to pinch the Rugby Championship from New Zealand due to “superior commercial modelling and quarantine conditions”.
A meeting is being held by Sanzaar, the governing body of the Rugby Championship and Super Rugby, on Thursday, with a decision on the future of the competitions reportedly set to be announced this weekend.
Kirwan called on Minister of Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson to figure out a way to bring other nations into New Zealand to play sport in a safe way, saying the country needs to see the fruits of its labour around the sacrifices made from stringent lockdowns and its status as one of the safest countries in the world.
“Grant Robertson is our Minister of Sport. Come on mate, let’s do this. I know you’re saying ‘we can’t do this for the normal people and this for [professional sport]’. I disagree. Sport is an integral part of how we feel good. How good was it for us to watch sport during Covid? Straight out of Covid, all the people turned up. So we need to make exceptions for our sports people by doing the right things.
“I’m sure if you ask New Zealand, put them two weeks in quarantine in their own country, fly them down in a private jet – and I’m not just saying rugby, I’m saying our golfers [etc.] – let’s use New Zealand at the moment to create some real sporting events.
“Yeah we might have to change a couple of rules, but I’m sure we can look after the country and do that.”
Kirwan, who scored 35 tries in 63 tests for New Zealand, also questioned the lack of transparency at New Zealand Rugby and the radio silence around All Blacks tests this year.
“I also want to know why the New Zealand Rugby union is not putting some pressure on. Why are we so quiet? Where’s our transparency, people? We need to know. We don’t know what’s happening on Thursday night.
“Why can’t we come out and talk about this stuff in the public domain. We all have a right to know because we’ve all made these sacrifices.”
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that there is a “real possibility” of All Blacks tests and the Rugby Championship being held in New Zealand, but admitted it is “not just down to us”.
Robertson echoed the Prime Minister’s comments, saying the Government is working on hosting sporting events in New Zealand but said the safety of New Zealanders is the top priority.
“We’re currently working through with a number of sports around what they would like to happen …we’ve been working with rugby, we’ve been also talking to cricket and netball, and there are others who are now interested,” Robertson said in reaction to pleas from three leading sports administrators to relax Covid-19 border restrictions.
“I want as many sporting competitions as we can possibly get [but] clearly our priority has to be to keep New Zealanders safe and that will remain at the top of our list.”
Robertson added that Government support since the lockdown in March has kept many sporting organisations afloat but that work is being done to ensure Kiwis “get to see their heroes in action”.
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments