Asian Bledisloes to continue for another year
By AAP, 6 Jan 2010 AAP is a Roar Pro
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Australia is highly likely to play a Bledisloe Cup match in Asia again this year, but it will almost certainly be the last time the Wallabies and All Blacks clash four times in a calendar year.
In the last two seasons, Australia and New Zealand have supplemented their three Tri-Nations clashes by playing an additional fixture.
In 2008, the teams met in Hong Kong and last year they travelled to Tokyo.
The Wallabies schedule for the latter half of this year has still to be finalised, but the Australians are expected to again face their oldest foe on neutral territory.
“I’m not sure whether it will be Hong Kong or Tokyo, but it’s highly likely there will be a fourth Bledisloe,” Australian Rugby Union chief executive and managing director John O’Neill told AAP.
“This will probably be the last time, but we’ve been very happy with our experience in Hong Kong and Tokyo the last two years and one more trip to Asia would be, I think, a good idea for us and I think New Zealand agree.”
With a World Cup looming in 2011 and Argentina’s anticipated inclusion in a four-nation southern hemisphere tournament from 2012, the trans-Tasman rivals will have fewer opportunities to play each other in the future.
O’Neill said under the likely schedule for the four-nations tournament, Australia and New Zealand would only play each other twice instead of three times under the current format.
However, O’Neill didn’t rule out the Bledisloe rivalry continuing on neutral territory.
“We still may play an extra Bledisloe, but instead of being a fourth one, it may be a third one,” O’Neill said.
He said South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby (SANZAR) were hopeful of announcing, by the middle of this year, confirmation of Argentina’s participation in the major southern hemisphere international tournament.
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ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
Glad it’s the last time, but I hope they come back to Tokyo for purely selfish reasons.
gurudoright said | January 6th 2010 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
although I do love watching the Wallabies play the All blacks, having a fourth game has kind of killed the magic of the Bledisloe. I can understand why they play the fourth game as the finanical benefits are great but don’t believe the line that with these Asian adventures the ARU and the NZRU are trying to spread the game of rugby into Asia. Let’s call a spade a spade, with a reported $4million each for the ARU and NZRU from the venture in Hong Kong it is easy to see it is nothing more than a money grab. If they were serious about the Asia venture they would play a ‘live’ bledisloe game in these regions rather than a dead rubber.
ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
They would’ve been “live” games if Australia had won a few matches.
Sam Taulelei said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:05pm | Report comment
A fourth Bledisloe Cup was overkill but if O’Neill’s comments about playing the third Bledisloe on neutral territory is correct that is a real kick in the guts for local fans in Australia and NZ who look forward to the Bledisloe every year. Guess that would mean Sydney and Auckland will be the only venues to host in Australia and NZ to maximise revenue from ticket sales. Or will they adopt the American system and have Australian and NZ cities bid to host a Bledisloe test?
True Tah said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
Should they consider playing outside of Hong Kong or Japan?
Where would be the best venue? In both Sri Lanka and Malaysia there is a relatively healthy rugby structure, maybe its time they got rewarded for doing so?
About a year ago, I would have put forward Dubai, since they love hosting these sort of things, plus a large expat population there would help, now can they afford this? Maybe Qatar/Abu Dhabi, but the local interest in rugby is virtually non-existent.
Aside from this, Singapore could be the only other choice?
ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:19pm | Report comment
There’s no way they’ll ever play a Test in Sri Lanka or Malaysia. If they’re ambitious, they’d try Korea or China.
True Tah said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
OJ, there is bugger all interest in rugby in either of those two nations, what makes you think they would look at those two?
ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
Because of the guarantee.
They only played in HK and Tokyo because those unions guaranteed them a certain amount of money up front.
Sam Taulelei said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:18pm | Report comment
I’m more convinced than ever that John O’Neill is more concerned with taking rugby and the Wallabies internationally in this part of the world as much as possible than looking after his own backyard. There’s probably an argument that Australia and NZ need to look overseas to generate more revenue to look after their own backyard but the reality is that the Wallabies are only a feasible attraction if they play the All Blacks overseas. Perhaps OJ you can confirm or deny this but was there a greater takeup of All Blacks memorabilia compared to the Wallabies in Tokyo last year?
ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
I don’t know anything about the merchandise sold, but there was definitely more Black in the crowd than gold.
I think O’Neill is keen to get more gate sharing revenue from the end of year Tests.
Sam Taulelei said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
Thanks OJ, I read similar comments from Saatchi and Saatchi chief Kevin Roberts who was at the test last year and sat close by John O’Neill. He said that the look on JON’s face was a real wake up call about the strength of the Wallaby brand.
ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:38pm | Report comment
Well, Australia has strong connections to Japanese rugby through Eddie Jones’ connections with Waseda and Suntory, and I even heard he was a consultant for Keio University this year (which seems strange given they’re huge rivals with Waesda), plus there’s far more Australian players and coaches over here, but none of this can really compare to the drawing power of the All Blacks.
Aside from the All Blacks, is any other rugby side world famous?
True Tah said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:55pm | Report comment
OJ
the Springboks are pretty famous, Ive seen plenty of myrtle green jerseys, especially in other African nations.
Aside from that, I would imagine the British and Irish Lions would be world famous but they only tour every four years.
ohtani's jacket said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:59pm | Report comment
The Springboks would come closest, I guess. I don’t think the Lions are world famous at all.
Sam Taulelei said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:48pm | Report comment
Thanks OJ that was my point, Australian players and coaches are spread throughout the globe and do fantastic work, I remember when I was last in Samoa how many Aussie accents I heard and how involved they’ve become in the local club and school scene with setting up scholarships to schools in Queensland particularly. But the drawing power of the All Blacks team and brand is greater than any other rugby side, no disrespect intended to SA or Australia.
Sam Taulelei said | January 6th 2010 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
TT there was talk of playing a Bledisloe in New York as well as at the Mile High stadium in Denver that was scheduled for last year before a late change of heart and switch to Tokyo.
Even Twickenham has been speculated as a possible venue?