The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) is close to finalising three extra revenue generating games for the All Blacks next year, following the successful Bledisloe Cup experiment in Hong Kong.
The All Blacks and Wallabies are expected to meet in Denver, the United States.
Mile High Stadium, the home for the Denver Broncos American Football team, has a capacity of 76,000, far outstripping the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium.
A Test against Wales at Cardiff — tacked on to the All Blacks’ traditional end-of-year tour — is also a strong possibility.
That precedent was set on the current tour when a money-spinning match against England at Twickenham was added to a schedule featuring Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
The NZRU will make about $NZ2 million ($A1.7 million) from the England match which also provides All Blacks with an opportunity to complete a third Grand Slam, presuming they beat Wales in Cardiff this weekend.
The offshore Bledisloe Cup match on November boosted the NZRU’s coffers by about $NZ4 million ($A3.4 million).
New Zealand are scheduled to play France, Italy and England next November but NZRU chief executive Steve Tew confirmed more games would soon be added.
“We are working on some options, some of which have been well publicised and some of which haven’t, and we’re looking at a couple of options in Europe as well,” he said.
“We are likely to play two, possibly three more games. It could be a six-game programme as it is this year.”
There was initially a possibility the All Blacks would play matches against French club Stade Francais and English premiership club Leicester on their current tour.
Meanwhile, despite the NZRU plotting to add to the All Blacks’ workload, coach Graham Henry admitted it would be challenging to return to fully-fledged tours, an initiative promoted by the International Rugby Board.
He said it was difficult to see midweek matches like the All Blacks’ game against Munster today becoming a regular fixture on international tours.
“We are playing 16 games this year as an international team — that’s hugely significant,” he said before the match to commemorate Munster’s 12-0 victory over the 1978 All Blacks.
“Over the years you’d play nine or 10 (tests). Trying to fit tours in when you’ve got a test match calendar of that number makes it extremely difficult.”
Piri Weepu, who captained the All Blacks for the first time today, also thought the Munster anniversary match would sit better as a one-off.
“When it comes to the end-of-year tour you sort of want to play your international games and be done with it. You want to go home and prepare yourself for the next campaign.”
True Tah
Guest
I didnt realise the NZRU needed the cash so badly. TBH it tells me that they must not be managing the All Blacks brand as well as it could be. The All Blacks are a world rugby icon, there are plenty out there who dont know much about rugby, but would know that the ABs represent NZ. There are probably more AB jerseys around the world than any other, theres even one in my wardobe. I would love to see a comparison between say NZ and England/Australia/Ireland/South Africa on their sponsorship figures.
ohtani's jacket
Guest
If you want the players and coaches put under even more pressure from abject performances, this is the way to go.