All the public analysis, examination, and scrutiny that a ten or fourteen team National Provincial Competition (NPC) should get has been rubbished by Graham Henry.
According to one comment, Henry says it doesn’t matter what kind of NPC we have, the players will surface anyway.
Extraordinary.
Also, in many cases, the New Zealand media have not intelligently examined this issue. In reference to an earlier ten team NPC format, Henry states: “and everyone said ‘yeah, that’s what we want'”
Hang on Henry, that’s not what everyone wanted.
Tew presented the smaller unions with a ‘fete accompli.’ The smaller unions thought they had no choice, but to cut the 14 team NPC to 10 teams to accommodate the bigger time-frame required for a Super 15.
It’s only in retrospect that many consider the 14 team NPC to be so important, regardless of overlapping an expanded Super competition. Tew just happened to get swept away with the ‘quick fix’ of our friend John O’Neill, and now Henry is complaining about All Black player burnout.
The New Zealand Players Association then disappointingly came up with a 10 team NPC, but with a different format to the earlier decision.
I hoped that they would support the 14 team NPC.
Henry states that we should stick with the earlier decision because changing one’s mind and considering other proposals lacks integrity.
No, that can actually be called democracy in action.
It makes you wonder how the All Blacks can perform with that mess of administration behind them and a coach who makes these sorts of comments.
It’s probably the players taking more control. After the France game, you have to say that amongst the bedlam, someone is doing something right.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
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