The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Opinion

Bledisloe III: The game none of us needed

1st November, 2020
Advertisement
Autoplay in... 6 (Cancel)
Up Next No more videos! Playlist is empty -
Replay
Cancel
Next
Roar Guru
1st November, 2020
56
3589 Reads

The scene was set on a wet and wild Sydney evening for the third instalment of the 2020 Bledisloe Cup to set international rugby alight.

Having fought out an epic draw in the desperately unlucky first Test and then gone on to be overwhelmed by a fairly motivated All Blacks side in the second at Eden Park, where international rugby dreams go to die, hopes were high that the young Wallabies side led by new coach Dave Rennie could kickstart a new era of achievement and excitement.

But instead of the third Test turning out to be awesome like the movie Die Hard with a Vengeance, this ended up being more like The Godfather Part III – a monumental let-down.

I use the word ‘let-down’ in an inclusive sense too, to cover not just Australian fans but also New Zealand rugby supporters as well as international rugby in general.

Allan Alaalatoa of the Wallabies charges forward during the 2020 Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup match between the Australian Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Obviously from the Wallabies side it’s easy to see why this 43-5 drubbing is less than ideal. They looked pretty poor given the amount of outstanding young talent in the squad. Sure, I know it’s been a year like no other and installing a whole new regime will take time, but there are basic skills that are sorely lacking right now, which benefits their opposition rather than helping themselves to compete.

Kiwis will be like, ‘What are you on about? We just won in a cakewalk and retained the Bledisloe, so we’re quite happy, thank you very much’. And while both of these points are valid, the reality is that this type of game is more like a cheeseburger – it feels good and gives instant gratification at the time but ultimately, if you get too many of them without balancing your diet, it’ll lead to health problems and potentially your own demise.

It all sounds a bit grim, but that’s really the point at which southern hemisphere rugby now finds itself.

Advertisement

With the SANZAAR alliance on shaky ground and the increasingly inevitable need for a trans-Tasman Super Rugby competition, the importance of a strong relationship between Australia and New Zealand has never been more important. Nor has there been a more crucial time for the Bledisloe Cup to become the showpiece event that it should be.

Sports opinion delivered daily 

   

These games need to be big and exciting, with gripping encounters, dramatic twists and close scorelines. They need to become the jewel in the crown of world rugby (other than the World Cup). Yes, that means competing with the Six Nations as a spectacle, which it is currently trailing handsomely.

There is plenty of on-field talent and off-field expertise across both of these great rugby nations to reinstate this competition to its once lofty perch. It’s just a matter of making it happen.

Now, that’s infinitely easier said than done, so it comes down to the people at the top to get things turned around, which frankly could take a little while.

The best place to start is to recognise one key thing: we need each other.

Advertisement

For Super Rugby and internationals Rugby Australia and New Zealand Rugby need to move past the issues that have been played out in the media and start working together far more effectively.

Both countries have their own unique set of problems. New Zealand has a small market, while Australia’s viewership and fan engagement are sorely lagging in a very competitive football landscape.

In terms of how to go about overcoming these problems, that’s really up to the people in charge. However, recognition from both sides that ‘your problem is our problem’ would be a great place to start.

You know, rekindle that Anzac spirit?

Then they can go about addressing areas of need while playing to their respective strengths and work together on solving one hell of a rugby riddle.

Because one thing is for sure: the game isn’t where it needs to be and won’t get there without change.

Advertisement

In the meantime we can still hope that the dead rubber at Suncorp Stadium provides us with something special. Aussie fans won’t want to keep watching reruns of The Godfather Part III, and while too many cheeseburgers may seem delicious to the Kiwis, it won’t be good for the long-term health of our game.

close