'Simply not true': NZR boss rejects Rennie claim, SA journo says Boks should join Six Nations

Reading this article just made me think the AB executive is full of crap. For example, he says senior Wallabies were aware. That is not the same as giving notice to the RA executive. He also says "we consulted". So they sent then something...". That is not the same as making a decision on something. Then he adds "They're under financial pressure... ". Classic deflection from the mob that sold off the ABs to private equity ensuring what was a national team is now a corporate toy. Stinks, just like the collusion years ago between the NZ Herald, the ABs executive and the ABs "security staff" about the bug in the chair. Apparently its not enough to be second best in the world - that's the Springboks - you also need to think your self entitled drivel makes any sense at all.

So merely half a million 6N viewers out of 8 million rugby subscribers at present. Admittedly that would increase if SA played but cant see why that would tempt the 6N to allow in a team that would probably win most years as they will, like RA saw with the TTR competition, see domestic viewers switch off. Sure u might boost the overall numbers but I cannot see much benefit for them.

Info I got is that SS have +/-8 million regular rugby viewers and that number goes up substantially for big matches like RWC where it was over 20 million for the final because of pubs & large venues with big screens. They are after that 8 mill regulars that could potentially more than double the 6N viewing numbers. 6N viewing numbers in SA are currently around the 400-600k mark per game so we are already making up a good portion of the viewers for a competition we are not involved in.

Private equity has gobbled up 80% of Europe's commercial value not globally. The future for the rest of the SH is in the American (both North and South) and Japanese markets and maybe eventually China. The new professional leagues in USA and Japan are a positive sign of growth. In the future I forsee that, like SA, players from NZ or Oz playing in those competitions will be able to still play for their countries at the Test level. NZR and RA are actively seeking some form of PE as they need it to retain players and keep the growth of the game. All the NZ provinces think that the deal will benefit the grassroots though how that filters down is still unclear. I get your disdain for PE but these days all options have to be examined - personally I liked the NZRPA idea. In the last few days you have harped on about Silver Lake being involved in NZR decision to delay the Perth game and you were proved wrong. Also by moving north are not SA looking at getting a share of this European PE? Bit hypocritical of you eh what. Sure it makes sense for SA to look North for the obvious reasons, most of your top players are already in Europe or Japan, but where is your proof of this? "As for you not seeing Wales, Scotland, Ireland or Italy voting for that, I hate disappoint you but those are the ones who were the biggest drivers behind SA Rugby moving North. Ireland & Wales the biggest culprits." The same countries that blocked the global calendar and promotion and relegation between tiers? I am sick of World Rugby and the Home Unions control over the game and wouldn't lose sleep if we never played there again. They certainly have done no favor's for SA either as they just want your players and your money without giving you anything back. NZ can do without SA, they have for the last 2 years and during the apartheid embargo, without losing anything. Your lot can go North - I see SA want the cake and the icing - revenue from both the 6 Nations and the TRC. Lastly - can you give me the viewing numbers from "Super Sport with its 21+million pay per view subscribers" for the games SCO/ITL, WAL/SCO, IRE/FRA or ENG/FRA? Just so I get an idea of the size of the carrot?

Kgb, you need to take dial down the arrogant NZR 'we are the best & the world owes us everything" attitude mate. Reality of the world we live in today is that private equity have already gobbled up 80% of rugby's commercial value and are busy concentrating it in Europe. At the same time they were doing this NZR decided it would be a good idea to blow up SANZAAR and make all their partners hate them. NZR cannot and will not survive without SA and that is the cold hard reality that all in NZ need to come to grips with. Not nice I know, but you should be hammering your rugby union & fire the current management that are taking you down the drain at a rapid rate. On the 6N issue, I take it you know private equity bought into that competition? Well how do you think they are going to get their money back? Definitely not through broadcasting the games on free to air TV. Anybody with half a brain knows they used SA Rugby & Super Sport with its 21+million pay per view subscribers as a carrot to do that deal. SA Rugby are not stupid either, they wanted all in before it could proceed & already have participation in the URC & European comps contracts wrapped up. As for you not seeing Wales, Scotland, Ireland or Italy voting for that, I hate disappoint you but those are the ones who were the biggest drivers behind SA Rugby moving North. Ireland & Wales the biggest culprits. For the record, I do not hate NZR, just the people running it at the moment really grate my rind!!! They are too involved with that extremely shady Silver Lake lot. Mark my words, that will not work out for NZ, just ask Liverpool how they suffered for years before they managed to get rid of them. They are also the ones behind the recent attempted break of European soccer league and all round bad juju.

I cant understand your heated hatred for NZ mate but it is ridiculous really. Like your theories are just fanciful. Is it because your recent record of 17 losses to 3 wins against NZ? "nobody wants to fork out millions just to lose to NZ all the time. This is why nobody wants to join the RC, especially not Japan. This is also the thinking of the NH nations. They won’t admit it but they want to see a week NZ to give them better odds of wining the RWC" Bollocks ... players want to test themselves against the best and all teams lose sometimes so if you can beat the best opposition then it is a fantastic achievement. Japan would definitely be with NZ as that is what draws the fans and the TV coverage. The stadiums are full when AB's play - how many would front for a Canada vs Oz game? Go to any of the clothing markets in Asia and you will find hundreds of AB merchandise and mere handfuls of other rugby teams. Also by your own deluded logic the NH don't give a flying toss about what happens as long as they still control World Rugby and a weakened NZ team will cost them serious money - and you keep pushing the bs line that SA will be in the 6 Nations ... you seriously believe the 6 Nations will admit a team that (albeit narrowly) just beat the combined UK teams? A team that will more often than not win the competition? I can't see Wales, Scotland, Ireland or Italy voting for that. You need to change your hate meds to happy ones.

Jak mate i haven’t laughed so much with regards to your comment. Very witty mate.

As i said SA or any SH team in the 6 nations would destroy it. Our annual competition has been going on for decades and an absolute car crash will happen if the bokke are allowed in. The six nations is remarkable in that it needs no team from the South to enhance it whether monetary or just viewing.The rivalry is something else between the nations but SA would bring malice, a different atmosphere, with their capers & would erode the integrity of the competition.I’m from the north & i can tell you that SA are not wanted & fans will definitely protest. You have never hidden your despising of UK but as soon as the pound signs start ringing you look to us to welcome you.

Can someone tell me why Marinos is not the subject of anger here. he first off says he was not advised of cancellation - that in itself is a lie, as he has admitted. Then he throws a wobbly saying that it was the manner in which it was expressed. Problem is he was farcical at Sanzaar, and we have hundreds of people on the Roar believing his lies

I guess you're one of those triggered ppl without a clue from the eastern islands aye!

Sci, if you want to remain on this platform then may I suggest you engage in a constructive manner instead of trolling? Just a reminder that people have been removed from this site for behavior similar to yours recently.

Potsie, I gather from this article that it is all about the stand-off on private equity and that NZR took that position to try and woo the NZRPA over to agree to the Silver Lake deal. This Silver Lake crowd are very bad news wherever they get involved, and even worse before they get involved. They have a long shady track record of playing games before they make equity deals.

Pleasure mate, crazy is smack on the button. I think the NH clubs are going to object to us playing over there, but that is just my gut feel. They have just recently opened up to allow fans in so they will not want to compete for fans against international competition.

"Most NH fans" you mean you and your 25 Twitter followers more like it.

Now that Marinos has admitted that he knew the All Blacks weren't coming and that his objection was just about the timing of the press release, it will be interesting to see the fall-out as he allowed Rennie to stand up in front of the media and present the narrative. Rennie is a straight up kinda guy. I imagine he would not be pleased that he was used as a patsy.

That article makes no sense. SilverLake are behind the cancellation and proposed relocation of a game that they have no contractual relationship to and no potential to gain from?? NZR are going to benefit from a relocation of a game that won't create any benefit for them??

Lets be clear about the issue here. It was a failure by Robinson to inform Rugby Australia of the decision before communicating it to the media. And then he grovels and tries to cover up. The whole performance points to a typically arrogant and patronising attitude by NZ Rugby, not just towards Australia but also involving South Africa and Argentina. And its not the first time. Robinson should fall on his sword and if he does not, the board should move him on. The chairman and board members of NZ Rugby also have a lot to answer for, having appointed Robinson in the first place and now being oblivious to first principles of governance and communication.

Big caps and symbols ! woo hoo wayney poo.. So sorry you feel badly treated. ;(

Thanks for posting that link Wayne. I thought the idea of playing it in Europe rather than in one of the SH countries was just so left field, almost crazy; but commercial and PE influence would explain it.

C m on ozzzie C m on C m on