Former All Blacks captain Kieran Read has called on Australia’s Super Rugby teams to step up for the sake of the Kiwis playing in the new Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Read, speaking on Sky Sport NZ, has predicted a win rate of 80-90 percent by Kiwi teams over their Aussie rivals, and bemoaned the loss of tough South African contests from the competition.
The Crusaders legend said: “I think if you look across the board at the competition next year, you’re going to probably look at a 90 per cent, 80 per cent win rate for New Zealand teams.
“That’s not great for the competition, and it’s not going to be great for the guys playing the games.
“So, we do need Australia to step up and hopefully improve their performances.”
New Zealand teams won 23 out of 25 games against Australian sides in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman after the two countries had their own internal battles this year.
The Hurricanes finished last in Super Rugby Aotearoa but comfortably beat Super Rugby AU victors Queensland Reds.
The issues over the lack of depth in Australia’s teams has led to suggestions that a draft system seeing New Zealand players join Aussie franchises
But New Zealand Rugby general manager professional rugby and high performance Chris Lendrum has ruled it out in the short term, while saying it is something that could be considered.
“The short answer is not right now,” Lendrum was reported as saying on Monday.
“[But] in the future you can’t rule that out. There are a lot of different factors to take into account in rugby as opposed to the NRL.
“We’re certainly focused on making a really strong start to this competition, and watching strength and depth build throughout this competition.
“…while we want to focus on making this competition as exciting as possible, of course as the governing body you have to keep an eye on the strength of our All Blacks, which is obviously pivotal.
“[But] we’re certainly not saying no. We’re open to those discussions in the future, but it has to be on a principled basis where it makes sense for all parties.”
Meanwhile, French billionaire Mohed Altrad, whose company is the All Blacks new naming rights jersey sponsor, has revealed details about the sponsorship.
Altrad Group, owned by the 73-year-old entrepreneur, will replace AIG at the end of the year in a deal reported to be worth more than $NZ120 million.
Altrad reportedly beat Amazon and a major Japanese corporation to secure the naming rights on the All Blacks jersey for the next six years.
He told a French website that as part of the deal there would be four national matches in Montpellier over the next four years involving the All Blacks, All Blacks B, Māori and Black Ferns, while former All Blacks would be fast-tracked intot the Top 14 club.
The building supplies company also owns Montpellier Hérault Rugby (MHR) and its name appears on the front of the jersey of the French national team.
Jimbob
Roar Rookie
I suppose it’s the distance issue - but they do get a bit samey - last years series was actually quite good over the three games - but this years has been pretty much the same game 3 times without any really big differences. Getting an extra test against someone else would make for a nice change of pace l.
Reddy
Roar Rookie
Bledisloe should be only two tests, one in Australia and one in new Zealand each year. I think we do tend to play particularly Australia too much too often. I'm sure Australia would like the calendar freed up for a test against a different nation each year.
ScottD
Roar Guru
60% of the Australian teams in TTSR were competitive this year but none of the teams were consistent enough and all of the teams struggled at times with rule interpretations. I'm not sure why the interpretations in SRAu were different to TTSR and while I have read a lengthy explanation somewhere I have forgotten it. What this Pacific SR competition will at least bring is consistency in that regard so I am confident that this will help the overall competition. I am confident that it will all be fine, just as I am confident that NZ teams are more likely to win the competition than Australian teams. I am also sure that at some point an Australian team will win it if it is run long enough. Contrary to what some think, NZ does need Australia to be in this competition or it won't work and also while NZ has the upper hand financially at the moment RA needs to accept that sometimes they will need to compromise a bit more than they'd like. Again, I am confident it will all work out in the end. Roll on 2022 rugby. I am looking forward to it. Go the mighty Force!!!!!!!!!!!
ScottD
Roar Guru
He may not be but I am :)
Kahukura
Roar Rookie
Wish all your negative pundits and scribes remembered that when they were running down the ABs for delaying their travel plans to Perth because they weren't given an assurance the RC could go ahead meaning they could have been stuck in limbo till the European tour begun November. They made up all sorts of garbage and wouldn't buy NZRU's rational explanation. Oz are living in lala land unless they drop at least one team to strengthen their SR teams but oh no they think otherwise and will suffer the consequences...again
The Yabbie
Roar Rookie
I'm a waratahs supporter, through and through. Time to get real and turn the page. Our mascot is a flower. How about the NSW WHALES? We did well under Cheika 2014 with an awesome Big forward pack delivering front foot ball to a slick back line. Splash that tale. Bring on the New South Wales Whales and ditch the effing flower. Ok a bit off the track but how do you get passionate about a flower? Make a brand that the players and fans can get behind. They're local. Blue is synonyms and they're very big. The biggest.
Guess
Roar Rookie
I don't need NZ sides playing against aus at all.
Guess
Roar Rookie
They didn't watch SR cause it was bs. They were starting to watch SR au but Aru decided to screw it up
Guess
Roar Rookie
Because they just merged the comps again instead of developing aus comp :crying:
Micko
Roar Rookie
And that's why NZR will always have to look for PE money to sustain themselves in a sport they're bloody good at: no pragmatism!
NH Fan
Guest
So you are not in favour of young NZ players getting SR experince paid for by RA (if only in part). You would rather they get two games a season where they learn nothing and play NPC on pennies infront of small crowds while their agents tell them they can get 2 or 3 times the wages in Europe/Japan and play 50% of the games. There is a reason that players aren't sticking around as most players want to play and afford to pay the bills. There are about 50 clubs in Europe and Japan looking for gems who are undervalued. If you can't afford to buy a bigger farm you need, you rent land or you sell your animals because you need more feed, NZRU seem to not get that.
NH Fan
Guest
I don't understand this. England has 13 teams, top under 20s can push to get into the match day 23 and push to get into the team by 21-22. France are similar and look how all their u20s of 2-3 ago are all now starting to fill up the T14 teams and on to national, this means that their u20s are coming through and progressing as it's not hard to get to 2 players in each position across 13/14 teams. NZ only has 5 which means its harder and much more of bottle necks appear. If NZRU were smart they would allow all u23s to go to Oz for a year or two so they are coming back with 2 years experince rather than getting a handful of appearances and thinking of heading away. Add in that there are only 14 games v 24/26 there are fewer games to give players a go. Send out as many youngsters to get time seems a no brainer and the players aren't going to pick WB over AB if good enough
NH Fan
Guest
Brazil use to have the best players in the world but once all the best players went overseas the standards dropped as has Brazil national team. Most of the big Brazil players are older with fewer younger players being the big stars. They still have players coming through but they would be on par with the rest of the world if not behind the big European countries. Of the young players coming through they go into the acamedy system were they are far from home fighting it out with kids from all over the world so harder to get through where as the big euro teams have half their accademy being domestic players. Other countries have benefits as their kids go through the same system so get better support. In Rugby we are starting to see with Fiji and Georgia as they are getting more players at top teams now they are moving to 6N clubs. Samoa and Tonga will see similar improvement as their eligible players move North. Scotland and soon Italy are also using this to finish off the training of their top players to give them that extra level.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
In coaching a few sports I have found males have a real focus on power in execution while females have a much greater focus on technique in execution. Therefore it makes sense to me that the girls coming through the 7s program so quickly lifted their skill levels. Focus on technique without the burden of incorrectly executing skills for a long time. I suspect that for many male players they never had to learn the skills and it just becomes hard to change life long habits. Not to mention understanding space if you have been able to run over people all your life.
DAVEC
Roar Rookie
Read has forgotten the chiefs lost to Queensland and the hurricanes lost to the brumbies and the force nearly beat the chiefs and the brumbies nearly beat the crusaders
Hugh_96
Roar Pro
You may well be right - sometimes I really wonder how a full time player can't execute some skills. With the Super Rugby teams (eg Tahs) and Wallabies whilst I would like them to be winning all the time I know that's not going to happen but so long as the games I watch are competitive even with the the occasional blow out, I will enjoy it. Commercially for Rugby AU it must be a concern, I know we have gone to a lot less Oz v NZ games over the last 10 yrs.
Republican
Guest
Like getting blood out of a stone really. No one plays the game here and thats not about to change. I suggest NZ look to other markets for competition because we are'nt interested.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I don't think it matters too much who we are compared to. I long ago decided that the problem was too few SR level coaches rather than SR level coaches. However the coaching and development deficiency goes far beyond that, we are not developing enough players with the skill and preparation level for SR.
adam smith
Roar Rookie
Agree with that Jimbob, if it's not a success, we're both in trouble. In regards to Nz media, very few Kiwi's take them seriously. In fact, both the New Zealand Herald & Stuff.co.nz are constantly requesting "membership or donations" because they are bleeding money and "viewership".
Sydneysider
Guest
That is my prediction as well. This Super Rugby Pacific will become an 8 team Super Rugby kiwi competition in 3 years time. Australia will go it alone and create their own league with some PE investment from Twiggy Forrest and a few other rich investors. My other prediction is that the All Blacks will be like the Kangaroos in rugby league, thrashing all their pacific rim neighbours in international matches (Australia, Japan, USA, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga etc). Not their fault that they are so good at the game but it won't be commercially enticing in this part of the world to watch one sided test matches.