Former All Black Andrew Mehrtens has suggested Rugby Australia’s bold statement that they’re ready to walk out on New Zealand and Super Rugby could be ruse to stay in the headlines while the SRP final is contested between two Kiwi teams.
But ex-Wallaby Morgan Turinui says RA has every right to explore a different approach, while Tim Horan has warned the “hand grenade” launched by Hamish McLennan could blow up in his own face.
On Thursday, Fox Sports reported that Rugby Australia had told NZR that Australia might leave Super Rugby from 2024 onwards.
“We’ll honour our commitments in ’23 but we need to see what’s best for rugby in Australia leading up to the RWC in Australia in ’27,” RA chairman McLennan told Fox Sports.
“All bets are off from ’24 onwards with NZ.”
“I think we’ve got to be really careful with this,” Horan said on Rugby Heaven, which is to air on the game’s Australian broadcaster Stan Sport later Thursday.
“Hamish has just thrown a hand grenade, but we need the All Blacks, they need us as much as we need them.
“How are you going to have a competition with five Australian Super Rugby teams? You’d get sick of playing each other.
“The fans are just starting to get an understanding of where the calendar lies, and where the table is with 12 teams, with Fijian Drua and (Moana Pasifika).”
Turinui, however, said he confirmed the story with McLennan and believed it was only right that RA explore their options.
“It’s an interesting one in terms of timing, I had a chat with Hamish this afternoon, the Rugby Australia board has discussed it, the Super Rugby teams are behind these discussions,” Turinui said.
“The key is RA and rugby in Australia need to continue to look at what’s best for Australian rugby.”
Turinui said the Super Rugby AU final last year, which drew 41,637 fans for the match between the Brumbies and Reds was “a real watershed moment in the thinking of the game.”
“There was survival around COVID-19, there was disappointment in the relationship with New Zealand Rugby, with New Zealand saying they only wanted two Australian teams in Super Rugby.
“From that has come this year’s Super Rugby Pasifika which I think we can all agree has been quite successful and encouraging.
“It’s about what looks best for Australian rugby from here until the 2027 and 2029 World Cups.
“At the moment we don’t have to be tied to New Zealand. Hamish talked about how he’d prefer to play the All Blacks twice a year and that’s about it, and continue to develop relationships with places like South Africa, who we don’t see in Super Rugby.
Wallabies forward Harry Wilson joined Brett McKay and Harry Jones on this week’s podcast. Listen here!
“It’s an interesting time to not just assume that what we’ve always done before works.
“How’s the last 20 years of Australian rugby been? Why wouldn’t we review? Yes, we’ve been competitive, Australian teams have been better.
“I’ve loved Super Rugby Pacific, but it is a good opportunity to review what suits our players, our Wallabies team, our Super Rugby teams, and the whole structure of Australia Rugby.
“Australian sport is built on tribalism, AFL and NRL. Is it dangerous to try and copy that? Or should we keep doing what we’ve always done and hope we’re better performed in Super Rugby.”
Mehrtens said Super Rugby AU’s success was partly due to the circumstances around the pandemic.
“I think you’ve got to look at the context of how that competition did well. It was necessity, we had to do it, we had to stay within our own countries,” Mehrtens said.
“People were just overjoyed to have sport occurring, when in their private lives they were getting locked up in their houses.
“I think the success of it has to be seen through that lens. The worry of it, with this grenade, is you’ve got to make sure someone doesn’t grab it and throw it back at you at the same time.”
Mehrtens said both nations needed to realise there shouldn’t be any complacency.
“Australia does have to look after the Australian game, New Zealand equally,” he said.
“I think there’s mutual benefit in working together.
“My cynical nature says it’s a bit of a ruse this week. There’s a lot of talk about two New Zealand teams in the final, how do we get Australian rugby back in the headlines this week? Well done, Hamish McLennan.”
Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge was one of the first club officials to react to the RA comments, tweeting that “this competition has been real special and there’s been points, just points, in it all the way. This genuinely has the potential to be even more brilliant next year and the year after.”
Mansbridge told stuff.co.nz: “We have got a relationship that has got better and better with the Australian clubs, and we have worked hard with them to value a competition that is going to be exciting for fans both now and in the future.
“And we have all approached it in good heart and with a growth mindset.”
Avan Lee, CEO of the Hurricanes, said his franchise also wanted the Australian teams to continue to participate.
.“Absolutely. We have really enjoyed the last couple of years,’’ Lee said. “We feel like we are just getting going, and going a lot of work behind the scenes. The players love playing in Australia and there have been a lot of competitive games.
“I would be surprised if the Australian teams don’t want to stay.’’
Peter
Roar Rookie
I am not easily entertained. I thought I made it clear that I am not entertained by watching one sided contests or for that matter endless TMO replays and scrum resets but that’s another story. If you like Pay tv. Then….. guess what ? it’s your lucky day because the best players ARE shown on a pay tv channel near you. Unless of course you would seek to impose a restraint of trade and ban them from playing overseas. I wonder what Dave Warner would say about not being able to play in the IPL or how Cameron Smith might feel about being denied a ticket to play the British Open. Perhaps Lionel Messi should hand back all the money he’s made in Europe and play in Argentina for the love of the game. The Argentinians and the rest of the world would probably complain in unison what a shame it is that nobody got to see him compete with the best in the world. That’s just the way it is Steve 50. Money makes the world go round, that’s a fact but it is not the only factor that determines whether a competition is entertaining or not. Some of the most entertaining products are produced on the cheapest of budgets. The movie Rocky for instance was produced for $ 1million dollars and it PUNCHED above it’s weight. It took home $ 117 million in ticket sales at the time. Just saying ……… there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Steve 50
Roar Rookie
A weak NPC that makes no money, you really think it will be able to afford the best AB’s playing in it and mid range AB’s? Dream on, the NPC will only be a semi pro comp under any model . The fact you think Dan carter type players would stay for 150k to play NPC year in yr out in the future is laughable
Steve 50
Roar Rookie
Then all the money hungry star players will leave to go overseas. But hay that doesn’t bother you. It bothers me, I want pay tv . Boo hoo , enjoy your inferior entertainment product with inferior players. You are easily entertained
Peter
Roar Rookie
The future of Australian Rugby rests in Australia, not in New Zealand. Finally we have someone that recognises this.
Peter
Roar Rookie
Did I say I want to pay them lots of money. I don’t even watch Super Rugby. I just want to be entertained. I am more likely to be entertained by an even competition of competitive teams than a lopsided competition such as almost all iterations of Super Rugby have been. Sure, a high standard of play is welcome but my determination to watch is based on whether I am going to be entertained not on whether it lifts the standards of the Wallaby’s. Watching New Zealand teams dominating Super Rugby for close to thirty years has become a bore. The big money in Rugby long term is in National Competitions. Sure International Rugby is a big pay day but ultimately, just the cream on top.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Ferret NZ born players formed over 50% of both the Samoan and Tongan squads at the past 2 WCS. Who is using who? Aus had over double the amount of OS born players at the last WC than NZ.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Haha.... Ive been saying for a while now that Aus and NZ need a rest from each other. The hatred from Aus because they dont win is bad. Its making a combined comp very difficult. NZ shouldnt have to financially support RA and any compromises by NZR wont work for NZ rugby so forget it all and move on.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
They are very active but its not being done in the media unlike the RA approach.
ME
Guest
Anybody who thinks NZR will be left "out in the cold" of any Rugby comps because of PE investment clearly doesn't know anything about Rugby, or the Charter that WR follows. Also CVC will not "end up owning all rugby assets" that is just hyperbole on your part.
Mark Hoffman
Guest
So RA is going to walk out on Pacific rugby where half of your players come from. How & where do the Dura & manu stand if you disregard them
Liam
Guest
Kiwi fans don't bother to go along to see kiwi teams dismember aussie teams. But they will go to see kiwi teams knock hell out of each other with no guarantee of a win. ....?
Wigeye
Guest
Ignore tim Joe be your own person on this public forum. ITS the not ignoreing when your ignoreing is what you can do :thumbup:
AndyS
Guest
I'm inclined to agree, I think things would look a lot different if the Australian SR teams were currently underpinned by an established semi-professional competition and player development programs. But they've never given any sign of understanding that or being prepared to make the necessary sacrifices, and that doesn't look like changing, so it all looks pretty bleak.
AndyS
Guest
SR was the top teams of Currie Cup, which meant the same teams won the CC every year. Much as happens in the Premiership - how much actual turnover in the top six really happens? NZ saw that and wanted to maintain the integrity of their NPC, which they did by creating separate entities for SR. Personally think that has served them well, but certainly has pros and cons. Think there would be a lot of currently top provincial teams in NZ that would either not exist now or have been amalgamated had they had gone the other route. I certainly think that would have had significant impact on player development and numbers. At best it would have meant SR instead of the top division of NPC, but whether that would have been better or not...?
AndyS
Guest
True that. Can't believe the Europeans somehow like rugby more than Antipodeans, so there has to be something in how their Unions and clubs approach it that is making it successful compared to here. I wonder if the local Unions have even done a genuine root-cause commercial analysis, or whether the causes are genuinely insurmountable, or whether the necessary changes would involve some level of relinquished control that they'd rather see the game fail rather than accept.
Double Agent
Guest
"Basically, Aus SR sides operate at half or less the budget of an NZ SR team." Good to know. Next time the Tahs lose I'll be comforted by knowing the kiwis have double the budget.
Double Agent
Guest
Me too! :laughing:
Double Agent
Guest
Yes. Emphatically!!
Tom G
Roar Rookie
The problem with Hamish and hand grenades is that he sometimes throws the pin and grips tightly on the other bit
Joe King
Roar Rookie
There’s no hatred from Australia towards NZ for losing. You’re not listening. The big deal for many Oz fans is the code being able to compete with other codes within Oz. A domestic comp ticks that box for a few reasons. Having an Oz winner is about building the code within Oz, it’s got nothing to do with being a sore loser.