Great article Geoff,
A lot of common sense along with Highlanders one yesterday. Australia has not stepped up as they were expecting. Maybe some teams should be looking to play two half backs to speed up the game, if the 9 and 10 could interchange to a certain degree, or a flanker arriving a little off the pace does a quick pass from the base of the ruck, many NZ forwards play like centre’s anyway, develop the game into a new way of thinking.

Well said

Also to many Aus passes going to high or low which slow the attack as well.

Campbell is also been playing wing a fair bit lately as well, doesn’t suit his game and I believe he’s a much better fullback than wing.

Not sure I would want “Full Faith” from someone in the board!

I’ve heard that somewhere before!

No Gordon?
He will be in the bench
I love Tate, but he will be in the B team for the midweek game or for final game depending on how Rennie rests players.

I never actually said I was happy or not with the Ref.

And no, not happy about the ref’s performance, I actually feel that the last couple of years the Reffing has not been up to standard.

What I was trying to say is that both sides see things the ref misses and they are different. Reading two blogs on the same game and both sides supporters think that the ref has given the other side the bounce of the ball, or worse.
Reffing is a tough business, and they do not get paid the big bucks as the players do.
I’ve never seen a ref in a Bonds commercial for example – I will probably proven wrong by someone here though.
Too many laws and interpretations for a ref to be 100% correct.
If they can manage the flow of the game and be fairly consistent, I believe this is the best we can hope for.
As Geoff pointed out, we can get to hang up on the referring and blame them for everything and lose the excitement of the game.

Hi Gunny,
Thank you and agree with you in everything but bringing in teams from other countries, Australia needs to concentrate on Australia. The only benefit of bringing in another country is the feel good factor. RA needs at least 14 teams across the country to build its supporter bases and this could be done by having 3 QLD/NSW teams, 2 WA/VIC, 1 ACT/NT/TAS/SA. This would give them a true national competition. Once this is up and running and covering its costs, then look outside for the feel good factor. All organisations need to look after their core business first, as we have seen what happens with rugby in Australia when we have not looked after our core business.
On saying this I believe the same structure this year will be the go next year, except adding in the two PI teams.

Good comment Geoff,
I was reading a Crusaders blog and everyone complained about the ref being biased against them, then reading a roar blog, everyone was winging about how the ref was favouring the Crusaders.
Being a Ref is a no-win job, every ruck there could be a penalty, it’s being able to manage the flow off the game which in the end, can make or break a good spectacle.

You might be surprised. Last year showed that not playing each other domestically makes a difference internationally. Look at last years Southern Hemisphere results, all over the place. I believe Australia will become stronger and the international games more interesting.

Hi Aaron,
Good article. I am a kiwi living in Australia, and love watching my Crusaders play Aussie teams, more so because it means I can watch them live at least once a year, although in the time of Covid, it is much more random.
From an Australian point of view I have always said a domestic composition the way to go. It gives the Australian team a Australian winner every week. Done right you can’t have more teams. More local support as cross boarder rivalry brings out the passion the best. It shows in just two seasons of domestic footy only in Australia since Covid, the uptake is strong, the passion is back (maybe not NSW yet as losing to much). I have never liked a draft as it’s does not give clubs a reason to build local connections and develop strong pathways.
The we 42,000 at Suncorp for the final had only happened when teams reach the final, and under super rugby the finals in Australia are spread way to thin. The domestic comp means a final every year.
I believe NZ need Australia more the Australia need NZ.
It may be tough for the first few years, not enough teams or more teams and not enough money to go round, but if you sacrifice now, the money will come done the line. RA going with Stan/Nine has shown that rugby is a winner, just need a good domestic formula and stick to it.

Would also like to point out that the Aussie teams need to exit their 22 better. I believe only the Force managed it consistently. They were putting pressure on themselves by kicking to the 22 line or there about. Doing box kick bombs from inside your 22 that go 10m, well …….. should this ever be done?

You have mistaken small mindedness to different views, there are many ways to build up a sports in the world, just because soccer or basketball do it one way, does not mean it’s the correct way or the best way for rugby.
If every wants to watch or play in the EPL or NBA, then the local leagues (domestic league in another country) will never shine, then the local league will always struggle to be a national spot in there own country.
My point is;
There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

I only helping one side, if australia were winning 90% of games, would you want to help a NZ side so your side lose more, don’t like the idea sorry.

Last year I didn’t think Gordon deserved the Wallaby half back bench spot (Tate should have had it), but when he came back from injury this year, he has help NSW step up (how much is debatable) and they look a better side because of him. He will be on the wallabies bench again this year. Both good signings

They will tweak it every year, collars come and go

The problem with camps is, what happens when NZ want 3 separate camps and Australia want 5, just makes it complicated and a lot of behind the since negotiations.
Also just thought about Olympic 7’s. Clarke is going to play for the 7’s this year, would be difficult to do this if he played for the Force.
With this rule, the domestic competition Is dead. Can’t have both, and I’m sure not to many fans would like that.
I just think it’s a good idea to have a level playing field, but in reality it will never happen. And to be honest, I don’t want more than one or two foreigners playing in my side anyway , it’s not soccer – it’s rugby and one of the great things about rugby is that most competitions around the world only allow a few foreigners at most in there teams (France would be the big exception). This makes the internationals more meaningful and gives each country its own style.

Hi Soapit,
Don’t like the idea, and NZ will not go for it, and Australia should not as well.
Players playing in your own country gives you control over them and there training and mindset. If the national team need a 3 day catchup for whatever reason, they can do this with there own domestic teams, why would Blues help the Wallabies. Or the Reds help the All Blacks, something similar happens in France and England with privately owned teams, what do they care if the national team wins/loses, all they know is there player is lost for a time and could come back injured. Also getting information about players fitness etc might not be as easy and the super team should not be giving out stats for the other country, also what happens if a national coach wants a player to develop a certain aspect if there gave, another country will not care one bit about this as it’s not in there interest, if even worse, against there interest.
All I see are issues that will come from this, and not good ones, keep the current rules that you can have a certain amount of foreign players (I don’t know how many they are allowed currently) to help develop local talent.
This is a strange concept to put up in an era when the push is to develop local talent from local clubs to play for your local state,like the Reds, 22 out of 23 players last week came through the Qld pathways, the rebels have talked up there local content this year (only 4-5 players, but growing), the Force are always local player focus, give them 6-10 years and most will be West Australian, even talk of Waratahs going to this model.
The money in NZ and Aus will never match some of the other countries due to population size (economically more money on offer at the top) , so we need other reasons for players to play for us, representing your club, state it country is one of the few reasons players will stay for a substantial pay cut. Don’t stuff this up, as the downward spiral of the Wallabies and state teams will follow. The domestic league has started the journey to be better, let’s not stuff this one up.

Hi Jacko,
I’m not anti the PM and Fiji teams, they could fit straight in as a sixth team in each competition, (although on saying that, I believe Australia especially would be better off with an extra Australian team – I know everyones going to go on about depth and quality, if not an extra Aussie team, the NRC needs to come back). The only worry I have is with the PM team is I am not convinced on the all players motivation will be representing the islands and not jumping to the All Black jumper if they get a sniff of more money, higher profile (more sponsorship), winning team etc. They are stating that 80% of the players have to represent the Islands, what happens if they only get 75%, even worse 50% on board, how then do they get a quality standard side without taking NZ players. remember the Salary cap in most competitions around the world is more than the Australian and NZ comps, so money will not be a factor to uplift the family out of jobs schools/life. They can already represent their country wherever they are now.
I am worried that if done wrong, long term is will look very bad on Australia and more so NZ. Many things are done for the right reason, then have terrible long term ratifications.

I notice the mind games have already started. Highlanders prop has said Aussie’s refs weak on penalties for Aussie props.

This is aimed at one prop in australia he is facing this Friday.

Current format is great, I would tweak it and make the last round of the domestic competition the first round of the Trans Tasman (double up/cross over as such on games/competitions). This way if there is not semi final as per NZ this year, the matches still mean something. All the domestic games are played in this round and the final round is against foreign teams.
win win

Would like to mention the crusaders centre pairing, DH and LF would never have been thought of as a long term centre pairing, now, do you drop both for Brendan Ennor and Jack Goodhue?
thinking Goodhue might not make it, Ennor is should be there, but who do you drop?

And razors breakdance!

From Rugby.com.au article today

Saturday night’s television audience for the season finale peaked nationally at a staggering 464,000 during the dramatic final stages, with the average audience up 232% from the 2020 Final which was also played between the two sides. This audience figure does not include those who watched on Stan Sport or streamed on 9Now.

Just checked the tv ratings

Weekend TV ratings Saturday May 8, 2021

207k watched the game on gem/nine, didn’t match the 559k on 7 with the AFL, although I
would say nine and RA will be very happy with this number.