Thanks Geoff. Rugby is back! What a great start too. Last Friday game to kick off the 2024 season was fantastic. The first half was as good as any 40 mins of quality rugby that I recall for many a year.

The Chiefs no doubt are one of the favourites for the gong in 2024 although after DMac was off injured early in the 2nd half, the game, while still brutal settled down a mite. If any neutral didn’t enjoy that game then I don’t know what else they want.

Very early days by I thought the next most watchable game was the interstate game Sat night between the Reds and Chook’s Tahs. Again first half was very competitive and while the penalty try, which imo was not truly justified (sorry disagree it was definitely early, a 50/50 at worst) to award it, then following up with a YC gave the hosts a huge leg up.

Anyhow week one only, my BLUES I thought had ‘an Ok’ first 40 (live) stumbled a bit in the second half (on replay) . Kept my eye on Zarn Sullivan, not a perfect start by any means but to me he looks to have the skills to warrant examinations as to higher prospects. Sure we have “Will” from Canterbury off injured presently but he, Jordan might not have 15 tied up just yet. Who has a better left boot that Sullivan in NZ?.

Disappointment for me was the performance of the Rebels and Force. The Brumbies will be there when the whips are crackin’, the Canes just has too much class for “Twiggies boys” over all positions.

Due to family commitments didn’t watch the game Saturday in Dunedin .. may have a lookie mid week.

Gotta say, no tipping panel on Thursdays when ‘us commoners’ have the opportunity to us to bag openly the experts picks will be missed by a number of regulars. No Brett MacKay no Diggercane, no Harry, no Tony no Christie, and no yourself Geoff, bantering against each other, it’s a shame. Loved watching the bias in the tips by the panelists .. and the follow up mitigation attempts … I

Depressing wrap Geoff, but thanks for bringing it for the attention of rugby fans.

Trouble is that many have their own agendas.

Great article given the situation the Rebels find themselves in.

While so many are negative, have to love the positivity of Salakaia-Loto and I wish him and the Rebels well for 2024 and beyond.

Thanks Geoff. It seems a little early in the year for rugby but in less than 2 weeks .. away we go again.

With so many changes of coaches and players post 2023, I have a keen interest in the performance of Vern Cotter. Ok he is not so much an “up and comer” but he is, in the Blues coaching ranks.

Sure he has had success internationally with both Fiji and Scotland as well as with clubs in the NH but I hope he and his mate Jason O’Halloran can transition into Super Rugby at the Blues!

If he can continue the progressive re-birth of the Blues under MacDonald he before moved on to the AB’s coaching team, the the Blues will have a red hot shot of taking out the title for 2024.

Of the players who will be entrusted with the fortunes for 2024, one player I will follow is Zarn Sullivan. Still only 23 after being signed by the Blues in 2020, he has played
most of his games at full back but he didn’t disappoint when asked to play 1st five for the franchise.

In fact imo Sullivan might have moved ahead of Perofeta with his prodigious left boot as 1st choice 10 in a straight swap with 15 between them. Let’s see if Cotter agrees. I would have thought that with Mo’unga and Barrett in Japan, up and coming flyhalves will be licking theirs lips at an opportunity to be noticed.

As always GP you make sense. Thanks

Ha! Harry is warming up… rugby is on the way!

A belated Happy New Year Geoff and welcome back.

I’m sure your preferable opening wrap for 2024 was meant to be celebration of RA and the States had woken up to serious issues that confront its survival. With the demise of HM, the betrayal of EJ exposed, the calamity of the Wallabies RWC performance in the rear vision mirror, left behind in 2023, in spite of the size of the challenges ahead one could be forgiven to believe there are some blue skies ahead.

The blue skies is not a total illusion but surely if RA seek to sail their ship to calmer waters, to achieve goals it needs the cooperation of all parties involved. It needs compromise and a show of unity that will give a degree of confidence to those backers of the code.

Thanks Harry. Interesting.

Rugby is far from being dead in Australia but imo for them to move forward, the selection of administrators have got to become less focused on their own patch.

Wishful thinking .. maybe but let’s see if lessons of the past have been absorbed.

BTW, a Happy New Year mate to you and yours .. hope 2024 is a goodie for you.

Yep mate, I was aware of that but I was referring more to the promotion of the game rather than maintaining their existence.

What the administration really need to do is engage with a quality credible research company to conduct a survey on what the fans want when it comes to rugby.

Have the questions of the survey bias towards what will attract people back to the grounds. Make the survey wide based, not 1,000 respondents but 30-40,000 respondents. Once research has narrowed it down, then fund the marketing programme for the customer base, give the fans what they want.

Research say “we know” not “we think”.
I don’t accept the administration cannot afford it, that’s BS. They can spend big dollars on parties and pay directors plenty .. take the funds out of there put the funds towards something that is positive at the coal face. I use the word positive because they will know what the fans want ..

For rugby executives sitting around a board table, none with the expertise on how to begin to change perceptions and the thinking really of fans, the chances of success in restoring faith back into fans by guesswork is close to zero imo.

RNZ and RA need to adopt the old General Motors approach of researching and “finding out what their customers wanted … then giving to them” .. as the means to meet corporate goals.. spending a few dollars to let off some fireworks ain’t gonna cut the mustard. Once they find out what the fans really want … fund the damn thing and give it to them.

As Phil Waugh has articulated, the product is “always the hero”, so make the product better .. what makes the product better and more acceptable … research … then research some more .. find out the underlying thing’s that will attract fans back to believe the product .. then give it to them, RA and RNZ will be more than 1/2 way there.

On the financial side if fans say it’s too expensive why not make promote something like ‘buy tickets to 2 matches and get the match one free .. get people coming through the gates once more..

Proper research costs a lot of money but if it costs $50,090 or $100,000 or $200,000 dollars .. spend it! It just might be the cheapest and best investment yet. I mean it’s Ok for HM to overspend a budget by a few million but RNZ or RA cannot invest a fraction of that to potentially restore the popularity of the game. A no brainer if you ask me.

Thanks Tony, almost unbelievable.

He is a guy who will not accept responsibility, one who never makes a mistake. His comments post being forced to resign indicates a person whose ego is far greater than his ability.

He does not live Rugby, he loves himself..

Thanks Geoff … we turn the page over towards a new chapter …I perceive there maybe a little more transparency and progress … then again … maybe not.

Now what….

When are you going to make yourself available as an independent board member GP 😁

Thanks Geoff for all ‘the Wraps’ all year. It has been amazing how you have covered and summarised each week the “current affairs” in always interesting articles. I can assure you regular readers appreciate your warts and all analysis.

All the best for a great festive season to you and yours, I trust that 2024 brings a drop in your golf handicap and you have more success in owning a nag that pays its way. 😊

Mate, I’m an old buggar who “has learnt patience is required.

The English girls skill level is well ahead of what we can offer at the moment. I’m hopeful that in a couple of years we will be challenging them for No 1 ranking but I’m not going to slash my wrists if we don’t succeed in that timeframe.

How about the Aussie Wallaroos! They performed really well given their limited resources. Topping France in particular was impressive after the Tri colours beat the Black Ferns. Then finishing up over Wales was a great way to end their tournament.

I have plenty left over from Halloween … not as many kids out this year 😊 😊

It was the Nerang car park mate! The concert went for 2 1/2 hours, took us 2 hours to get home about 6/7 kms away .. we got home just before 1:00am 😔

RH, yes Hamish is bigger than the game, he told me in his interview in the Australian ..

Very perceptive .. well done. Maybe HM’s instructions??

Nah .. Hamish McLennan never makes mistakes .. we all know that as all things negative are the fault of others.

Eddie Jones has now been sacked from Head Coaching roles twice (Australia and England) and has resigned from head coaching posts mid contracts (Reds and Wallabies) and he according to HM is the worlds best rugby coach who will turn RA fortunes and Wallabies around … yeah?

What chance have the Wallabies of winning the 2007 RWC at home. Only 2 teams have achieved winning the tournament on home ground so far, (South Africa 1995 and New Zealand 1987 and 2011)). Bold statement by HM to suggest that the Wallabies will achieve that. They haven’t now for the worlds best coach (in fact they have no coach appointed yet)… who will take on the position under the present management.

RA also, according to HM. has the best CEO qualified for the job. I have nothing against Phil Waugh, but what are his credentials compared to say Marinos’s to handle this role.

Rennie was dumped because “his performance” was not good enough … Hamish McLennan … neither is yours

Thanks Geoff, yeah I read the article in the Australian which too me, looked like an attempt to retain his job as Chair of RA if there are moves afoot to shift him out. Is he part of the problem or part of the solution? …

As an outsider looking in I would have thought the the broad pathway to recovery and financial stability would be well documented and understood. It is a well known discipline that “successful businesses are successful because employees and stakeholders not only know their mission, but they also know how the enterprise is going to get there”.

Over simplistic certainly, but there is little to no transparency to what Hamish has tried to achieve. Can he state and show that RA’s overall position today is better than the day when he took control? Publicly there is nothing to measure his performance and to virtually suggest that there is no one else who can “save RA” smacks on arrogance to me. In particular as for 3.5 years it appears he has been part of problem.

What is the projected cash and accounting surplus that RA is anticipating from hosting the Lion Tour and both men’s and women’s rugby world cups.

It was reported that the 2003 RWC left a surplus of approx $43 million. As I understand RA presently owes $40 million and is looking ‘to borrow’ another $60 million, until these events have materialised.. That will bring liabilities around the $100 million mark. What are RA’s projections up to then and can those projections be realistically be validated.

Great effort of the Wallaroos, to topple both France and Wales in NZ, but the tournament showed just how far ahead of the pack England is. They thumped Wallaroos as well as their conquerers in the WRWC last year, the Black Ferns. England of course has been several years ahead of Aust and NZ in developing the woman’s rugby game. RA needs to address this as a matter of urgency, just another bushfire that HM cannot sweep under the carpet.

Yes there is Muzzo. Sure the Akld catchment area will supply most, purely due to population but I’m sure that talent will be discovered elsewhere.

It will be very interesting to see how the AB’s will develop under Razor. We might need to wait a few months to see what materialises.

All speculation at the moment but I think a lot more will be known by end of November.

You are probably right Brett, but that’s Ok, I’m used to it now ????

Psst, back then now they have a lot of talent and I think will cover player losses better than most NZ franchises.

Mate it is what it is but I have followed Cane’s career since the days when he was on the bench cover for loosies, mainly Richie McCaw. Many matches he got little of no game time but he served his apprenticeship but he never complained and has been a loyal servant of NZ (not only the AB’s).

After the match he sort out and shook Barnes hand … he knew he erred in judgment in a split second but Kriel was not visibly injured, played on even without an HIA. After all the head injuries Cane has had, to be correctly banished from the biggest game of his life must be devastating. I just hope the AB’s and NZ rugby fans get around Cane …. Just as Kolisi did.