Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Joe Moody and Beauden Barrett line up for the national anthems at Rugby World Cup. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Joe Moody and Beauden Barrett line up for the national anthems at Rugby World Cup. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
New Zealand isn't really doing its bit to grow the global game by supporting the emerging tier of nations. Not really. Not properly or the way it should be, without self-interest and ulterior motive.
It will say that it is – argue that it has sent New Zealand Maori allover the world in the last few years to help build the profile of rugby.
The Maori have been to the USA, Canada and Brazil in recent seasons – so the gospel is being spread. The second tier are getting their fixtures.
But what about the All Blacks? What role have they played in providing the lesser nations with the very thing they want the most – exposure to the best teams?
New Zealand can stick the name All Blacks on as many international teams as they like but the world can't be fooled. They know the difference between the All Blacks and the Maori All Blacks and fans around the world want to see the former.
New Zealand Rugby needs to respect that – not try to fob everyone off with one thing they hope can masquerade as another.
Tier Two teams want to play against the All Blacks and that hasn't been happening. Not enough and not for the right reasons.
England are doing it. They will play Tonga at Twickenham later this year and that comes after they hosted Fiji in London in 2016, Samoa in 2017 and Japan in 2018.
France are doing it. They hosted Samoa in 2016, Japan in 2017 and Fiji in 2018. Scotland, Ireland and Wales are all doing it – they have all played Fiji recently, and a mix of Samoa, Japan, Tonga and Georgia as well.
The All Blacks, on the other hand, have had one genuine tier two fixture in the last five years. That was when they went to Apia to play Samoa in 2015.
Ardie Savea of the All Blacks looks dejected after the teams defeat during the 2019 Bledisloe Cup test match. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
That was a genuine moment. A test that was about paying back – of giving Samoa, a close and important ally, the test they had always wanted to host.
But since then the fixtures against tier two sides have been with agenda. They have not been arranged to support the weaker side and help them grow, they have been about making money or providing the All Blacks with the opposition they have needed ahead of a bigger fixture.
In 2017, Samoa came to Auckland at short notice to play the All Blacks. That was purely because the All Blacks didn't want to go into the British Lions series cold.
In 2018 the All Blacks played in Japan. The game was arranged outside the official test window so they were able to command $1 million for turning up and really, it was about getting the team acclimatised to Japan ahead of the World Cup.
Again, in 2019, Tonga were in Hamilton so they could provide the All Blacks with a pre-tournament romp. They were there as cannon fodder.
If the clock is wound back further, the All Blacks went to Japan in 2013 and the USA in 2014 for no other reason than to make money.
Would they have gone to either country had there not been a $1million pay day waiting for them?
The time has come, then, for NZR to address the issue and slot some genuine Tier Two fixtures into the All Blacks' calendar.
The national body can't point to later this year and say the All Blacks are off to Tokyo, because once again that's about money and paving the way for Japan to enter the Rugby Championship.
Besides, are Japan even a Tier Two nation? They didn't look like it at the World Cup.
It is time for something more selfless and authentic. A fixture that doesn't have an ulterior motive. How about playing Georgia in Tbilisi as part of a European end of year tour?
How about a test in Suva next July when the British and Irish Lions are touring, making it not such a great plan to play tests at that time against any of England, Ireland, Wales or Scotland.
Why not stop in North America next year and play the USA and Canada in consecutive weekends and don't ask for any cash – just play them. And while they are there, get the players out and about – not through staid sponsor functions but with open trainings and meet and greets.
Social media would go mad for it and the PR would in time be worth a fortune.
There's so much talk of the July and November test programmes being repetitive and dull which is why there are constant attempts to generate meaningful competitions to fill that space.
But maybe some magic could be injected by investing in the little guys of the world game and maybe by doing so, some life can be breathed back into the international game and New Zealand can say it is genuinely doing its bit.
