The result was less important than the occasion in Rotorua. Photo / Getty
The result was less important than the occasion in Rotorua. Photo / Getty
Some of the most prominent players in the NRL are calling for the All Stars game to return to New Zealand on a biennial basis, off the back of Saturday’s clash in Rotorua.
It was a brilliant spectacle, in front of an impressive 17,644 crowd that rode every moment, withthe Indigenous All Stars prevailing 28-24 over the Māori All-Stars in an entertaining contest.
The preceding women’s match was also well received – with a wonderful atmosphere as the Māori produced a late come back to win 16-12.
The week had been affected by player withdrawals – but that didn’t seem to matter on Saturday, with a wonderful climax to a week of unique cultural celebration in the geothermal city.
2022 Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes, who was key to the Indigenous victory and later named player of the match, summed up the feeling of many of his teammates when asked about the week.
“It was one of the best experiences of my life, to be honest,” Hynes told the Herald. “The [powhiri] ceremony when we got here, the dinner we had, the Māori speakers, it’s something else over here. They talk about us being the bigger brother but I think we are equal and they show us what culture is about because we have lost a lot of our languages, [the] stolen generation over in Australia.
“We have learned a lot, hopefully we can take it back to Australia. I love this place, the culture and the people. I’ll hold this close to my heart forever.”
After four consecutive iterations of the match in Australia before Saturday, Hynes had no doubt about what the future should look like.
“It has to go one for one now,” said Hynes. “Back to [Australia] next year, back here the year after. Just keep going like that because you can’t beat this atmosphere. New Zealand rugby league, the fans, the people here, everyone deserves more rugby league here.”
Kiwis forward and Maori All-Stars co-captain Joseph Tapine had similar sentiments.
Nicho Hynes was a standout for the visitors. Photo / Getty
“We need to share it – one each,” said Tapine. “Get it back to our people and grow the game over here. We have a lot of untapped talent over here and games like this can inspire those young guys we can make NRL even stronger. And a lot of guys in our team haven’t really had a taste of the culture, been brought up in Australia, so it is good for them to connect with their roots, their ancestors and where they come from.”
Tapine has played big test matches for New Zealand, along with the 2019 NRL grand final but admitted Saturday was a unique experience.
“When I ran out I was really emotional,” said Tapine. “My family was in the crowd, the people were loud and I got goosebumps. I loved it.”
The 28-year-old had also enjoyed the cultural celebration that the week had provided.
“From day one we had a powhiri and spiritually I feel much more connected to my culture,” said Tapine. “Since I’ve been in Rotorua I’ve learnt a lot. It’s a very bilingual city and it’s pretty inspiring to me, because I am on the early stages of that as well.”
Tapine’s co-skipper James Fisher-Harris continued the theme, with his emotion obvious after the match. He spent a long time on the field beyond the final whistle, connecting with fans, with some performing impromptu grandstand hakas in his honour.
“It was pretty special out there,” said the two time premiership winner. “Even the week was amazing, going to the schools and all that. It was the most I have felt embraced, ever. Hopefully it goes up North next time – we’ll see. But definitely one in Oz and one back here would be pretty good so hopefully it will happen.”
Indigenous All Stars captain Cody Walker said the overall experience was something he would “never forget” and was “open” to the idea of regular matches here.
However the NRL aren’t offering any guarantees about the future.
After the match NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo told the Herald that future venues for the match were up for discussion and there were a lot of stakeholders to consult and many factors to consider. While he agreed that the week had been a success – on many levels – Abdo said it was too early to say when the match might be returning to New Zealand and emphasised that the idea of alternate fixtures was nowhere near locked in.
Broadcasting considerations are a big factor, given the time zones, along with the practicalities of shifting four squads of players across the Tasman, when the vast majority are based in Australia. The week is also dependent on sponsorship and support from the particular host city, with Rotorua committing considerable finance and resources to the 2023 event.
