New Zealand Rugby is reportedly set to move a home Bledisloe test next year to Japan. Cameron McMillan looks at the pros and cons of the decision.
Pro: It will help with the All Blacks preparation for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. And isn't that the main objective? Win the World Cup. The All Blacks have already announced they will play a test in Japan at the end of next year so adding the fixture against the Wallabies means the All Blacks will play back-to-back tests there a year out from their attempt to claim a third straight World Cup. No other major nation will get that chance.
Con: It's taking a game away from New Zealand fans. It is one less chance to see the All Blacks at home in 2018 with six home tests next year. The schedule is three tests against France in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin in June before home Rugby Championship tests at Eden Park (Australia), Nelson's Trafalgar Park (Argentina) and Wellington (South Africa). That third Bledisloe Cup test was the only chance Hamilton and Christchurch had of hosting a game next year.
Pro: Cold hard cash. A game in Tokyo will generate more money for New Zealand Rugby than a decider or dead rubber would produce at Waikato Stadium or AMI Stadium. A crowd of 45,000 turned up at the Olympic Stadium in 2009 to watch the All Blacks beat Australia 32-19.
Con: The Bledisloe Cup could be on the line! The Wallabies haven't held the Bledisloe Cup since 2003 but they'll probably prefer to play a third test on neutral soil compared to New Zealand, where they haven't won a test since 2001 - a losing streak of 21 games. It probably would have seemed like a big issue before the Wallabies won the more recent encounter in Brisbane.
