Gregor Paul: The All Blacks tradition that is suddenly under threat

OPINION:

There is an emergency, late scramble, needs-must element to this year's Rugby Championship given the late closure of the transtasman travel bubble and Covid outbreaks in both New Zealand and Australia.

All four teams, fans and broadcasters understand that compromise and sacrifice had to be made with venues and kick-off times to keep the tournament alive and hence, this year sits as a one-off.

Hope is rising that by next year, something close to a traditional format can be resurrected, where teams can travel without quarantine and games can be played in New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina as well as Australia.

But even should we emerge into a less-restricted world in 2022, some questions need to be asked to ensure there is not in fact a perfectly healthy baby about to be thrown out with the Covid-scheduling bath water.

Saturday night has been the preferred and indeed only kick-off time for test football in both New Zealand and Australia for the 20 years pre-Covid arriving.

It's a near-impossible task determining whether this day and time slot became regimented by the broadcasters or administrators because their relationship is symbiotic to such a degree as to effectively render them inseparable.

There is also a secondary inevitable truth that by committing to playing at the same day and time for so long, the market would become conditioned to tests being played on Saturday nights and the data, on account of there being no control to measure it against, would support the argument that it was the best time to play.

But it was the only time that tests were played and what we haven't known for the last 20 years is what would happen to the audience if a test was played at a different time on a Saturday or even on a different day.

This year, and indeed last year when two Bledisloe Cup tests were played on Sunday afternoons in New Zealand, has provided alternative data to question whether the real pull for consumers – be it direct attendees or TV watchers – is the rugby or whether it is the timing.

It would be a surprise if the data from last Sunday's afternoon test in Perth didn't support the former by having won a higher than usual TV audience and in doing so, a basis to argue that playing another Bledisloe at a similar time next year is in fact an excellent idea.

There were mitigating factors to consider last Sunday – New Zealand was in a hard lockdown - but even taking those circumstances into account, there is a strong argument to say that broadcasters and administrators have been wrong all these years to believe that only a Saturday night kick-off will produce the necessary audience.

The Sunday afternoon clash was a hit with Perth locals. Photo / Photosport

Saturday night puts test football up against a multitude of competing entertainment forces. For the young, Saturday night typically comes with endless possibilities and taking two hours to watch the rugby doesn't easily fit into the planning.

For the really young, a 7pm kick-off doesn't bode well to ward off tiredness and temper tantrums and even for rugby's core audience – the middle-aged and middle class – there is a strong likelihood of social events such as landmark birthdays, weddings and various functions clashing with tests.

To be fair to rugby's organisers and broadcasters, they believe they have a prime product and have been prepared to test that by continually playing tests in the most congested and prized social window of the week.

It's a throwback belief, probably, to the unchallenged assertion that the nation used to stop whenever the All Blacks played: stick the rugby on at 7pm on a Saturday night and gamble that it will prove more compelling than Sandy from accounts' legendary fondue night.

A fine and dry Sunday afternoon in Perth led to an open, attacking style of rugby. Photo / Photosport

But maybe, what kicking off at 6pm New Zealand time last weekend has shown, is that rugby doesn't need to gamble or compete like that.

Maybe Sunday night is the perfect time for All Blacks tests. Maybe it is the perfect opportunity for families and friends to gather when there are fewer opportunities competing for their time.

What can't be ignored either is that the conditions in Perth, where the sun was beating down, heavily contributed to the occasion.

A dry ball and fast track saw a fast and frenetic contest where both sides clocked incredible running metres and produced 80 minutes of solid, compelling, entertainment.

This Rugby Championship of 2021 has provided reason for organisers to not rush back to the same traditional thinking.