Wynne Gray: Take Bledisloe Cup on midweek tour

The Aussies never stop. However, they seem to have shelved the sheep jokes which used to show their intellect matched their rugby clout.

Any act, event, or celebrity in Australia who makes the headlines is, it seems, by definition Australian. The lines do get very blurred.

You know the drum. Down the years the convicts have claimed Split Enz, Dragon, Russell Crowe, John Clarke, Jane Campion and William Hudson as their own. Next it will be Robbie Deans if he can get the Wallabies out of a rut.

The media has pressed Prime Minister John Key, conveniently in the country for CER discussions which coincide with tonight's test, about New Zealand joining Australia as another state. Graciously, Key said there might be a few practical advantages but there was a huge emotional, functional and economic downside. Then he calmly got to the nub of the matter.

It just would not do to share the Bledisloe Cup or to make it an interstate competition. Ouch. Touche John, whatever your political persuasion, you had to admire his response. The Bledisloe Cup is already devalued enough with four tests a year.

However, if administrators want to carry on down that path of familiarity which has invaded professional rugby in the Southern Hemisphere, why stop at just a quartet of annual internationals.

Both extended squads will soon be heading to the Northern Hemisphere on their annual expeditions. They always have trouble finding any midweek opposition willing to host them so why not play a couple of extra Bledisloe Cup matches while they are in the same territory.

Host nations will be keen to claim some coin, ex-pats flood the grounds, locals will be keen to see a brand of rugby which is not always prevalent in Europe, while the dirt-trackers will get some valuable matchplay.

Call the series something else if the Bledisloe is not cheapened enough already. It does not matter.

The All Blacks are away for more than six weeks at the end of this year for five tests and a game against the Barbarians.

They will carry around a large squad and a number will play just bit part roles.

If they slot in a midweek match with the Wallabies, it would be a chance for some of the dirt-trackers to get more football, an opportunity for the assistant coaches to run the teams and for the sides to experiment with different styles and ideas.

And, if you listen to the constant gripe from administrators, pick up some more valuable lucre so they can run their rugby business.