For one week only, don't watch the All Blacks and watch the Black Ferns instead, writes Kris Shannon. Photo / Photosport
For one week only, don't watch the All Blacks and watch the Black Ferns instead, writes Kris Shannon. Photo / Photosport
OPINION:
1. The Black Ferns are on at the same time
New Zealand Rugby aren't trying to counter-programme the World Cup. The idea we would host the premier event in women's rugby but have the game's governing body undermine it with an inconveniently timed men's match is preposterous.
But ifsomeone were doing a little theorising of the conspiratorial variety, this Saturday night would add plenty of string to the corkboard.
The NPC at least had the decency to avoid directly clashing with the Black Ferns' three pool matches. It's unfortunate the competition's playoffs were during the World Cup, but they had to go somewhere.
The All Blacks, on the other hand, are about to barge into the picture by taking on Japan at the same time on the same night as the Black Ferns meet Wales in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Now, that is unfortunate. Again: not deliberate. It couldn't be. Think of the thinkpieces. But unfortunate all the same.
Fans of both teams – of whom there must be legion – will be forced to choose between the matches, particularly those in Northland who were thinking of heading along to Semenoff Stadium on Saturday night.
But this column will make that choice simple. For one week only, don't watch the All Blacks.
The Black Ferns celebrate a try. Photo / Photosport
It should be simple, anyway. The Black Ferns have been building well through pool play and, now we're at the knockouts, will be hoping to overcome a physical Welsh pack and ride a wave of public support into the final.
Do you know how rare it is to host the Rugby World Cup? True trainspotters will remember the men have twice contested World Cups in New Zealand, but this ninth edition of the women's tournament is the first to grace our shores, or at least grace the shores of the Auckland and Northland regions.
In other words, this is a unique chance to watch the Black Ferns – our national team in our national sport – gun for global glory from the comforts of home.
As for All Blacks-Japan, do you know how often the Lipovitan-D Challenge Cup is up for grabs? No, seriously, do you, I don't know what those words mean?
It's just a shame NZR were bullied into this kickoff time by the Brave Blossoms. Clearly, the 3pm primetime slot in Japan was too important to alter.
3. The All Blacks are winging it
You're still allowed to watch the All Blacks delayed or replayed, I guess. But we don't need to pretend to care about a rusty, makeshift team facing Japan to determine the fate of a trophy named after an energy drink.
Coming just days after the founder of Red Bull died, if anything, like the drink itself, this match is distasteful. But if we must battle through our grief and play on, it's hardly going to be a spectacle.
The All Blacks will be missing seven players from the squad they initially picked to start this tour, having found the downside of picking a family of brothers who still had living grandparents.
Injuries and bereavement will give this All Blacks XV a bit of an All Blacks XV feel. Indeed, five players have been called up from the troupe of understudies to feature in the main cast.
With that disrupted preparation, with the well-rested All Blacks likely having lost any continuity gained during the Rugby Championship, and with a trophy on the line that's not quite as prestigious as a World Cup, this match isn't a tough one to miss.
The Barrett brothers missed the flight to Japan due to the death of their grandmother. Photo / Photosport
4. All Blacks junkies can still get their fix
It may feel as though there are few opportunities left this year to watch the All Blacks, but don't think of this Japan test as the precursor to a skinnier three-match northern tour. Think of it as the precursor to a much more robust five-match northern tour.
After all, isn't that what NZR want? If they insist on the All Blacks XV bearing the famous moniker, why should we differentiate them?
The two teams heading north will be playing on the same weekends, in the same Kingdom, facing similar opposition while wearing, I'm guessing, all black. The sides will even continue sharing players, with a handful of those outside the All Blacks XXIII to be made available for the All Blacks XV.
Just pretend this is an old-school tour, with big parties playing a combination of tests and tour games. So, relax, there's plenty of code still to come.
5. Cap a good night of sport with cricket
Alternatively, just forget the All Blacks. It's cricket season now. I don't make the rules. Well, actually, in this instance, I kinda do. And I'm telling you: it's cricket season now. That was the inescapable conclusion drawn from last weekend, when the T20 World Cup began the Super 12 with two super games.
Every World Cup would benefit from the defending champions being upset in their opening match. Even better, on this occasion, it was the Black Caps playing the role of Senegal to Australia's France.
Then, the following night, the most anticipated game of the group stage managed to exceed the hype, as India improbably overhauled Pakistan on the last ball in front of 90,000 fans and with about a billion watching on.
Sounds like cricket season to me. Thankfully, the Black Caps, unlike some teams, won't be clashing with the Black Ferns when they play Sri Lanka on Saturday night.
