Sean Fitzpatrick: Push for cash dims aura of All Blacks

I would love to know what the NZRU's long-term strategy is for the future of New Zealand rugby, the All Blacks and the brand.

Last week, I talked about the aura of the All Blacks, how I am fearful that aura has been whittled away by too much exposure and how important it is to fiercely protect it. Because if we lose that in an era where we don't always dominate, then what separates us from the rest?

What used to happen once every three or four years - like a UK tour - is now yearly; commonplace. Less is more.

I am not criticising the NZRU. I can't - I am sure they are working hard on all aspects of the All Blacks as guardians of the jersey and that aura.

But, if there is a long-term strategy for the All Blacks, I do not know what it is and neither do the people I talk to.

We all see the All Blacks playing lots of tests in different parts of the world, spurred by the need for cash. There is now a regular schedule of 14 or so test matches a year.

Is that too many? No one is disputing the need for that schedule right now for the pay cheque. My question is: What is being done to ensure it doesn't have to happen in the future; to safeguard the All Black brand?

The NZRU have done well to get and keep on board major sponsors like adidas, and to get so much revenue from the Murdoch broadcasting empire.

But no one seems to know what the plan is. It looks, to those of us on the outside, that we are only moving from test match to test match and from one Murdoch broadcasting agreement to another. We must, surely, find other sponsors like adidas - who have done a terrific job in helping to build the brand - to bring in the required revenue so we don't have to play so many test matches, weakening the All Black aura and diluting the brand.

I know major, major corporate sponsorships do not grow on trees, especially these days. I know the NZRU will be striving to do exactly what I am suggesting. There is also a strong case that playing tests in places like Hong Kong, Japan and the US highlights the All Blacks to other markets and potential sponsors.

All good stuff. But we need to move on this. The game of rugby is not in a good place right now and the All Blacks are exposed. The more tests we play, the more devalued the product, the jersey and the brand become. We have to play more tests to get the revenue; the brand is eroded as we play more and more tests - and so the whole thing becomes a vicious circle; a Catch-22.

Even when we play more tests, we are missing opportunities. I take you back to the match against Italy at the San Siro - 80,000 people and a great chance to showcase the game of rugby in Italy and what do we do? We field a second-string team.

All right, you can blame the ref and the scrums were awful and it wasn't much of a spectacle - but it could have been much more than it was.

This cascades down to our national provincial rugby too. As I mentioned last week, we are damaging the game by removing our best players and weakening the bonds that have produced the players who have fuelled the All Black spirit and helped to build that brand. There are growing reports the Air NZ Cup will remain at 14 teams and not 10 but I still worry the damage has already been done.

I want All Blacks playing in our top national competitions. I want All Blacks in the Air NZ Cup and the Super 14. I don't want Mils Muliaina taking off the first part of the Super 14 season. If I was a Chiefs fan, I'd feel hard done by.

And there we are in Britain with a team that is supposed to be growing back-up players to the likes of Daniel Carter and Richie McCaw - something we are struggling to achieve.

That's a direct impact from what is happening in our provincial game. We are not discovering the back-ups to Carter and McCaw because those players aren't there, because the standard is not high enough (especially with the All Blacks not playing) to produce them.

It's the biggest issue facing New Zealand rugby and it would be good if the NZRU communicated what it's doing to preserve the All Black brand while finding the revenue it needs.