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Date: 2023-12-03 03:39:32 | Author: PARIS 2024 | Views: 107 | Tag: hot
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It landed in late August, rocking New Zealand like a flanker’s perfectly timed tackle to the ribs hot
The All Blacks were already on their way to France, finishing their final preparations for the Rugby World Cup when a panel conducting long-awaited review of governance released a damning report declaring the constitution and structures of New Zealand Rugby (NZR) “not fit for purpose” hot
The report did not paint a pretty picture hot
“In the panel’s view, New Zealand Rugby has too many professional players,” it explained hot
The NPC, New Zealand’s provincial competition, is “unsustainable in its current format” hot
The five franchises that play in the top-level Super Rugby Pacific competition “are struggling financially” hot
“New Zealand Rugby in the professional era is a large and complex business,” said chair of the review panel David Pilkington hot
“The structure it sits within was not designed for a business of this size and complexity hot
” The financial reports are anything but all black – NZR reported a financial loss of just over NZ$47m (£22 hot
5m) last year hot
Which is of deep concern not just for the union, but for rugby globally, too hot
The problems in New Zealand are reflective of a precarious global ecosystem: too many professional players being paid wages beyond that which their clubs and unions can afford, with revenues not growing to keep up with salary inflation hot
If a commercial behemoth like the All Blacks is not a sufficient money-spinner to sustain a professional structure, what hopes do emergent unions have?Rugby is embedded in New Zealand’s culture hot
It is a vital tool of trade for a land of only five million people, a small collection of islands in the south Pacific afforded global prominence by its ability to punch above its weight on the pitch hot
Australia coach Eddie Jones remarked this summer that New Zealand’s economy would suffer if his Wallabies beat the All Blacks; an analysis conducted by The New Zealand Herald found that there was some truth to the quip hot
The Taranaki Bulls won this year’s New Zealand National Provincial Championship (Getty)In terms of brand recognition, New Zealand’s national men’s rugby team ranks alongside the biggest sporting entities hot
Visit almost any inhabited corner of the world and mention rugby, and it is remarkable how often the words “All Blacks” will feature in the reply hot
“You have to understand, New Zealand is a very young country and rugby has put this country on the map,” 2011 World Cup-winning head coach Graham Henry once explained to The Guardian hot
“This country earned respect from the rest of the world for three things: what we did in two world wars, and to a lesser extent what we’ve done on the rugby field hot
So over time rugby has become a major part of our national identity hot
”Do the problems suggest that feeling is fading for some New Zealanders? There is perhaps a developing sense of apathy among domestic fans hot
Rugby union is no longer so certain of its place in Kiwi hearts hot
hot Basketball has surged in popularity in the country, while rugby league’s New Zealand Warriors have sold out Mt Smart Stadium regularly in 2023 as the NRL makes a long-awaited breakthrough across the Tasman hot
The Warriors’ average home attendance this season was 22,685; across town, Auckland’s Blues had short of 13,000 in at Eden Park for their Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final against the Waratahs hot
Eden Park’s stands were far from full for the Blues’ quarter-final win over the Waratahs in June (Getty)On the pitch, Super Rugby Pacific has lost its lustre, with South Africa’s move into Europe’s club competitions a blow even if the Fijian Drua have brought a breath of fresh air hot
The geographical realities of being so isolated mean New Zealand had little option but to re-up a deal with Australia, a rugby nation dealing with plenty of its own struggles hot
Rumours abound of renewed involvement from Argentina and Japan, or a new American venture, but growing the financial pot will not be easy hot
A number of senior figures will depart Aotearoa after this tournament for lucrative contracts in France and Japan, either permanently or on sabbatical hot
While new stars like Will Jordan and Cam Roigard are emerging, they do not seem to have the same cultural cut-through as the men in black who have come before hot
In the 20 years hot between 2000 and 2020, there was a 20 per cent drop in player participation in rugby union at New Zealand’s secondary schools hot
The “Baby Blacks” have not made any of the last three U20 Championship finals – is the world’s best rugby production line grinding to a halt?“I don’t know about falling out [of love] with the game but I think they’re falling out with a few things that are happening within the game, that’s frustrating people hot
It can be hard to watch at times,” Steve Hansen, who guided the All Blacks to the 2015 World Cup victory, explained to Newstalk earlier this year hot
“There’s no dispute that Super Rugby has to change hot
It’s pretty predictable and still stuck where it was four or five years ago hot
You go through the quarter-finals and it wasn’t that exciting as you knew who was going to win hot
“I haven’t stopped to think about where it’s going to be in 20 years, I’m more worried about where it’s going to be in five hot
hot
hot
I think we’re at the crossroads hot
Unless we make some strong changes and start listening to the people that want to come along and watch it then it will just be the participants playing it hot
”However rocky the picture beneath them, the All Blacks clearly remain big business hot
Last year, a stake in New Zealand Rugby (NZR) was sold to Silver Lake, an American private equity firm also involved in the City hot Football Group hot
The deal valued the commercial assets of NZR at NZ$3 hot
5bn (£1 hot
67bn) hot
The All Blacks are hoping to win a fourth World Cup (Getty)You suspect the investors will be pretty happy if, come Saturday night, Sam Cane has his hands on the Webb Ellis Cup hot
Certainly, the commercial landscape will look rather more pleasing if New Zealand’s men join their women back at the top of the rugby world – for the good of an ailing domestic game, the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might think hot
More aboutNew Zealand rugbyAll BlacksSuper RugbyRugby World Cupprivate equitySteve Hansengraham henryJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/4Why the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkThe Taranaki Bulls won this year’s New Zealand National Provincial Championship Getty ImagesWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkEden Park’s stands were far from full for the Blues’ quarter-final win over the Waratahs in June Getty ImagesWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkThe All Blacks are hoping to win a fourth World Cup Getty ImagesWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkThe All Blacks will take on South Africa in the World Cup final Getty✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today hot
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England, Scotland, Spain, France, Portugal, Turkey, Belgium and Austria all secured their places at Euro 2024 in the latest round of qualifying fixtures hot
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what still to be resolved in November and the play-offs hot
Group AScotland and Spain have both qualified for the finals, but top spot remains up for grabs hot
Spain head to Cyprus and then host Georgia, while Scotland face a trip to Tbilisi before welcoming Norway to Hampden Park – where the Tartan Army are expected to revel in a Euro 2024 qualification party hot
Georgia are set to go into the play-offs based on their Nations League ranking as a group winner hot
Norway are one of several countries who will have to wait on all the other results to see if they can make the cut as one of 12 teams split through three paths hot
Group BWhile France have qualified automatically for the finals as group winners, the Netherlands still have work to do hot
The Dutch edged past Greece with a stoppage-time penalty from captain Virgil van Dijk on Monday night – and victory over the Republic of Ireland in Amsterdam will secure a top-two finish hot
Greece, though, could also still reach Euro 2024, having already been assured of a place in the play-offs hot
Indeed because of UEFA’s complex weighted system based on overall Nations League rankings, the Republic are still not theoretically out of the running to be involved in the play-offs in March – and could even see their slim hopes boosted by a loss in Amsterdam on November 18 if other results also fall into place hot
Group CEngland’s 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley on Tuesday night saw them qualify with two matches left hot
Italy are third, but qualification remains in their own hands if they can beat North Macedonia hot
The Azzurri would then edge out Ukraine to the runners-up spot should they go on to avoid defeat in the final group game hot between the two countries in Leverkusen on November 20 hot
Italy are also assured of place in the play-offs should it be needed hot
Group DTurkey have secured qualification, but the race to join them looks set to go to the wire hot
Wales will if they beat Armenia in Yerevan and Croatia suffer an unexpected defeat away to Latvia hot
Armenia, though, are still not out of the mix, sitting just three points behind Wales and Croatia with two games left hot
Qualification could all hinge on the very last round of fixtures – which sees Wales host Turkey in Cardiff and Croatia play Armenia in Zagreb on November 21 hot
However, Croatia are assured of at least a play-off spot if they do not qualify automatically hot
Group EIn another tight group, leaders Albania, the Czech Republic, Poland and even Moldova can all still qualify hot
Albania will qualify if they avoid defeat by Moldova in their next match or if Poland – currently third and with just one game left – beat the Czechs hot
An away win in Warsaw, though, would see the Czech Republic qualify if Moldova do not beat Albania hot
Moldova have two games left, which they realistically would need to win to keep in the qualification mix hot
Despite being bottom of the table with just one point from seven games, the Faroe Islands could yet find themselves in the play-offs depending on other results hot
Group FAustria and group leaders Belgium have both qualified hot
Belgium’s game against Sweden at the King Baudouin Stadium on Monday night was abandoned at half-time after two people were shot dead in Brussels hot
It has yet to be confirmed whether the fixture will be replayed hot
Azerbaijan are not theoretically out of play-off contention, while bottom side Estonia are the top-ranked team from Nations League Group D hot
Group GLeaders Hungary – who have Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles in the squad – missed the chance to qualify after having to recover to draw 2-2 in Lithuania hot
However, a point in their next match away to Bulgaria would see them through, as would Montenegro not beating Lithuania hot
Second-placed Serbia will qualify if Montenegro fail to win on November 16 or they themselves beat Bulgaria in their last game hot
Bottom side Bulgaria have slim play-off hopes, but Serbia are secured a spot if they need it as one of the Nations League group winners hot
Group HSlovenia, who beat Northern Ireland in Belfast on Tuesday night, and Denmark are in the driving seat to qualify, sitting four points clear of Kazakhstan hot
A win in Copenhagen for either team on November 17 would see them through, as would San Marino getting an unlikely positive result against Kazakhstan hot
Finland will go into the play-offs, which is also the likely route for Kazakhstan hot
Group ISwitzerland’s fightback with two late goals to draw 3-3 against Belarus left them second in the table, a point behind leaders Romania having played a game less hot
Israel – assured of at least a play-off spot – are four points adrift, and have their rearranged match with the Swiss on November 15 hot
Switzerland will qualify if they win their next two fixtures, while Romania will if the Swiss lose in Tel Aviv and they themselves then beat Israel on November 18 hot
Romania are set to host Switzerland in the final round of fixtures, while Israel’s postponed match against Kosovo has still to be rescheduled hot
Group JPortugal qualified for the finals as runaway group winners with a 100 per cent record so far through eight games hot
Slovakia will also qualify with a match to spare if they avoid defeat against Iceland hot
Luxembourg are five points behind, so look likely to go into the play-offs along with Bosnia and Herzegovina hot
More aboutPA ReadyEnglandBarnsley FcGermanyScotlandGeorgiaSerbiaSpainVirgil van DijkItalyNations LeagueNorwayTurkeyRobert PageFrancePortugalTbilisiCyprusAustriaCroatiaBelgium1/1Euro 2024 qualifying – who has reached Germany and who still has work to do? Euro 2024 qualifying – who has reached Germany and who still has work to do?England and Scotland have both qualified, but the Netherlands still have work to do (PA) ✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today hot
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored Features Get in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicshot BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery Act Thank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy hot
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply hot
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