Push for Roos to tackle All Blacks

TOP-LEVEL plans are advancing for a historic hybrid game between Australia’s world champion Kangaroos and New Zealand’s allconquering All Blacks.

The New Zealand Rugby Union has already given organisers a month-long window after November’s final of the 2019 Rugby Union World Cup for the match, which would likely be played in Tokyo.

Organisers bullishly believe the match could generate $50 million, delivering each team a massive $10 million payday.

That would equate to almost $600,000 for each player involved in the ambitious oneoff extravaganza.

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman John Grant has been informed of the proposed match, which would pit coaches Mal Meninga and Steve Hansen against one another and attract extraordinary commercial interest and television ratings.

Hybrid Rugby chairman Phil Franks has met with NZRU chief strategy and operations officer Nigel Cass in Wellington to discuss the proposal. Franks has also spoken to Grant.

Franks and Hybrid director, Wallabies great Mark Ella, plan to visit Japan next month to secure more match funding.

“I had a formal discussion with the New Zealand Rugby Union and they were really interested,” Franks said.

“They stipulated they wanted to see an elite-class game.

“They are the first to give us a window and a time as to when they want to do it. That window was two weeks to a month after the 2019 World Cup final in Tokyo [on November 2].

“The All Blacks and Kangaroos want to see this game. It’s going to be massive.

“We think Japan is the best place for the game — that’s where all the sponsors are.”

The obstacle facing hybrid organisers is obtaining permission from individual NRL clubs who contract the players. In rugby union, one governing body contracts their stars.