ABs well back in public funding queue
Can the All Blacks really be serious about getting a Government handout when they can afford to send 51 players on the end-of-year northern tour? Remember coach Steve Hansen’s not-sosubtle suggestion that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern could loosen the purse strings to give the New Zealand Rugby more moolah for grassroots rugby, which would allow it to use more of its sponsorship lolly to keep top players here?
His rationale was the All Blacks were a recognised brand and promote New Zealand around the world.
Fair enough. No-one’s disputing that. In stating his case, Hansen said: ‘‘We spend more money than we have and that’s not a great thing from a budget standpoint.’’
Now, the New Zealand Rugby Union are planning to spend more.
Any organisation that can send 51 players – and oodles of support staff – on an overseas tour probably doesn’t need a public handout.
Okay, all five-score-and-one won’t be travelling at the same time – that would be unwieldy and could severely strain Air New Zealand’s business-class capacity. It might also raise the risk of bored bench sitters breaking out on the large.
The All Blacks are likely to platoon players to give key men some rest before Rugby World Cup year dawns.
But it all adds up to a tidy travel bill. No All Black – from fringe dwellers to the back-of-the-bus brigade – travel cattle class. ‘‘Turn left, sir’’ is the first thing an All Black hears, before ‘‘lobster or fillet streak?’’
Then there’s the food bills for front rowers and fellow forwards with voracious appetites. Hopefully, the host unions help with the costs there.
If you’d once uttered the words ‘51’ and ‘All Blacks’ simultaneously, people would have automatically thought of Peter Johnstone and his pals, who won three tests across the Tasman in the year of the waterfront dispute.
Oldsters from eras when the All Blacks toured with a manager, a coach and a physio might be muttering darkly into their beer about the number of jumpers now being dished out.
Let’s say there are 200 Super Rugby players across New Zealand’s five franchises. That’s a one-in-four chance of making the All Blacks squad in 2018.
The burgeoning bills – rubber-stamped by Steve Tew and the NZRU board – could be regarded as a strategic investment if the All Blacks go on to win a third World Cup on the trot.
The Tokyo-centred tournament is looming and some key starters have had massive workloads this year. None more so than lock Sam Whitelock, who led the Crusaders to another Super Rugby title, and was forced to play most tests with Brodie Retallick out.
Hansen could, conceivably, spare Whitelock, Owen Franks, captain Kieran Read and others from the dead rubber Bledisloe Cup game and the Japan test, send them to Europe for the bragging rights battles with Ireland and England, then dispatch them home to begin their offseasons.
Managing All Blacks at this stage of the year has always been an inexact science.
John Mitchell rested a bunch of big guns in 2002 for ‘‘the journey’’ ahead – the following year’s World Cup tournament.
Mitchell – now Eddie Jones’ assistant with England – wouldn’t mind Hansen taking a leaf from his book this year.
The All Blacks used the 2006 end-of-year tour as a dress rehearsal, travelling to to 2007 World Cup venues.
Graham Henry took his full squad, but then gave them a Super Rugby sabbatical for the bulk of the 2007 competition.
Did that work? Many fans felt the All Blacks – who crashed out in the fateful Cardiff quarterfinal against France – were underdone.
But, as for government grants, the original intent of the 1935 Labour government’s welfare should be observed.
Give a ‘hand-up’ not a ‘hand out’ to those in genuine need.
There are 51 or more reasons why rugby would be well behind other codes in that particular queue.