NZ Rugby boss optimistic as game rebounds

New Zealand’s Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson has hinted at some exciting opportunities for the All Blacks and sees increasing optimism for his sport over the remainder of a difficult year.

The country’s ability to be a world leader in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic has given New Zealand’s national game some much-needed relief with community rugby under way again and Super Rugby Aotearoa about to start, even with the prospect of crowds if the government confirms the shift to level 1 under the easing lockdown restrictions.

Robinson didn’t dodge the huge impact of Covid-19 on his organisation and the sport in a wideranging interview with Radio New Zealand yesterday, but he couldn’t hide his positive tone either.

He said the situation had been ‘‘rapidly changing over the past two months’’ but he now saw ‘‘steady improvement’’ in the game’s scenario from where they were when the health crisis first struck, a situation that saw them be ‘‘very aggressive in minimising costs’’.

‘‘There are things breathing a huge amount of life into the game,’’ Robinson said. ‘‘There are a lot of things to be optimistic about for the second half of the year.’’

The focus now falls on the return of Super Rugby but Robinson predicted a ‘‘not insignificant’’ block of international rugby for the All Blacks towards the end of the year.

He conceded he was still unsure what that would look like but said they were talking with their partners at Sanzaar and World Rugby and also, importantly, the New Zealand Government to try to make things happen in the best way possible under these unprecedented circumstances for the sport.

Pressed whether there were other options outside of the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup tests, Robinson admitted there were additional options being presented.

Other countries had seen the way New Zealand was emerging from the health crisis safely and were ‘‘reaching out . . looking for opportunities’’.

Robinson talked down speculation of South Africa abandoning Sanzaar and heading north to realign with championships there that were more time-friendly for players and fans.

‘‘It’s about going to meetings and getting everything on the table as you do in a partnership that’s been going on for over 20 years’’.

Back to the domestic game, Robinson admitted there were very real financial concerns with costs exceeding revenues and the game not being sustainable under the current structure.

Grassroots rugby needed to remain the core of the New Zealand pyramid but had to be fed by getting ‘‘good value out of the top tier’’.

There was a determination to dedicate the right amount of resources to that base.

He didn’t see private equity as an instant answer.

‘‘We don’t see a need to make that move right now,’’ Robinson said, saying they were looking at ‘‘working into more emerging markets to leverage our brand’’.