‘Bring back tours to add spark to the game’
All Black-turned-broadcaster Jeff Wilson has called for the return of proper tours to breathe new life into the international game after the coronavirus crisis.
Speaking on Sky’s The Breakdown show, Wilson urged rugby authorities to break up the monotony of the current test schedule and send the All Blacks on adventures that would involve an old-school three-test series and midweek games.
‘‘I look at this as a massive opportunity for not just players but for everyone, fans in particular’’ Wilson said. ‘‘Surely there would be a hunger to see South Africa come back to New Zealand and play a three-test series?
‘‘I look at ‘93, my first tour for the All Blacks. It’s an incredibly special time.
‘‘I think it was nine or 10 games we played together and I played all but one.’’
Wilson’s argument also struck a chord with John Kirwan and Justin Marshall, both of whom said some of their fondest rugby memories happened in the touring environment.
‘‘When I talk about this I always talk about tribalism and tradition,’’ Kirwan said.
‘‘Why is the Lions so successful? Because we look forward to it. ‘‘When I was growing up I wanted to go on a grand slam. They actually stopped the grand slams just before I made the team.
‘‘But for me touring was amazing. The test matches were great and you wanted to make the test match weekends.
‘‘But midweek and you’d go to [places such as] Llanelli and it was amazing.’’ Marshall said the current-day treadmill of test matches had lost some of its appeal for players.
‘‘Let’s think about the modernday player and some of our more established, senior All Blacks,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s quite repetitive for them, even the international games. ‘‘
Wilson said the pause in the game provided the perfect opportunity for rugby bosses to map out a better future for the game, and ask if they were really putting out a product that fans wanted.
New Zealand Rugby this week announced a review into the future of Super Rugby but Kirwan wanted a ‘‘less is more’’ approach to that competition to create room for more special occasions.
‘‘Cut down Super Rugby, whatever the new one is going to look like,’’ Kirwan said. ‘‘Leave four or five weekends so you can have North v South, you can go on tour or you can play midweek.
‘‘I think it gives us a better opportunity, not only for the young fellas.
‘‘We always used to know that when we went on tour it was the making of guys. They might have to make nine games.
‘‘They might have to play midweek then back up on Saturday and if they got through that it was like earning a couple of stripes.’’