From foe to friend as O’Neill supports NZ
He spent his share of time as New Zealand’s public enemy No 1 but former Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill has emerged as an unlikely ally of the Kiwis in the debate about Australia’s domestic future.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan stirred tension in trans-Tasman relations last week when he announced Australia would review its involvement with New Zealand in Super Rugby from 2024, and potentially go it alone in a domestic competition.
McLennan followed up by slamming the New Zealand Rugby as bad partners, and continued on Wednesday by saying Australia could comfortably add ‘‘three to five teams’’ and start a domestic competition.
McLennan said his bullish stance is simply about exploring what’s best for Australian rugby before the 2027 Rugby World Cup. But O’Neill, who was also frequently at loggerheads with New Zealand Rugby, said while he is supportive of McLennan striving to get a better financial deal, he warned against cutting off the Kiwis.
‘‘The success or otherwise of rugby in both Australia and New Zealand is intrinsically and inevitably optimised by being joined at the hip,’’ O’Neill told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘‘There has always been argybargy over money. But inevitably the brinkmanship results in a reasonable outcome. Also, the international component of rugby is a real point of difference for rugby, so why give it away? Super Rugby Pacific was good. Now just bring in a Japanese team.’’
O’Neill said Australian rugby had benefited from regular competition against Kiwi provinces, dating back to the South Pacific Championship in the mid-1980s. That competition grew into the Super 6, Super 10 and then Super Rugby in the professional era.
‘‘Australia rugby genuinely owes New Zealand for helping to revive the game here from the doldrums of the ’70s,’’ O’Neill said.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said continuing in a transTasman competition would be preferable for player performance outcomes. But speaking on SEN radio, McLennan claimed ratings of trans-Tasman games were not as strong as Australian derbies.
‘‘Look, it’s really a 50-50 call,’’ McLennan said.
‘‘We need to look at the money, the ratings and sit down with our broadcast partner and then we’ll make a decision. But if we go with a domestic-only competition ... we’ll be in a position where we can create more top-tier clubs and have more people playing the game, versus playing New Zealand who are obviously some of the world’s best players.’’