Finally, NZR spell it out in the most basic terms

They’re an odd outfit, New Zealand Rugby.

For all the vastness of their media department — and the fact they basically have an in-house television network in Sky — they’ve never shown much ability to control a narrative.

That’s what was so wonderful about last week. Instead of letting the New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) continue setting the agenda, NZR actually told people what they needed to hear.

You’ll have observed the power of the NZRPA by now. As any good union should, they argue against the employer at every turn. And when they’re not doing the arguing themselves, they engage others to do it for them.

Strategic leaks are the stock and trade of all lobby groups and the NZRPA ensure their trusted media partners are well briefed at all times.

Don’t like the idea of global test or franchise competitions? Supply a few quotes to the right journalists.

Unhappy with the governing body’s potential investment partners? Rustle up a few comment pieces purporting to expose “the truth” of these negotiations.

That’s what’s always been so perplexing about NZR. Despite a wellresourced media team, they’ve tended to be unnecessarily passive in public. At least until last week.

That was when we were treated to news that Scott Robertson’s future in New Zealand was tied to NZR securing $465 million worth of funding from American outfit Silver Lake.

The Crusaders head coach ought to have ascended to the top All Blacks’ job by now, but that’s another story. What was important here was the NZR scaremongering.

It’s hard to imagine Robertson won’t coach the All Blacks at some stage, provided NZR have the funds to keep him. But if the NZRPA scupper NZR’s proposed arrangement with Silver Lake, “Razor” will probably be lost to another test nation.

And then there’s our very worthy female players. They deserve not only an all-singing, all-dancing test and provincial programme, but the chance to play Super Rugby as well.

Except that, as NZR chief executive Mark Robinson poignantly pointed out, there’ll be no money to pay for that if the Silver Lake deal falls through.

This was NZR at its absolute best. This was the governing body seeking to win hearts and minds, stating a coherent case and offering fans tangible examples of what private equity investment can do for the wider game.

While the NZRPA argue on behalf of an elite, here was the governing exhibiting the breadth of the issues it has to prioritise.

The two parties — comically, it has to be said — are now in mediation. What a hoot.

The poor old NZRPA haven’t been able to get their way for once, so we need a third-party to come in and kiss it better.

With the greatest respect to the NZRPA and their erstwhile members, it is the fine folk in the community game who are rugby’s lifeblood.

But if we want club rugby and schools rugby and women’s rugby and Ma¯ori rugby and Pasifika rugby — and we want to retain elite coaches such as Robertson — then the money has to come from somewhere.

There’s a captive audience out there who want to hear from NZR, who want to know the governing body cares about them and is conscious of their welfare. An audience who’ll side with them if they feel they’re being open and honest.