Cruden benched by Chiefs
New Zealand Rugby’s 25-year Super Rugby relationship with South Africa is effectively over.
NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson confirmed yesterday the governing body was committed to a ‘‘new direction’’ for 2021 and beyond at Super Rugby level, opening the door to private equity among the ownership options for an AsiaPacific competition.
‘‘We are very committed Sanzaar,’’ Robinson said.
‘‘The look and shape and feel of how this competition may be owned or run is still to be determined and the way it connects to Sanzaar is yet to be determined. But the reality is the impact of Covid has been so significant we’ve had to look at alternatives and a new direction.’’
NZ Rugby is clearly not taking its decision to part ways with South Africa at Super Rugby level lightly.
Robinson said they were still hopeful of playing South African sides in some form of competition, potentially in a ‘best of the best’ format.
However, he said, the impact of the pandemic had been so huge it had forced NZ Rugby to look at an entirely new competition.
‘‘We started [the] [review] with a focus on New Zealand professional rugby entities and to make them more resilient, highly capitalised, fit for purpose businesses within the construct of Super Rugby,’’ Robinson said.
‘‘Then part way through the full ramifications of Covid and the limiting impacts it was going to have became more apparent and obviously more work was needed to determine future competition models.
‘‘We think we can do that [by] virtue of what we are essentially doing, which is going out to the wider Australasian-Pacific environment to see what we can find out.’’
South Africa’s response to the ‘‘new direction’’ will be known in the coming days as they digest the significance of NZ Rugby’s decision, but Robinson said they had been kept in the loop, as well as Argentina, throughout the process.
‘‘We want to remain close to them and where there is opportunity to play each other going forward we remain hugely committed to that partnership.’’
Robinson indicated that ownership to
NZ Rugby chief executive
models for the new competition had yet to be agreed upon.
NZ Rugby has already held talks with Australia about the level of its potential involvement, and more detailed discussions will begin next week.
A Rugby Australia statement last night revealed few clues to its stance on the NZR announcement.
The statement gave no indication whether it favoured New Zealand’s model, saying only that it intended to ‘‘work constructively’’ in talks over coming weeks.
Robinson said a potential Pasifika team was very much on the agenda.
‘‘We’ve been very clear that we believe that Pasifika have the potential to have a role in this competition and there are several parties who have registered interest already,’’ he said.
That indicates that as the door is closing on South Africa, one is opening for the Pacific Islands.
Robinson stressed the suggested model is for 2021 only and that there remains a possibility of including more Australian teams in future. Conversations with Australia had been ‘‘constructive and positive’’.
He said ideally the season would finish with cross-border games against the leading teams from other club and franchise competitions around the globe.
The out-of-contention Chiefs have opted to look to the future, with Aaron Cruden benched for tomorrow’s Super Rugby Aotearoa match against the Highlanders in Hamilton, and Kaleb Trask handed the keys at first five-eighth.
With an 0-4 record at the halfway point of the competition the Chiefs’ title hopes are already dashed, so coach Warren Gatland is taking a pragmatic approach to the back half of the campaign.
Cruden, who sits on 98 Chiefs caps, will depart the franchise later this year to take up a contract with Japanese club Kobe, so the remaining four games provide an opportunity for the Chiefs to invest in their longer-term options.
And with Gatland revealing that Tiaan Falcon is also headed for Japan following this season, their future is Trask – the 21-year-old Bay of Plenty pivot, who has dipped his toes in at this level this year.
‘‘We’ve got to think about where we’re going to finish in this competition – hopefully second or third – we’ve got to be realistic about that,’’ Gatland said. ‘‘So you’ve got to start thinking a bit about next year.’’
It’s not totally unfamiliar territory for Trask, who actually wore No 10 on debut against the Blues on January 31 at Eden Park, with Cruden playing from the bench after only recently joining the squad.
It was the same in the SRA opener against the Highlanders in Dunedin a month back, while Trask’s other start was against the Sunwolves in Tokyo in February, which Cruden sat out.
‘‘The impact of Covid has been so significant that we’ve had to look at alternatives.’’
Mark Robinson
What: Chiefs v Highlanders, Super Rugby Aotearoa
When, where: Tomorrow, 3.35pm; FMG Stadium, Hamilton
Chiefs: Damian McKenzie, Sean Wainui, Anton Lienert-Brown, Alex Nankivell, Solomon Alaimalo, Kaleb Trask, Brad Weber, Pita Gus Sowakula, Sam Cane (c), Lachlan Boshier, Mitchell Brown, Tupou Vaa’i, Nepo Laulala, Bradley Slater, Aidan Ross. Reserves: Samisoni Taukei’aho, Reuben O’Neill, Ross Geldenhuys, Adam Thomson, Mitchell Karpik, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Aaron Cruden, Quinn Tupaea.
Highlanders: Michael Collins, Josh McKay, Rob Thompson, Sio Tomkinson, Scott Gregory, Mitch Hunt, Aaron Smith (cc), Marino Mikaele-Tu’u, Shannon Frizell, Dillon Hunt, Jack Whetton, Pari Pari Parkinson, Siate Tokolahi, Ash Dixon, Ayden Johnstone. Reserves: Liam Coltman (cc), Ethan De Groot, Jeff Thwaites, Manaaki Selby-Rickit, Jesse Parete, Folau Fakatava, Josh Ioane, Jona Nareki.