Possibly so.
But something that should ALWAYS be remembered is that New Zealand is NOT our friend.
This was easily seen with Tew and it will continue with Robinson. That relationship will swing between enmity and cooperation but, really, it is best described as business.
There is a lot a manoeuvring happening in NZ, some of it bluster, right now.
New Zealand Rugby's plans for the All Blacks and a new competition revealed
1 May, 2020 3:00pm
NZ Herald
By: Dylan Cleaver and Liam Napier
… fundamental work is understood to be taking place in the background that will supersede any short-term solutions for 2020, and trump anything the hastily-formed Aratipu Super Rugby committee might bring to the table.
One source described Aratipu – described this week as a review to grow, regenerate and invigorate Super Rugby – as a front to buy some time and stall licence renegotiations as the real work was done on reshaping New Zealand's domestic rugby landscape.
Part of that is … the idea of an eight-team professional round robin competition with two extra New Zealand professional franchises joining the five existing Super teams - and a Pasifika side possibly based in Suva.
The Herald has learned there is another option gaining traction, which would see that eight-team competition extended to 12 teams with the edition of four - preferably East Coast - Australian franchises or clubs, but that option is dependent on the health of Australian rugby in the post-Covid environment.
As one source said, it is not New Zealand Rugby's mandate to prop up Australia, so the transtasman neighbours must bring broadcast and commercial dollars to the party …