New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[Wilson]

Well, if it costs $5 mill a season to broadcast their games...

Sounds like they took the whole non-profit thing a little too literally

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

It's a loss leader & while it's true most Super Rugby players go from school to Super Rugby academies I think there's still enough talent coming out of the Provinces to keep treating it as such.

 

[Dan54]

It's a loss leader & while it's true most Super Rugby players go from school to Super Rugby academies I think there's still enough talent coming out of the Provinces to keep treating it as such.

Too true WOB, almost every player that is in Super have done it after playing NPC. They don't turn into good rugby players by just training, buy also by playing experience. A few get found out at that level too.

 

[Dan54]

Canes and Naki winger, Kini Naholo off to Japan after NPC. Heard the rumour and have a chat to Taranaki bigwig at rugby on weekend , he confirmed it.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Four more years for DMac

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[Dan54]

Four more years for DMac

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Pleased to see that WOB. Whether he AB 10-15 or not, love the fact he or any players sticking around, Been good reading rugby downunder when he re-signs and Wallabies seem to of got quite a few of their boys sticking around.

 

[Dan54]

Was quite amused on Saturday, opening club day here in the Naki etc, and was over at Kaponga. Sitting behind the Kaponga deadball line was Ranfurly Shield, then it was sitting in bar in clubrooms. It was sign on day for juniors etc so Naki union said they could borrow the shield for a few days so kids can get photos etc with it. Only reason I a little surprised, all the kerfluffle when it got dropped in the Bay a couple of years back.

 

[Dan54]

NZR and INEOS have come to an out of court settlement it seems, no figures given obviously, but pleased it done with.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Buried in the NZHurld's team lists today:

"All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi will miss the rest of the Blues’ season due to a neck injury, which will require surgery to rehabilitate."

 

[Dan54]

Was interested watching Toulon playing Saracens on weekend. Geez Leicester Fainga'anuku is playing bloody well at 13. I know it only one game etc, but looked pretty tasty at 13 to me. And I know he has to play (I think) Super next year to be eligible, but he will be worth keeping eye on.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

He's signed to return next year on a two-year deal. Safe to assume if he doesn't make RWC squad he'll head back overseas.

 

[Dan54]

Sounds like Mark Telea may well be off to Japan, or stronly considering it.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Patrick Tuifua, who at one point looked likely to choose NZ over France, has now signed with Toulon & will join them soon.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

Was probably always going to happen given he's already played U20's for them but would have been good to pinch one off NH for a change.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I hope Killdozer Koalfacer Beehre gets a look in.

AJ Lam too if Razor could extricate his tongue from Jordie Barrett's bumcrack for 3 seconds.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Lack of a kicking game will count against him I think. Not sure JBar will walk back in v France so I think your man Dave will get that gig.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

FWIW I'd have Lam in my squad in the pre-kicking game Nonu role. But that seems to be out of favour these days AB-wise (maybe bc the tenured 13 doesn't really kick either?).

 

[Dan54]

FWIW I'd have Lam in my squad in the pre-kicking game Nonu role. But that seems to be out of favour these days AB-wise (maybe bc the tenured 13 doesn't really kick either?).

Yep Lam plays like a wing moved into 12.

 

[Dan54]

I see the Taranaki union have made a profit fir 3rd year in a row, not heaps about $43000 or so, but nice to read some parts of the 'amateur' game are still keeping to bugets!

 

[zer0]

Some broadcasting numbers and details about the broadcast negotiations. NPC and Aupiki on TVNZ sounds good to me (assuming it's FTA).

The value of Super Rugby Pacific as an entertainment product – one that can grow and retain subscribers – has been powerfully evidenced this year with viewing figures showing audience numbers were up 12% on last year after three rounds. Updated numbers haven’t been released, but Sky and New Zealand Rugby (NZR) have told the Herald that the past five weeks have continued to deliver strong growth in viewership (Australia has recorded a 30% lift after eight rounds). Not only that, but a raft of other statistics released by NZR about the shape of the game have strengthened the argument Super Rugby is now a considerably more valuable media property than the NRL and A-League.

...

A competition that almost collapsed under its own weight between 2016 and 2020 is now emerging phoenix-like from the ashes. Its Pacific-only format has produced audience numbers that, at times this year, have generated figures almost in line with those delivered by low-key All Blacks tests. The Hurricanes v Blues fixture in round three drew an audience of more than 650,000 – figures almost unheard of when Super Rugby was in its dark phase six years ago.

Super Rugby Pacific has proven itself to be a big-ticket item, and it is the prospect of perhaps losing it that is believed to have prompted current rights holder Sky to re-engage with NZR and take a broader view of what concessions it can make to its offer to get a deal over the line.

Sky has the rights to the NRL and A-League, but data is emerging to show that while the Warriors and Auckland FC are enjoying strong support, neither can command the same volume of viewership as Super Rugby. More than 500,000 people watched the Warriors open their season in Las Vegas, but Super Rugby draws similar, and often higher numbers, for two, if not three games in a weekend. Meanwhile, Super Rugby had almost as many cumulative viewers after three rounds as the A-League did after 21.

Talks between Sky and NZR hit an impasse earlier this year when the latter refused to sign a deal – believed to be worth $85 million a year (the current agreement is around $100m a year) – and began courting British streaming platform DAZN and TVNZ.

...

Sources have told the Herald that the prospect of a deal being struck between Sky and NZR is significantly more likely now than it was six weeks ago – although they stress an agreement is not imminent. The main sticking point to an agreement was price but both parties are believed to be looking at ways around that. Sky has been clear it won’t repeat what it increasingly seems to believe was a mistake of overpaying – the initial deal agreed was $111m a year until it was revised following the intervention of Covid-19, which reshaped Super Rugby and temporarily affected the international programme – and has hinted strongly that it won’t budge from the $85m per annum it is believed to have tabled.

But there may be other ways for the deal to be shaped to give NZR either real or perceived value, and chief among them may be carving out the NPC, and maybe Super Rugby Aupiki and other grassroots content. NZR may not necessarily be able to sell the media rights to these competitions for a fee, but there would be significant value in having it on TVNZ to give the provinces the exposure they need for sponsors and to grow interest more generally in rugby. Sky has said it is open to non-exclusive agreements in this coming broadcast cycle but if TVNZ, which has ambitions to be a higher profile rugby broadcaster, or any other domestic player was interested in securing a co-exclusive deal they would have to come up with tens of millions of dollars, which is why a carve out is more likely.

Super Rugby: Winning the battle for the Kiwi broadcast audience

Dynamic play has made Super Rugby a more attractive broadcast product.

www.nzherald.co.nz

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Mark Telea has confirmed he's off to Japan when his NZR contract ends in December, but not who he's signed with.

Will be interesting to see if Razor keeps picking him this year or gives someone else an extended run at 14.