Nz domestic rugby 2020

[Brumby Runner]

Much appreciated WOB. Thanks.

 

[Dan54]

Heartland is amateur & only SF & Finals are live on Sky so I think it, too, will proceed but I wouldn't be surprised if NZR split it into Northern & Southern conferences for the regular season (top two from each contest the Meads Cup, 3rd & 4th the Lochore), also to get the costs down.

EDIT: also it's election year, Election Day is 19 September & whereas the government is currently at 56% in the polls & the opposition at 31, woe betide the government that gets between kiwis & their footy, esp in the provinces! So I think Finance Minister Robertson may just find a way to channel some funding rugby's way.

Was watching Breakdown other night, and Robertson basically said there no money for professional sports, the 80 mill they tossed out so far is for local clubs of all sports to pay power and insurance bills. He did indicate that there maybe help fpr women's rugby in funds to help for Farrah Fawcett cup comp as women's WC is meant to be in NZ next year and they want the NZ women to be ready.
I thought I heard that Heartland had gone for the year, but may have been hearing something else.

Also was interested in watching spinoff and TJ Perenara etc suggesting that players should be encouraged to market themselves a bit more (obviously not crossing sponsors) as he thinks that if a player is well known may get people to follow his sport. ie Ardie Savea's clothing brand etc, people may get into it and drift onto rugby learning about Ardie. Bit like the Micheal Jordan/Le Bron James etc thing ,who were almost bigger than the game and people watched game because they were part of it!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ as I understand it Heartland will still happen if we get to Level 2.whatever is necessary for Club footy to kick off around 20 June.

Re: Robertson, he's got a $20Bn Covid-19 recovery fund that hasn't been tapped yet & he's on record as wanting top-level sport to get back underway asap so watch this space!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Not really worth posting the links but Southland, Wellington, Otago, North Harbour & Manawatu have today declared they'll be fielding M10 Cup teams. Southland CEO (only been in the job a short time, obviously doesn't know how things work down there yet) says he's furious that someone leaked their financial position, which I thought was fairly well known. Nothing from Taranaki yet but I'm sure the 'naki diaspora will come to the rescue one way or another.

 

[Dan54]

^ as I understand it Heartland will still happen if we get to Level 2.whatever is necessary for Club footy to kick off around 20 June.

Re: Robertson, he's got a $20Bn Covid-19 recovery fund that hasn't been tapped yet & he's on record as wanting top-level sport to get back underway asap so watch this space!

According to CEO of Ngati Porou East Coast , the CEOs of heartlnd provinces have knocked the comp on the head a few weeks back, and are just going to play some derby games. So the Mighty Nua would I suppose play Whanganui, Waiarapa Bush and King Country? She said the CEOs made decision early to get clarity for season, and all agreed.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

According to CEO of Ngati Porou East Coast , the CEOs of heartlnd provinces have knocked the comp on the head a few weeks back, and are just going to play some derby games. So the Mighty Nua would I suppose play Whanganui, Waiarapa Bush and King Country? She said the CEOs made decision early to get clarity for season, and all agreed.

Clearly another desperate attempt to prevent the Mighty 'nua fulfilling their Meads Cup destiny.

 

[Dan54]

Clearly another desperate attempt to prevent the Mighty 'nua fulfilling their Meads Cup destiny.

It pretty obvious isn't ? The virus meant they couldn't afford the backhanders to the refs so they just stopped the whole lot!!! It is so lucky that us Mighty Nua men are so calm and don't make any noise about it! BASTARDS!!!!!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

On a more serious note, if Heartland can't proceed as normal I hope NZR & the Unions can come up with something for Club players to aspire to.

Maybe stage a Hannan Shield (Mid Canty, South Canty, North Otago) tri-series, winner takes on winner of Buller v West Coast for SI champ. Split NI into North (Thames Valley, East Coast, Poverty Bay) & South (King Country, Wanganui, 'nua, Wai Bush) zones, winners play off & winner of that plays SI champ for Meads Cup. Can't see the budgets stretching to a Lochore Cup.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Gatherings of up to 100 are allowed from noon Friday so 20 June looking a likely date for Club & schools footy to resume.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Further to my above post re: a trimmed-down Heartland comp, I reckon it can be done in eleven games with minimal travel & using last year's regular season standings for seedlings:

Week 1
1. South Canty v Mid Canty
2. Poverty Bay v East Coast
3. Wairarapa Bush v King Country
4. Wanganui v Horowhenua Kapiti

Week 2
5. Winner 1. v North Otago
6. West Coast v Buller
7. Winner 2. v Thames Valley
8. Winner 3. v Winner 4.

Week 3 - Semi Finals
9. Winner 5. v Winner 6.
10. Winner 7. v Winner 8.

Week 4 - Meads Cup Final

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Confirmation Schools rugby is set to resume on 20 June, at least in CruSadist country:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/spor...oy-rugby-ready-to-swing-back-into-action.html

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Looks like SRA will have Golden Point:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...npoint-winner-system-on-table-for-super-rugby

My initial thought is it's OK but anyone tactically subbed off in regular time should be able to come back on for extra time, otherwise it becomes a bit too victory of the fittest for my liking.

 

[Dan54]

Looks like SRA will have Golden Point:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...npoint-winner-system-on-table-for-super-rugby

My initial thought is it's OK but anyone tactically subbed off in regular time should be able to come back on for extra time, otherwise it becomes a bit too victory of the fittest for my liking.

Not really a fan of golden point, a draw is and has always been one of the results in rugby.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ agreed. Seems to be a one-off solution to the hopefully one-off problem of there being no finals & most derbies being close-scoring affairs with a high probability of there being multiple drawn matches: last year every NZ team had at least one "D".

Encouraging news re: SkyTV in terms of their ability to fund STA & whatever comes next:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/121627380/sky-holds-onto-sport-subscribers-but-challenges-remain

Highlights:

Subscribers reasonably steady at 585K - sports package down 8%, I'd have expected that to be much higher
Average monthly spend per subscriber down only slightly at $82
$157Mn of new money injected into the business

On the down side of the ledger, there will be redundancies:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/121638713/sky-sport-to-axe-jobs-as-staff-are-told-to-reapply-for-roles

I know how they feel, we're about to start that process next week & we've already been told how many are going so pretty sombre work environment right now.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

NZR won't be taking up WR (World Rugby)'s medical committee's proposed ban on scrum resets etc.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12335102

TBH I think it's been so roundly rubbished that WR (World Rugby) will refer it to a sub-committee & let it die.

Edit: no, they've just made them optional.

https://www.world.rugby/news/569881

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Loss Bleus have confirmed Eden Park as their Fortress:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/spor...ome-ground-for-revamped-2020-competition.html

Hopes high that on 8 June outdoor gatherings of up to 500 will be allowed & there's a theory dong the rounds that if you were to let batches of 500 people in through each gate & prevent them from getting too close to one another, EP could potentially have 5K in the stands without too many dramas.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Draw tbc but the Farah Palmer Cup will run from 22 August with 13 teams divided into North & South pools: seven week round-robin followed by SF & Final. Looks like all the Black Ferns, & the Sevens Sistas, will be involved as they prepare for their respective XV's World Cup & Olympic 7's.

https://www.provincial.rugby/news/farah-palmer-cup-to-kick-off-in-2020-as-season-confirmed/

 

[Dan54]

Loss Bleus have confirmed Eden Park as their Fortress:

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/spor...ome-ground-for-revamped-2020-competition.html

Hopes high that on 8 June outdoor gatherings of up to 500 will be allowed & there's a theory dong the rounds that if you were to let batches of 500 people in through each gate & prevent them from getting too close to one another, EP could potentially have 5K in the stands without too many dramas.

I don't know if you saw Breakdown this week WOB, Jacinda Ahern made an appearance on it and they chucked the isea to her about groups of 100 or whatever being let in and she indicated the Govt was peeking at it. As an aside was quite amusing when Mils Muliana asked her who she would like to smash if she was playing rugby in a parliament game. she indicated that most would want to be on the opposite side to the Speaker of the house, as he likeliest target. also says she a Chiefs woman, reckons she born with the cowbells ringing in her ears, and like any proper supporter made her a Chiefs fan for life!!

 

[Dan54]

Starting to look like crowds will be at Super Aotearoa, with talk NZ will be in Level 1 by then!!!
Bloody great on 2 fronts, the most important is that NZ at this stage on top of the virus!!! And secondly thet we can have crowds at game, and hopefully I can get home before too much longer as there some people we need to see!!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ yeah, this morning Jacinda gave the strongest indication yet that we'll go to Level 1 next Wednesday, just in time for SRA & father-in-law's 75th birthday bash.