Super Rugby Pacific 2025

[The Ghost of Raelene]

This is a lack of knowing what it takes to be an elite athlete.

Yes - little things like transport and check-ins can make a difference. Particularly when games are going down to the wire and results are still in the balance with 10mins left.

I think that leans into the point around Super Rugby looking after the logistics and the issues that could arise from a separation of groups and any lack of communication that would occur in comparison to having it all in house.

 

[Wilson]

I entirely understand that it was disruptive and why the Drua are (rightly) annoyed. My point is more that I’m unsure why SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) are copping flack when the issues were seemingly (mostly) out of their control.

Regardless, hopefully greater care is taken in future.

There's definitely a share of responsibility for the competition management here. I'm not sure exactly how it shakes out at the moment but they have always held some responsibility in terms of away travel and particularly accommodation bookings. They were responsible for booking the bus that never showed up here, and while a bus company stuff up is out of their control the end result was a professional rugby team had to travel in the back of a truck for a leg of the travel they were directly responsible for. A failure in anyone's book.

A big part of the problem here comes down to venue choice and the challenges that come from that - something they are directly responsible for (along with the home side). Playing a game at Napier comes with significantly increased travel burden for visiting teams, particularly international ones with limited choice in airport. That's where they really need to be prepared to cover a failure like this - if there's no opportunity for a last minute replacement bus booking then they better make damn sure that booking is confirmed.

 

[Bullrush]

I think that leans into the point around Super Rugby looking after the logistics and the issues that could arise from a separation of groups and any lack of communication that would occur in comparison to having it all in house.

The ability to look after logistics doesn't seem to be a problem for the other teams. There didn't seem to be any problem securing a late check-out for the Hurricanes.

 

[PhilClinton]

Lote Tuiquri's comments I did actually find quite amusing.

"It's ridiculous," Tuqiri told AAP.

"You'd think the organisers would have it sorted, given how old the competition is. It's not like a new competition.

Lote mate, we're talking about Super Rugby unfortunately, not the NBA, or hell even the NRL. As has been mentioned in other threads, it took until 2025 for us to get some type of competition wide injury notification sent out each week.

 

[Braveheart81]

I entirely understand that it was disruptive and why the Drua are (rightly) annoyed. My point is more that I’m unsure why SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) (Super Rugby Pacific) are copping flack when the issues were seemingly (mostly) out of their control.

Regardless, hopefully greater care is taken in future.

You would assume the Drua still have a manager and they should be checking and double checking these things. Call the bus company just before your flight to confirm it's going to be there when you land.

In terms of the hotel, if you can't secure a late check-in before you arrive and it's important to you, the remedy is surely to book a few rooms for the next night.

The reaction to this does seem a bit overblown.

 

[Bullrush]

You would assume the Drua still have a manager and they should be checking and double checking these things. Call the bus company just before your flight to confirm it's going to be there when you land.

In terms of the hotel, if you can't secure a late check-in before you arrive and it's important to you, the remedy is surely to book a few rooms for the next night.

The reaction to this does seem a bit overblown.

So the Drua should jump through extra hoops that other teams don't have to to get the same service. It really is their own fault...

 

[PhilClinton]

So the Drua should jump through extra hoops that other teams don't have to to get the same service. It really is their own fault...

Do you not think all SRP (Super Rugby Pacific) teams have their own team manager whose job it is to confirm all the relevant details of travel, accom and logistics before arriving or leaving a destination?

Maybe that person did their job and it was still a shit show despite assurances.

At my company we use a lot of third-party vendors to arrange things like corporate travel and events. But I still email them the day before to confirm the private car is locked in for pickup of the key passengers and all the rooms will be available for early check-in if needed etc.

 

[Braveheart81]

So the Drua should jump through extra hoops that other teams don't have to to get the same service. It really is their own fault...

No, I think every team should be doing this stuff.

At the end of the day having someone else to blame because things went wrong is far less important than avoiding things going wrong in the first place.

 

[Strewthcobber]

I can't believe, in 2025 in Auckland, the players and management accepted the idea of riding in the back of the truck, and the driver let them do it.

That's a work trip. I can't imagine how I would avoid getting fired if any of my staff did that, or thought that was acceptable.

 

[Dctarget]

I can't believe, in 2025 in Aukland, the players and management accepted the idea of riding in the back of the truck, and the driver let them do it.

That's a work trip. I can't imagine how I'd would avoid getting fired if any of my staff did that, or thought that was acceptable.

Yeah it's insane. Rent 5 large ubers and you're fine.

 

[Adam84]

Lote Tuiquri's comments I did actually find quite amusing.

"It's ridiculous," Tuqiri told AAP.

"You'd think the organisers would have it sorted, given how old the competition is. It's not like a new competition.

Lote mate, we're talking about Super Rugby unfortunately, not the NBA, or hell even the NRL. As has been mentioned in other threads, it took until 2025 for us to get some type of competition wide injury notification sent out each week.

nah I’m with Lote on this…

Proper logistics and transport planning isn’t just the realm of super wealthy sports like the NBA, it’s a pretty simple concept that even the cheapest tour providers can organise.

May not be Super Rugby organisers fault that the bus provider double booked, but their responsibility doesn’t finish there. Either book through more reputable bus companies who can plan alternatives, or have a contact on-call to deal with those situations

 

[Strewthcobber]

To some extent, this is a story because Australian and NZ teams simply would not accept some of this stuff.

"Super rugby team forced to get taxis from the airport to their hotel" isn't nearly as good a headline as the luggage truck thing

 

[Wilson]

Yeah it's insane. Rent 5 large ubers and you're fine.

To some extent, this is a story because Australian and NZ teams simply would not accept some of this stuff.

"Super rugby team forced to get taxis from the airport to their hotel" isn't nearly as good a headline as the luggage truck thing

This was not a quick trip from the airport to the city. They flew into Auckland, landing at midnight, with a ~5 hour drive to Napier ahead of them.

 

[Adam84]

wait… so they rode in the back of a truck for 5 hours??

 

[Strewthcobber]

This was not a quick trip from the airport to the city. They flew into Auckland, landing at midnight, with a ~5 hour drive to Napier ahead of them.

The reporting is pretty unclear, but pretty sure they stayed near to the airport in Auckland on Thursday night. Travelled to Napier (not in the back of a truck) on Friday, and the late check-out issue was on Saturday with the second hotel

Late at night and lacking options to get to a nearby hotel, the Drua squad piled into the back of a truck booked to transport the team’s luggage and equipment.

 

[Derpus]

nah I’m with Lote on this…

Proper logistics and transport planning isn’t just the realm of super wealthy sports like the NBA, it’s a pretty simple concept that even the cheapest tour providers can organise.

May not be Super Rugby organisers fault that the bus provider double booked, but their responsibility doesn’t finish there. Either book through more reputable bus companies who can plan alternatives, or have a contact on-call to deal with those situations

I woulda thought its up to the team to manage logistics, right? Like it would make sense to have a contact point with Super Rugby broadly for emergency issues but that probably wouldnt typically involve booking a bus...

 

[Wilson]

The reporting is pretty unclear, but pretty sure they stayed near to the hotel in Auckland on Thursday night. Drove to Napier (in a bus) on Friday, and the late check-out issue was on Saturday with the second hotel

That's certainly better than it being the whole way, but a lack of options is a lack of options - it's not clear there were taxis available for them at that time, at least not enough to get them there in a timely manor. I certainly don't think they piled into a luggage truck over taxis for headline purposes.

 

[LeCheese]

The reporting is pretty unclear, but pretty sure they stayed near to the airport in Auckland on Thursday night. Travelled to Napier (not in the back of a truck) on Friday, and the late check-out issue was on Saturday with the second hotel

Yeah the very hazy details and timelines aren't helping. My understanding was the same as yours

 

[Wilson]

I woulda thought its up to the team to manage logistics, right? Like it would make sense to have a contact point with Super Rugby broadly for emergency issues but that probably wouldnt typically involve booking a bus...

All the reporting is that it was Super Rugby that booked the bus that never arrived:

After landing in Auckland near midnight, players and team management arrived to find the bus booked by Super Rugby organisers to transport the team to a hotel was nowhere to be seen. Subsequent calls found the booking had been cancelled due to a mistake by the bus company, according to sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to speak freely.

 

[Derpus]

All the reporting is that it was Super Rugby that booked the bus that never arrived:

Yeah weird