Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Winning the RWC: it's complicated

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  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    when I was a boy (he quavered) travelling teams were billeted amongst the populace – I’m sure many folk would be happy to take on a foreign rugby player for a week,

    Also few years back I worked for a lady who billeted the Tennis pros in to NZ for their Tournament. Not as far back as when you was a boy though. Relatively recently.;)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Grassroots, my son's rugby got cut short for the RWC, the opposition coach had to ref the semi-final, there were serious breaches of weight restriction and ring in players from league. His school won the NZ secondary schools championship, they had to get sponsors for the tape budget...
    Irresponsible to who?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    I thought the Council planned it but it was canned, then brought back but I would have to hunt for that and I can’t be doing that now. I am making Lasagne.

    The government and the then Auckland Regional Council contributed $20 million each to buy Queen’s Wharf in 2009, as a fan site for the RWC and as a site for a future cruise ship terminal and public space. I think it’s fair to say that brought forward the opening of the red gates by years.

    After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing about what structures would be on the wharf and who would pay for them, both sides got their way: the government paid for The Cloud and the council funded the restoration of Shed 10 (which wasn’t suitable for use without the work).

    Both structures will stay on the wharf indefinitely. I seem to recall a proposal for Shed 10 to be used as part of the cruise ship terminal, but they can go to hell. It’s an event space now.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    they can go to hell

    One can but hope. I'd also like to see that wealthy industry pay for its own shore facilities, wherever they are. Then we'll see how grand they need to be.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Inviting them all to stick around for a week costs a million dollars

    Yes, but if any of them wanted to stay, they're all well paid professionals and could afford hotel rooms, camper vans and the like out of their own money.

    Is there a tradition that if you're in a team that gets knocked out of a sporting tournament, you get the next plane out and don't hang around?

    (It didn't apply way back in the 87 America's Cup, where some of the losing Brits helped with the pioneering TV graphics coverage that I was involved with. Some of the others got jobs with the other syndicates - they weren't allowed to race but could do any kind of support job. More fun than the Solent in january).

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    they’re all well paid professionals

    Samoa? Tonga? Doubt it.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    they’re all well paid professionals

    Samoa? Tonga? Doubt it.

    The entire Samoan squad are professionals, most in Europe where the pay's very good, and nearly all the Tongan squad.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Auckland Council determined not to be caught short this time:

    The Auckland Council will today make an urgent application to the Government's Rugby World Cup Authority for permission to use Aotea Square and Marsden Wharf as fan zones on Sunday night.

    Big television screens to show the game live would be set up in Aotea Square, the civic heart of Auckland, as a back-up for fans turned away from Queens Wharf and the overflow options at Captain Cook and Marsden wharves.

    The Marsden zone would hold 4500 people and council officials want to increase the maximum crowd size at the Captain Cook wharf from 10,000 to 14,000.

    I can only presume McCully's lost interest.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce,

    Auckland Council determined not to be caught short this time:

    They're probably having a panic because the weather forecast for Sunday is pretty damn good. I hope the folks organising that Fonterra Kiwi Day Out for Monday have got some good systems in place they could get some big numbers of people.

    Look how many turned out for the free fireworks, imagine how many will turn up for a free ice cream...

    http://www.fonterra.com/wps/wcm/connect/fonterracom/fonterra.com/Our+Business/News/The+Fonterra+Shout/Kiwi+Day+Out+Auckland/

    His school won the NZ secondary schools championship, they had to get sponsors for the tape budget

    They just so happen to be playing at Western Springs tonight too if anyone is interested.

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10759360

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Russell Brown,

    The entire Samoan squad are professionals, most in Europe where the pay’s very good, and nearly all the Tongan squad.

    So why did they have students doing sports massage because they couldn't afford their own staff Still I stand corrected. And what about all the sympathy for the $10000.00 fine that John Campbell raised that I saw you Russell in the queue for. Was that just opposition to the fine?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I wouldn't conflate team budgets with player incomes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Sacha,

    ok

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Saint Kentigern beat Kelston 38-17 in the Auckland schools final but was ineligible for the national tournament since the east Auckland school had opted for the co-ed competition.
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/5530293/Disciplined-rugby-sees-Kelston-home
    I was really confused there for a bit, but I see now. This rugby thing can get very confusing at the off the field level.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    So why did they have students doing sports massage because they couldn’t afford their own staff Still I stand corrected. And what about all the sympathy for the $10000.00 fine that John Campbell raised that I saw you Russell in the queue for. Was that just opposition to the fine?

    Like Sacha said the Island unions are not wealthy -- although they do get a share of the RWC profits.

    The players themselves do pretty well from their club and Super 15 contracts. But that's also why teams like Samoa and Tonga look different -- and stronger -- at world cups: the European clubs have to release their players.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    the European clubs have to release their players

    I thought their refusal to so so was a live issue?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    I thought their refusal to so so was a live issue?

    They're required to release the players, but I hand't realised that in this tournament some clubs have tried to either buy or bully players into not playing at the RWC.

    That's disgusting. The British rugby press should be flaying those clubs.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    You can see why people like Rawiri Taonui are hacked off with the Euro-centrism of the IRB.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • JacksonP, in reply to Sacha,

    Euro-centrism of the IRB.

    Yes, I suspect in a geography quiz, FIFA would win, but in regards to a troubled executive, I don't think the IRB are quite in the same league yet. Would quite like to see Tew on the exec though.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2011 • 2450 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams, in reply to Russell Brown,

    That’s disgusting. The British rugby press should be flaying those clubs.

    But they'll not, their performance in some shitty local albeit European league depends upon imported players. Thank God, I mean Jock Hobbes, this is not the rugby reality we face. It's his personal intervention that saw off the Murdoch-backed global competition that would have decimated national competitions.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    and the volunteers, what is that about, bless them for volunteering, but a little pay would go a long way

    I know one volunteer who worked 7 days in Wellington, wasn't well positioned, felt it was a bit of waste of time, and got one pool ticket to not a very good game.

    I know another who worked three days in Dunedin, and got four tickets to the All Blacks QF. Better pay than she gets at work.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Finals weekend will bring a torrent of dosh for Auckland businesses, we're assured. I'm pretty sure most of their headline figure is just the stadium ticket sales.

    Rugby World Cup finals weekend celebrations in Auckland are set to pump up to $67.6 million into the nation's economy.

    The latest MasterCard Worldwide economic impact report on the tournament - by Coventry University's Centre for the International Business of Sport - says the figure includes the total spend of foreign visitors and people visiting the City of Sails from other areas of New Zealand.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Sacha,

    Finals weekend will bring a torrent of dosh for Auckland businesses, we’re assured. I’m pretty sure most of their headline figure is just the stadium ticket sales.

    I think butchers are going to do well. The rush started yesterday up at Westmere, apparently. The whole city is going to smelled of charred flesh on Sunday afternoon.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Russell Brown,

    spit-roasted frog :)
    #cheers

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Finals weekend will bring a torrent of dosh for Auckland businesses, we're assured.

    I'm fairly sure that the "latest" economic impact report is the same one they've been touting for the last five weeks.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Apparently we could host the Olympics. I'm sure there will be those advocating we should, 'even if we have to eat grass' to do so.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

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