Field Theory: Just one point in it
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Not sure that approach would please the Australians too much.
Because?
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It would mean they wouldn’t have had 2 tests against Italy.
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It would mean they wouldn’t have had 2 tests against Italy.
The schedule could be juggled easily, I'm sure
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The IRB fails to resolve this one every year.
There are tight windows, club competitions, niggling injuries, not long until the next season etc.. That’s why the Northern Hemisphere sides send down weakened teams most years. As for as they’re concerned, these tours are an obligation as it is.
They only do it so the Southern Hemisphere sides (not just the All Blacks) reciprocate in November, which means lots of Euros.
Pretty sure this would be the longest tour Italy have ever done.
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The schedule could be juggled easily, I'm sure
I presume Italy wouldn't go for it either. They'll get a lot more money from playing 3 tests than they will playing one test and two provincial sides.
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I presume Italy wouldn't go for it either. They'll get a lot more money from playing 3 tests than they will playing one test and two provincial sides.
Australia moves the Baa-baas match (which was really just a vehicle for some Sonny-Bill perving) to after the French game and move Italy up a week. So, Italy arrive a week early here, play Canterbury (during the day), then another province/Super 14 squad, then the All Blacks (the All Blacks have a week between France and Italy and then a week between Italy and Aus). Or, heaven forbid, they could play the NZ Maori.
Wow, that was hard.
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But the point is really that NZ needs to set itself up as the place 2nd tier nations can prove themselves against quality club teams.
Imagine Georgia or Namibia or Portugal playing Super 14/NPC teams in Palmerston North, Queenstown, Tauranga, or Whangarei. Or teams like Japan and Italy coming and playing a few games and then ending with a test match.
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Australia moves the Baa-baas match (which was really just a vehicle for some Sonny-Bill perving) to after the French game and move Italy up a week. So, Italy arrive a week early here, play Canterbury (during the day), then another province/Super 14 squad, then the All Blacks (the All Blacks have a week between France and Italy and then a week between Italy and Aus). Or, heaven forbid, they could play the NZ Maori.
My point is, why would Italy come for four games when they could come for three and make as much money? You can charge twice as much to watch the All Blacks play Italy as Hawkes Bay or the Hurricanes vs Italy.
I don't disagree that we should be hosting B level teams, particularly in the window after super 14 but before Air NZ cup. I doubt that Italy is what we should be looking at though, they're tied into the European club and 6 nation schedule which means their time down here is limited and has to earn as much as possible. We should look at countries that aren't locked into a tournament at this time of year - what are Canada and the USA teams doing? The lesser European teams?
Likewise, the All Blacks wouldn't return to a traditional tour anymore. They can earn as much playing 4 tests in 4 weeks around the home nations as they can in 6 weeks playing a couple of tests and a bunch of club sides.
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Canada, USA, Georgia England B etc are playing in their own tournament at them moment (The Churchill cup; wonder what the Georgians make of that name)
HG; you obviously missed my point about the European club competitions getting in the way. Remember how the French finalists didn’t get here in time for the first test? So you can’t squeeze in an extra week at the start.
That’s why, as venal as the exercise was, a Baa-baas outfit with whoever happens to be available at the time, is the only option.
Another point; in June and July no Super 14 or NPC teams are in existence, so it wouldn’t really be practical to scramble them for a one-off game.
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The reports of the Bastareaud incident have vague statements of 2-5 PI or Maori in an unprovoked assult on him.
Now CCTV have 3 French players and 2 mystery girls entering their Hotel around 5am.And the officer in charge of the investigation was today spouting off a number of very vague things.
He wouldn't confirm if Bastareaud was one of the three players arriving at 5am, he wouldn't say who the other players were, he wouldn't say whether they were involved in the incident and again confirmed that Bastareaud had said he was back at the hotel by 3.Cover-up by NZ?
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Cover-up by NZ?
I still don't get it. What's the conspiracy theory?
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I still don't get it. What's the conspiracy theory?
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"I was ashamed and panicked and I thought I would be ..."
I believe this much of what Butters is saying.
I really don't like the PI or Maori bashed him up story and think it is quite sad on a couple of levels.
I predict he'll end up playing European League and never visit NZ ever again.
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