NZR review
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@Nepia said in NZR review:
@Bovidae said in NZR review:
I was just reading that article. It does clarify that the NZRPA only represents the SR players (professional) as they state that NZR would have control over community and provincial rugby.
I'm all for supporting a union, however, there's a lot of pro players (players that make income from playing rugby) in NZ that don't fall under the SR banner so I am genuinely surprised that they don't represent them all.
That's what has got me confused, they basically saying we only representing top players who will play invitational teams?
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You've got it mixed up, they are not threatening pulling out of rugby. They are threatening, as allowed under their PGA, to change their governorship. So instead of being governed by just NZR, they would set up some other board that NZR (basically PU amateur game) would be one part of.
They can strike, but the only thing that NZR can't use it they withdraw is player image rights
More info there
Professional players threaten split from NZ Rugby over governance structure
The matter will come to ahead at next week's special general meeting.
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@Machpants Realise what they saying, but they saying they will set up a board to run the pro game. I actually see what they saying, but bottom line is they still have to do it through NZR or they got noone to play in tests etc. Basically I don't even see them trying roll board as some saying, we will still have basically same board etc, just no PU input into it. They trying to seperate the pro and amateur game (and basically shrinking the pro game numbers?)
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It is a tough pill for PUs to swallow. For decades they have been the big swinging dicks. Now, broadly being told to go home, sort out their own backyards and leave the big decisions to the adults. They know that this will have an impact on the long-term future of their shop window product (men's domestic rugby), and don't want to lose their relevance in the NZ Rugby landscape. We will never have a fit for purpose product when there are so many self serving cooks in the kitchen
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The Silver Lake deal was a mistake - made lesser by the intervention of the players association. It may develop into something over time but no news todate? But it seems like Rob Nichols has let power go to his head. The threats are poor form. Talk about a swinging dick?
The trouble with the professional era is greed. Everyone thinks the game can grow forever, that players are entitled to massive contracts from billionaire owners and corporates…so we have to screw over provincial rugby.
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@kev said in NZR review:
The Silver Lake deal was a mistake - made lesser by the intervention of the players association. It may develop into something over time but no news todate? But it seems like Rob Nichols has let power go to his head. The threats are poor form. Talk about a swinging dick?
The trouble with the professional era is greed. Everyone thinks the game can grow forever, that players are entitled to massive contracts from billionaire owners and corporates…so we have to screw over provincial rugby.
Didn't the players association effectively just push NZR to go for a better deal, which they eventually got?
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@SouthernMann said in NZR review:
It is a tough pill for PUs to swallow. For decades they have been the big swinging dicks. Now, broadly being told to go home, sort out their own backyards and leave the big decisions to the adults. They know that this will have an impact on the long-term future of their shop window product (men's domestic rugby), and don't want to lose their relevance in the NZ Rugby landscape. We will never have a fit for purpose product when there are so many self serving cooks in the kitchen
I worry it is the NZPA making a play to say amateur rugby shouldn't have a say in how the game is organised or run. As I say, I don't think they are looking to change board except to drop of PU reps. I also think NZR board is pretty keen on the changes. I am a little confused, I like it, but don't want us to get a big seperation between the grassroots and pro game.
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@canefan said in NZR review:
@Dan54 said in NZR review:
@mariner4life said in NZR review:
that reads to me like the pro players telling the archaic provinces to pull their fucking heads in and get in line
It is for sure, it's their flexing of muscles no doubt, I would actually think NZR board may actually not be far away from this too. As I said who is this new identity going to play, and aren't the players contracted to NZR anyway? So are they all going to walk out on contracts etc?
The other way to look at it is, if all the pro players walk, who will play for the ABs? And when they get flogged, what damage will that do to the brand?
I agree, so it almost seems the NZRPA is saying we will destroy game in NZ if you don't do what we say. I am sure they not, and as you say if they walk away who would play for ABs, and just as intriguing who would they play? And so earn money? And it can't happen in next couple of years anyway as a lot of players already signed to NZR until 2026 anyway.
Interesting it's only 3-4 big PUs are against it strongly anyway, I think it's Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury? -
@Dan54 said in NZR review:
Interesting it's only 3-4 big PUs are against it strongly anyway, I think it's Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury?
Haven't seen a definitive breakdown
Taranaki supports Pilkington. I think Southland does too. There will be others but most unions are keeping their mouths shut
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@mariner4life said in NZR review:
that reads to me like the pro players telling the archaic provinces to pull their fucking heads in and get in line
It does, but it also tells me that the Pro Players are self interested and have no interest in rugby beyond what they can make out of it.
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@booboo said in NZR review:
@mariner4life said in NZR review:
that reads to me like the pro players telling the archaic provinces to pull their fucking heads in and get in line
It does, but it also tells me that the Pro Players are self interested and have no interest in rugby beyond what they can make out of it.
of course that's true. They are employees with a very limited working life (and not high enough wages to set themselves up for life), their job is to put together arguments for their benefit.
The Governing Body are the ones who are supposed to balance things out.
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@kev said in NZR review:
The Silver Lake deal was a mistake - made lesser by the intervention of the players association. It may develop into something over time but no news todate? But it seems like Rob Nichols has let power go to his head. The threats are poor form. Talk about a swinging dick?
The trouble with the professional era is greed. Everyone thinks the game can grow forever, that players are entitled to massive contracts from billionaire owners and corporates…so we have to screw over provincial rugby.
Agree 💯
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It's 15 years since the NZRU tried to do something to rationalize the professional game.
It's been apparent for some time that we can't have this many pro / semi pro teams across multiple levels of rugby.
As Gifford wrote in 2009
Since when have rugby provinces in this country ever put the nation first, the province second?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/3155247/NZRU-out-of-touch
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@kev said in NZR review:
The Silver Lake deal was a mistake - made lesser by the intervention of the players association. It may develop into something over time but no news todate? But it seems like Rob Nichols has let power go to his head. The threats are poor form. Talk about a swinging dick?
The trouble with the professional era is greed. Everyone thinks the game can grow forever, that players are entitled to massive contracts from billionaire owners and corporates…so we have to screw over provincial rugby.
Agree on going to his head. It's like a Union boss who thinks he should be the overall boss who has unlimited powers to call the shots. As Mr infallible.
Regarding the Silver Lake deal. Didn't Nichols and his association support the final deal? If so, so much for their decision-making skills. If it is a bad deal he was wrong then (to support it) and may be wrong again.
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@gt12 said in NZR review:
I find it strange that a request for an independent board in line with the Pilkington report is being selfish.
It's the PUs who want to maintain their power here.
Isn't it only 3 seats?
NZR is still doing OK. Not great but OK. And with super rugby this year its heading in the right direction
My concern is the belief that an independent Board will somehow lead to the promised land. It might in fact make things worse without some (3 out of 9) grounded Provincial rugby input.
And why should the PU's give it all up? It's them who have got us to where we are today. Not great but not terrible either.
Rob Nichol: NZ Rugby Players' Association CEO on the potential split from NZ Rugby over the governance change - Early Edition with Ryan Bridge | iHeart
