Hurricanes (not) playing in Napier

Stargazer

This article was published in the Hawke's Bay Today: 

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Union says no to Hurricanes-Kings game By Shane Hurndell 5:00 AM Tuesday Mar 1, 2016 
 The Hawke's Bay Rugby Union turned down an opportunity to host a Hurricanes game against the Southern Kings at Napier's McLean Park on Good Friday. 
 "We stressed to the Hurricanes we didn't want to host games Wellington didn't want. We only want to host New Zealand derby Super games like the Hurricanes-Highlanders clash we hosted last year," union CEO Mike Bishop told last night's 131st annual meeting of the union in Napier. 
 He was replying to Tamatea's union delegate Dennis Rosser who was surprised the union had decided against hosting the Canes for a second consecutive season. The Canes will host the South African minnows at Westpac Stadium in the capital. 
 Yesterday former Magpie Hilton Meech expressed concern in a letter to the Hawke's Bay Today editor about the Hawke's Bay union turning down a match between the Hurricanes and the Force, which will be played in Palmerston North on March 18. Meech understood the union opted out of the fixture because the profit margin was too small despite the Napier City Council favouring the hosting of the match. 
 He sounded out the Manawatu union on the matter and Turbos officials told him the most important issue for them was the rugby public having the opportunity to see All Blacks and Hurricanes in action against former, current and future Wallabies. 
 "The small profit approach being outweighed by the attendance and promotion of the game of rugby and the access of our youngsters to meeting their heroes and seeing them in action," Meech wrote. 
 "This has, no doubt, led to some signing up to play for their local club of choice and therefore keeping our national game in the front for New Zealanders, and alive and well in provincial New Zealand," he continued. 
 "For the Manawatu sponsors and local businesses and their union, they made a profit in support of the game. In other words, the whole rugby community at large benefited, as did the city of Palmerston North, and that is the greatest profit of all!" 
 Meech hoped the Hawke's Bay union's decision won't cost it the opportunity to host an All Blacks game in the future. Napier's McLean Park last hosted a test in 2014 and this was the first since 1996. 
 "For us in Hawke's Bay we missed out again - for the NZRU it may be the catalyst for not involving us in hosting an ABs game. Who pays?" Meech asked. 
 There will still be plenty of rugby in Hawke's Bay on Good Friday as that is the day for the first round of Hawke's Bay's Nash Cup premier club competition. All games have been scheduled for Good Friday which will allow players to have the rest of Easter Weekend free. 
 The club season will end with the Maddison Trophy final on August 13. Taradale are the defending champions in the Nash Cup and Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports hold the Maddison Trophy. Taradale are also the Pratt Trophy holders and the Town-Country competition champions. Aotea will attempt to retain the Arthur Bowman Cup in division two. 
 - <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/'>Hawkes Bay Today</a>
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I can't agree with HBRU about this. Apparently, they had an option to host either the Force or the Kings (the former being preferable) and they refuse because of the profit margin being too small? How about giving rugby fans in the Bay the opportunity too see a game of Super Rugby at their home turf? The arguments of the Manuwatu union/sponsors are much more convincing. It's about growing the game and bringing high level rugby closer to the public in the provinces. Is it only about money at the HBRU?

gt12

Ridiculous decision. Or is it? 
Personally, I would assume that they could draw a crowd, and I'd be furious if I were living in the HB. But, I'm the type of person who would go watch 1st XV rugby when I'm home, so not really a good gauge. 
I assume that they ran the numbers and that was that, but it's a very bad look.

Hooroo

I tend to agree. Profit is profit never mind what the margin is. It is the extra it provides to the area on top of profit to consider as well (Which surely they must have done??)
 
It's a real toy toss in my opinion.
 
Did the shield give the area delusions of grandeur or something???

Crucial

If this is the official approach of HB then the fans there wont be seeing much live Super Rugby. It is very unlikely that the Canes will play derby matches away from the Caketin.

Stargazer

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="561823" data-time="1456863412">
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If this is the official approach of HB then the fans there wont be seeing much live Super Rugby. It is very unlikely that the Canes will play derby matches away from the Caketin.
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Yeah, they did last year, but that was because of the U20 Football World Cup, I think. They have had a Hurricanes game v Bulls before that, which is obviously more interesting than the Kings, but there's a former Magpie from Hastings in the Force squad (Mathewson)! I think they're nuts not to host that game.

Crucial

Maybe HB should cough up some $ and officially join the Chiefs like the Naki did?
 
 
But nah, we get their players for free anyway ;)

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Crucial" data-cid="561852" data-time="1456871821">
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Maybe HB should cough up some $ and officially join the Chiefs like the Naki did?
 
 
But nah, we get their players for free anyway ;)
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The Magpies had the chance when we had an assistant coach and a bucketload of players, but we did the opposite, and of that coach and players there's only really Horrell left (with Allardice and Weber added).
 
The HB union seems to be on a mission to piss off as many fans as possible at the moment. But this was the CEO who who tied himself up in knots to justify giving a guy who would have played nearly for free the boot - so entirely understandable.
 
What's this we business, Johnny come lately (after the first title) :)

Stockcar86

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Nepia" data-cid="562882" data-time="1457248962">
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The Magpies had the chance when we had an assistant coach and a bucketload of players, but we did the opposite, and of that coach and players there's only really Horrell left (with Allardice and Weber added).
 
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and Sam McNicol :)

Nepia

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Stockcar86" data-cid="562931" data-time="1457303856">
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and Sam McNicol :)
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Cheers, I knew I'd forget someone.

The Silver Fern

Hurricanes (not) playing in Napier