All Blacks and NZR
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https://www.allblacks.com/news/new-zealand-and-japan-strengthen-rugby-relationship/
The MoU will see the two unions explore strategic and commercial opportunities including more regular matches between the All Blacks, All Blacks XV and Māori All Blacks and Japan Rugby’s Brave Blossoms and Japan XV.
The All Blacks, Māori All Blacks and All Blacks XV will play the Brave Blossoms and Japan XV on a regular basis in Japan, from 2024 to 2027.
There will also be a commitment to explore opportunities for New Zealand-based Super Rugby teams to play Japan League One outside of core DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition windows, and for the Black Ferns Sevens and All Blacks Sevens to play the Japan Sevens outside of existing tournaments.
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Good from NZR, really good move moving closer to the richer Japanese market.
A lot of benefits to be had for us imo.
It will not stop us leaking players and coaches to that market,which is a tough fix probably not fixable without a lot more cash coming from more out side investment, which borders on SR becoming stand alone privately owned organisations..
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If nz based super sides do play in Japan it would surely be another nail in the npc coffin with a longer super season.
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@taniwharugby All just speculation at the moment. When RA were threatening to breakaway from SR there was talk of combining our comp with Japan. There are number of possibilities which could happen.
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@taniwharugby Having two pro competitions cannot last forever. Sooner or later, NPC will fold or go amateur.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks and NZR:
If nz based super sides do play in Japan it would surely be another nail in the npc coffin with a longer super season.
Yep I think that would be in their thinking,Moving NPC to an amateur comp would save them a lot of money.
But it would severely hurt the AB's and SR as far as depth goes,It would probably strengthen MLB considerably. -
@Tim said in All Blacks and NZR:
@taniwharugby Having two pro competitions cannot last forever. Sooner or later, NPC will fold or go amateur.
Yep it will happen eventually.Then SR could be expanded to include 4 Top league teams.
I would hate to see NPC stuffed around though. -
I don't think the NPC will fold or become amateur. There are so many other options to explore and the NPC is too important for the development of players. NZR also can't afford to lose another tier of players to other countries, which will happen if the NPC folds or becomes amateur.
Whatever the solution is, it will likely hurt the NPC though. They'd probably move the competition start back by one or more weeks, or force teams to play without their SR players in the first few weeks, and/or maybe add an extra storm week.
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@Tim yeah I know NPC isnt sustainable long term, unless things change, but these proposed changes are not helpful for NPC.
I wonder what the strength of the NPC teams would be like v the Japanese sides, and if a comp could be made similar to CANZ?
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@taniwharugby CANZ?
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@taniwharugby Why would that happen? I see it as a preseason for Suoer teams and Japanese teams as the way it would work. Will be a win win I think.
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@Stargazer was the tournament that ran along side the original super 10 (pre-1995) I think, but involved teams from Canada, Argentina and NZ.
@Dan54 they play in Japan during our NPC season.
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@Chris said in All Blacks and NZR:
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks and NZR:
If nz based super sides do play in Japan it would surely be another nail in the npc coffin with a longer super season.
Yep I think that would be in their thinking,Moving NPC to an amateur comp would save them a lot of money.
But it would severely hurt the AB's and SR as far as depth goes,It would probably strengthen MLB considerably.Removing the NPC would just remove a pathway, and any money saved would need to be put elsewhere - it's an expense that's always going to exist. If it doesn't exist then NZ rugby is done.
We're also at a point, setting aside Covid, where the NPC unions have learned to live within their means.
I know the big union supporters on here bemoan that ABs don't play a full part but that has happened for years and has made the NPC a more competitive competition, and the big unions still pretty much mostly win anyway with their available and back up ABs.
I (and I might be part of a small group of outliers) watch more NPC games a weekend than Super games (I hate Canterbury, Southland, Tahs, Reds equally but I'm more likely to watch the Cantabs v Southland). If the NPC goes my active support of rugby drops off a huge cliff.
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When the Super Six started in 1986 it was a closed shop with Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury participating with New South Wales and Queensland and Fiji. It was a closed shop because it was essentially a private, invitation only, tournament instigated by New South Wales.
The benefit to Auckland, Wellington and Canterbury over the other NZ provincial teams was obvious.
Unable to join Super Six, Otago was a prime mover in 1989 setting up the CANZ competition with Waikato, North Auckland, Canada and two teams from Argentina - Banco Nacionale and San Isidro.
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@taniwharugby Ok well I didn't see where it said that, all it said was outside of Super Pacific. What have I missed? I reckon this a great move and f***en good work by NZR.
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@Nepia Yep, without the NPC, I'd probably watch 1st XV, some club rugby games, teams in black and only the occasional SR game. I need that provincial connection (via our provincial players) to be interested in watching SRP every weekend.
@taniwharugby said in All Blacks and NZR:@Dan54 they play in Japan during our NPC season.
The Japanese Top League One starts in December, so after the NPC has finished, but players are usually expected to return for preseason in September.
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@Stargazer it's more that unless it's an npc player finishing up and starting new contract we don't really see anyone playing both
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@taniwharugby Unless they negotiate a special clause in their contract, like Tiaan Falcon a few years ago. He did play both. I think there have been a few more players.
