Better Rugby Rules

Source: Fourth Bledisloe Test switched from Denver to Tokyo – John Matheson

The NZRU banked about $NZ4 million ($3 million) from last year’s Bledisloe Cup Test in Hong Kong and can expect to pull in at least $NZ5 million from their Tokyo jaunt.

Four Bledisloe cups games, are they freaken kidding, bumkins at the ARU and NZRU dont give a toss on how much they exploit the game for the buck, too much rugby with the same boring arrangements.

Have no doubt the way the CEOs are treating this great game is a dam disgrace, the NZRU are just as fat with expensive staff as those of the investment banks at Wall Street. Why dont they just cut costs, sack the ‘special hangers on’, you only need one All Black coach and not three. Notice all the new jerseys in the super 14, that is in the hope that you buy the new jersey so they can have your cash, no matter they look oh so ugly. Funny how Man United doesnt do the same, as you cant build a brand when you change the logo every new year.

A question for those that have seen more than 20 years of rugby, are you watching the ‘kick and hope, force back Super 14’, I get the feeling that many of you are not. NZ crowds are down, maybe its more than economics, maybe the fiddling of this great game of rugby union is slowly destroying the loyal fan base. We shall see!

UPDATE: Source – NZRU seeks to trim costs by $2.6m – Wynne Gray

The Rugby Union has slapped the handbrake on its spending to try to shave a further $2.6 million from its bills as the effects of the global economic meltdown are felt this season.

While the NZRU has reserves of $55 million, it remains anxious about the future and has worked through plans to trim nearly $1 million from its costs. The remaining $1.6 million savings will come from:

* A salary freeze on all NZRU staff salaries.
*Reduced spending on age-group camps, assembly costs and development programmes.
*A reduction in television match officials in the national championship.
*A cut in All Black costs.

The above is a step in the right direction….not enough, need more cost cutting: I mean what do you need Wayne Smith for, the ABs back line been crap for years ! [ Or is it that we need a forwards in the backs coach, instead of a backs coach only (ha)]