14 into 12? 10? 8?
is it a knee-jerk with the best of the IRB officials in New Zealand to see whether we can host what will prob be the 2nd biggest sporting event in the world by 2011? perhaps.. but with New Zealand being such a small country and with revenue being almost directly proportional to the population, they just can't afford to face the legal battles that will emerge if any of them are kicked out.. at the same time, it is a small country and are there enough professional rugby players especially in the Labour party-era of specialization, i.e. being good in all sports and not just rugby? i think there will be enough players, not just rugby players, but cricketers, soccer, hockey, netball - they're all women anyway..i hope - players in New Zealand along with enough scientists, engineers, businessmen, fishermen, skilled labourers, etc. the truth is the population is growing and more people will be added to each field each year.. Nelson, Napier, South Auckland and even Palmerston North are hot growth spots in New Zealand and there will be people from around those regions to play in the clubs and put themselves in contention for the provincial side..
and let's not forget our Aussies.. love 'em or hate 'em, they still don't have a provincial competition to call their own.. Super 12 is p much it.. that or the NRL.. last yr, we had several Australians playing for places that most Aussies wouldn't have heard of, i.e. Brock James for Taranaki, Julian Huxley for Northland, and many more i can't think of right now.. as long as there is no proper competition like the NPC, Currie Cup or Welsh Premier League in Australia beyond the clubs, the top Aussies who aren't yet featuring in the Wallabies would prefer to play in the NPC..
the problems i see with the 14-team NPC is :
a) how early are they going to have to start so that they can get 13 rounds plus the knockouts.. an early July start? is there a possibility of midweek games like they do in football and State of Origin?
b)with 14 teams, surely 4 into the knockouts is way too small.. might need to adopt the NRL Playoff system.. but they will prob need 6 - 8 is way too many - and another weekend of playoffs..
this must be the price you pay for being professional.. for more money everyone wants more product.. and as a result, the rugby season needs to be expanded.. we're seeing that with the Super 14, Tri-Nations and internationals already.. it was inevitable anyway..
personally, like everyone else, i think the NPC is the best provincial competition and has so much going for it.. take last year for example, when the Bay of Plenty surprised the likes of Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Otago and in some way Canterbury, to reach the semifinals, having been almost bottom two seasons ago.. add Taranaki's, North Harbour's and Southland's exploits as well and you realise that New Zealand rugby is not just Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.. North Harbour for their young burgeoning talent, e.g. Nick Williams, Gears, Evans, Tuitavake.. Taranaki of coz beat Canterbury in New Plymouth and Southland who finished last but one almost beat Auckland but for a last minute try.. no matter how rich and big the Super 12 host unions are, there is still room for spirit and pride.. and that's the beauty of the NPC..
which brings me to the collapse of the Celtic League today.. i've seen a bit of the Celtic League and it is the most boring rugby competition i've ever seen and was doomed to fail.. looks like England and Wales have become bedmates and Ireland and Scotland will have to find a way for their best players to compete against each other.. IMO, England and Scotland should merge their leagues with the talent north of the Wall being so thin thanks to them Playstations.. then Wales can promote their much vaunted and loved Premier League and then for the Powergen Cup, have the Welsh, Scottish and English clubs battle it out together.. i think the Welsh Premier League can be as big as the French, English, South African and New Zealand leagues if they get the right sponsorship and management.. the passion and interest is there.. they need to harness it..
and what abt Ireland? i think they can do a Premier League like Wales and still be in the position that they are right now.. in some ways, Ireland is New Zealand's modern clone and like us, they struggle to have enough players to play Gaelic games, football, rugby, etc. but they are experiencing economic and population growth and there will be more rugby players for the next generation.. like Wales, they can have a successful domestic rugby competition as long as the support and passion is there in the Irish public.. of coz they have political complications to overcome, being a union for the Republic and Northern Ireland, but with the Irish Rugby Union having existed for so long despite Omagh and the Sinn Fein, surely the Irish Premier League could be a reality.. on the other hand, i'm not exactly knowledgeable of the league structure there unlike in Wales, so i can't really make strong conclusions..
since we're talking about depth of rugby, i reckon South Africa is wasting it.. 55 million players, and really only rugby, cricket and football to supply players for.. i agree with Robbie Deans, they have prob the biggest pool of talent in the rugby world, England, Wales and New Zealand included.. but they're just not using it well enough.. backroom scenes, coaching.. there is something clearly wrong.. i think Joe van Niekerk or Schalk Burger can be as good as Richie McCaw or George Smith, accepted as the world's best loose forwards.. it must be the coaching and the pressure.. South Africa is in a different situation to New Zealand and Australia.. let's not forget they were in exile for many years because of apartheid.. and there are far more Africans than there are Maori and Aborigines.. so there are many racial considerations to regard..
that was a good rant.. before i conclude, British fans might have watched a bit of domestic TV and might have come across Sports Tonight, TV3's late night sports news program.. now the guy who hosts it, Howard Dobson, seems like the calmest and most controlled sports pundit out there.. but when he does have a point to say, he can really make his feelings clear.. on Willie Losi's afternoon show on Radio Sport, boy was he mad at league.. you would never have thought that Dobbo was a leagie until yesterday afternoon.. he was really mad at the way the Aussies were bringing league further into seclusion, esp with the State of Origin and the state of the international game, esp the competition with the Kiwis.. and also the structure of the NRL.. i could go on and on.. but i'll just say he was pissed.. it just shows when it comes to sport, even the least knowledgeable sports fan in NZ has a strong view on the sports in this country..
anyway, that's enough.. will talk abt the beautiful Bay of Plenty tomorrow for sure..
p/s i had an Irish girlfriend.. well she was born in Cape Town, SA, but her family is Irish.. we broke up last yr.. boy it still bites..
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