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Why would they have toured a B nation team that did not play any Rugby between 1939 -1951 (except one game against Italy in 1940)

Kofi Annan wrote:Why would they have toured a B nation team that did not play any Rugby between 1939 -1951 (except one game against Italy in 1940)

A comment made by an ex Samoan international who was deeply frustrated that New Zealand are being paid a large sum of money to tour the USA, yet will not tour the Pacific Islands.

Basically he said, if Hitler had an interest in rugby, they would have toured if offered money to.

A daft comment. The economic realities of the professional game. The All Blacks the biggest global brand and touring is a vital part of their cash flow.

Snipe Watson wrote:A daft comment. The economic realities of the professional game. The All Blacks the biggest global brand and touring is a vital part of their cash flow.

Yes. But they also should be touring the minor countries close to home too.

Except, giving the Pacific Islands more games would mean the NZ player pool would reduce

Russ, perhaps one could say something similar about Ireland. Perhaps we should be playing our own near neighbours in Portugal, Spain or the Netherlands instead of travelling to Argentina in the summer, or instead of having Australia and South Africa visiting Dublin next November?

The commercial realities of the sport do not match the ideals of game development but the problem you describe is far from unique to the All Blacks. Development of the game needs to come from the IRB, not individual unions who, in most cases, need as much income as possible to support the set up of the game in their domains. The NZRU is not a charity, nor should it be. Nor is the IRFU. It is not the job of these bodies to develop the game beyond their own borders. That's the job of the IRB. Individuals and / or players criticising the NZRU for making such decisions is neither here nor there because they fail to recognise that, if there is a failure at all, it is a failing of the IRB not of the individual unions. No one should blame a union for trying to maximise its revenues. The real criticism, if there needs be criticism at all, should be aimed at the IRB. The IRB has a duty to develop the game all across the globe; the same cannot be said of any individual union.

Neil F wrote:Russ, perhaps one could say something similar about Ireland. Perhaps we should be playing our own near neighbours in Portugal, Spain or the Netherlands instead of travelling to Argentina in the summer, or instead of having Australia and South Africa visiting Dublin next November?

The commercial realities of the sport do not match the ideals of game development but the problem you describe is far from unique to the All Blacks. Development of the game needs to come from the IRB, not individual unions who, in most cases, need as much income as possible to support the set up of the game in their domains. The NZRU is not a charity, nor should it be. Nor is the IRFU. It is not the job of these bodies to develop the game beyond their own borders. That's the job of the IRB. Individuals and / or players criticising the NZRU for making such decisions is neither here nor there because they fail to recognise that, if there is a failure at all, it is a failing of the IRB not of the individual unions. No one should blame a union for trying to maximise its revenues. The real criticism, if there needs be criticism at all, should be aimed at the IRB. The IRB has a duty to develop the game all across the globe; the same cannot be said of any individual union.

We do play our neighbours - now on a yearly basis. Our team even travels to there to play.

I think some of the former Glaws (arseholes) player's comments were because simply the AB are like a vacuum sucking in all the resources from the islands and giving nothing back (kind of like England are trying to be)

Similarly the ABs can send an emerging side with a few stars to the USA with little fear of being beaten the Islanders are a different ball game with much to prove and maybe a few scores to settle


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Would it not be a good idea for the Wolfies or even the provinces to have a match with the likes of Spain or Portugal ?

My memory has an Ulster XV thrashing Spain a few years back.

As for NZ sucking the resources of the Islands, who the fck do you think developed the resources in the first place? Samoa would not be half the team they are today without their big neighbour.

However, I would like to see a few more test matches between them.

Rooster wrote:Would it not be a good idea for the Wolfies or even the provinces to have a match with the likes of Spain or Portugal ?

Maybe we should be more like Saracens taking the game to Belgium and the like?

Neil F wrote:Russ, perhaps one could say something similar about Ireland. Perhaps we should be playing our own near neighbours in Portugal, Spain or the Netherlands instead of travelling to Argentina in the summer, or instead of having Australia and South Africa visiting Dublin next November?

The commercial realities of the sport do not match the ideals of game development but the problem you describe is far from unique to the All Blacks. Development of the game needs to come from the IRB, not individual unions who, in most cases, need as much income as possible to support the set up of the game in their domains. The NZRU is not a charity, nor should it be. Nor is the IRFU. It is not the job of these bodies to develop the game beyond their own borders. That's the job of the IRB. Individuals and / or players criticising the NZRU for making such decisions is neither here nor there because they fail to recognise that, if there is a failure at all, it is a failing of the IRB not of the individual unions. No one should blame a union for trying to maximise its revenues. The real criticism, if there needs be criticism at all, should be aimed at the IRB. The IRB has a duty to develop the game all across the globe; the same cannot be said of any individual union.

Unusually Neil you have composed a chapter on a daft thread, accurately quoted by Russ, based on the rantings of a player who is no stranger to hyperbole nor indeed to spouting hyperbollox.

Silly season getting to you ould haun'?

I think some of the former Glaws (arseholes) player's comments were because simply the AB are like a vacuum sucking in all the resources from the islands and giving nothing back (kind of like England are trying to be)

And there Russ you have the basis of what could be a more interesting thread, though perhaps we have already "done it to death" in the HC threads.

Vunts.

BR wrote:My memory has an Ulster XV thrashing Spain a few years back.
.

Portugal at Ravers BR?

64-0 rings a bell

big mervyn wrote:

BR wrote:My memory has an Ulster XV thrashing Spain a few years back.
.

Portugal at Ravers BR?

64-0 rings a bell

In the modern professional era I would argue that most club teams would now beat international teams?