New Zealand Rugby Team Watch

[waiopehu oldboy]

Good to see the higher-paid players taking a bigger % cut so that those on a retainer of $50K & under don't have to.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...freeze-for-all-blacks-and-super-rugby-players

If we get domestic footy later in the year Next All Black Captain* Sam Whitelock is available for CruSadists and/ or Cantabs, having four noshed his one-year Japan contract.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-whitelock-could-play-for-crusaders-this-year

* & head of a competition structure committee that is looking into various models for the return of rugby.

Lurch is still contracted to Kobe until 2021 so not available for Tribe and/or BofP.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Dan Carter confirms he's finished with Kobe but makes no mention of either retirement or future plans:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...er-leaves-japanese-club-no-word-on-retirement

Re: the "could play for Aucks in M10" bit towards the end, it's worth noting that living in Auckland never stopped him playing for CruSadists, I don't see why it'd stop him having one last season with Cantabs. Shit, he may even turn out for Southbridge if Club rugby ever gets going again pre- whatever first class comp(s) NZR can organise.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ there's now speculation he may be headed to MLR.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-to-move-to-united-states-rugby-with-new-york

No way I'd be going anywhere near USA in general & NYC in particular until there's a vaccine but a man's gotta earn, I s'pose.....

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Crusaders making some behind-the-scenes positions redundant:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...make-redundancies-to-survive-financial-crisis

Hopefully their West Coast coal mine-owning guarantor doesn't get cold feet.....

 

[Dan54]

^ there's now speculation he may be headed to MLR.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...-to-move-to-united-states-rugby-with-new-york

No way I'd be going anywhere near USA in general & NYC in particular until there's a vaccine but a man's gotta earn, I s'pose...

Yep but that just speculation , doubt it got much substance.

 

[Dan54]

Was interested to hear Sam Whitelock mentioning possibility of maybe North/South game being tossed around by this group of players etc that are trying to come up with different scenarios for comps in NZ this year. He also suggested that teams perhaps going forward should have a bye built into draw every 3-4 weeks or so. I have said before I love the fact that players themselves are trying to help get the game going again in NZ! Although I a little disappointed he talks of playing for Crusaders and I think Canterbury if Mitre 10 cup is played (after super), I was hoping to see him in Manawatu colours

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Crusaders making some behind-the-scenes positions redundant:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...make-redundancies-to-survive-financial-crisis

Hopefully their West Coast coal mine-owning guarantor doesn't get cold feet...

So you're saying the Cantabs might cease to exist altogether?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Nah, these guys will just go door to door & *request* a gold coin donation from every adult in the seven kingdoms

See how they've already got the PPE sorted? Ain't no way those fullas gunna catch Covid-19.

EDIT: although the guy third from left looks like he may have caught something else of a sensitive nature....

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Loss Bleus & Tribe have also made some of their admin staff redundant:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...m-blues-chiefs-latest-to-confirm-redundancies

Clan I think had the leanest admin anyway so maybe with the NZR grant plus Gov't wage subsidy won't need to make anyone redundant but I'd be surprised if 'canes aren't forced too, I understand that while they're not overly top-heavy they do have a bigger back office staff than most.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Beaugan's gunna be a daddy:

Sadly there won't be a NZ Woman's Weekly for Beaugan & Hannah to flog their baby pix to, that publication having gone out of business during lockdown, but I'm sure the bidding war between the other rags will be profitable nevertheless.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

NZ Woman's Weekly gone out of business during lockdown

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/prog...-for-new-zealand-s-largest-magazine-publisher

the publisher of the NZ Listener, North & South, NZ Woman's Weekly, Next, and Metro. ​

Holy shit. All gone for good? If so, that is pretty goddamn big. Really though, paper magazines don't make a lick of sense these days.​

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ pretty sure the owners wanted out: didn't apply for the wage subsidy they were eligible for then claimed to have offered to sell the business to the Gov't for $1. Not sure WTF they thought Gov't were gunna do with WW, N&S etc. The Listener was/ is worth saving purely from a current affairs journalism POV & hopefully someone will pick up the rights to the name & get it back up at least online if not in print.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

Yeah looks like they7re all already online anyway. FFS from what I remember The Listener was a tv guide? Online version has no tv guide and is just..... the woman's weekly..... for even more women

offered to sell the business to the Gov't for $1

OMFFSG the things I would do if I was put in editorial charge of the Woman's Weekly..... the new directions it would take..... one things for sure, there certainly wouldn't be any actual women left reading it.....

 

[Dctarget]

Who'll be your new captain?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ Sam Whitelock with Sam Cane as VC.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

In today's Hurld:

"NZR yesterday announced a $7.4 million loss for 2019, and an 'unrealized loss' of $3.9Mn on it's shares in Sky TV

".... cash reserves at 31/12 of $93Mn & $21Mn in managed funds".

 

[Dan54]

In today's Hurld:

"NZR yesterday announced a $7.4 million loss for 2019, and an 'unrealized loss' of $3.9Mn on it's shares in Sky TV

".. cash reserves at 31/12 of $93Mn & $21Mn in managed funds".

Shhh keep those cash reserves quite huh WOB!!!!!!! Did I read somewhere the books show $71 mill sponsorship for year?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ I've only seen what was in today's hard-copy Hurld (online it's classed as Premium Content that must be paid for) but $71Mn sounds plausible, the article did cite a potential $120Mn loss of revenue if there's no footy played at all this year.

Also yesterday there was a piece on a $15Mn advance available from WR (World Rugby) that would normally become available in the final year of a RWC cycle so NZR obviously need to decide whether they take that cash now to get them through Covid, which leaves them $15Mn further in a hole come 2023 barring some version of the Nations Championship being established in the meantime. Tough call & I'm very glad I'm not one of those having to make it!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Shhh keep those cash reserves quite huh WOB!!!!!!! Did I read somewhere the books show $71 mill sponsorship for year?

Some more detail c/- Cully incl confirmation that sponsorship & licensing brought in $73Mn.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...by-books-that-will-make-the-provinces-nervous

Interesting (& a little disturbing) that the Unions you'd think would need the least NZR cash (Aucks, Cantabs & Wellys) got the most & the likes of Southland the least.

 

[Dan54]

Some more detail c/- Cully incl confirmation that sponsorship & licensing brought in $73Mn.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...by-books-that-will-make-the-provinces-nervous

Interesting (& a little disturbing) that the Unions you'd think would need the least NZR cash (Aucks, Cantabs & Wellys) got the most & the likes of Southland the least.

Dunno WOB, I would think those unions would need to pour more in community rugby because of numbers?