Rugby Championship in an Aussie bubble?

[Adam84]

Rugby Championship 'bubble' may be shifted to NSW or QLD due to logistical challenges in NZ, at this stage i think SEQ might be the best option for both stadium/accommodation availability and potential crowds.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...rugby-championship-hosts-20200828-p55q79.html

 

[dru]

Rugby Championship 'bubble' may be shifted to NSW or QLD due to logistical challenges in NZ, at this stage i think SEQ might be the best option for both stadium/accommodation availability and potential crowds.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...rugby-championship-hosts-20200828-p55q79.html

Perth.

 

[Sully]

Perth.

Hard border.

 

[dru]

Hard border.

There has already been public calls for the AFL final. I suspect they would find a way for the Bled.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

There are Aussie Rules games being played here, I think it could be made to work.

 

[Adam84]

Reality is, it’s going to come down to money and logistics... SEQ certainly has the capacity to host 4 squads of 55+ each, and a state govt willing to fund it.. not sure Perth has the same

 

[dru]

Reality is, it’s going to come down to money and logistics. SEQ certainly has the capacity to host 4 squads of 55+ each, and a state govt willing to fund it.. not sure Perth has the same

If you are talking a rugby championship you might be right. I've been thinking that neither RSA nor Argentina will make it.

 

[KOB1987]

If you are talking a rugby championship you might be right. I've been thinking that neither RSA nor Argentina will make it.

I concur with that.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

If you are talking a rugby championship you might be right. I've been thinking that neither RSA nor Argentina will make it.

Currie Cup teams are resuming contact training this week after five weeks of non-contact training & Roux has been quoted on sport24 saying a CC start date will be announced within the next two weeks.

 

[dru]

Currie Cup teams are resuming contact training this week after five weeks of non-contact training & Roux has been quoted on sport24 saying a CC start date will be announced within the next two weeks.

That's great. Will they be allowed into NZ or Australia though?

It would be fantastic for the full championship to proceed. Hope it does.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ dunno about Aus but I'm pretty sure NZ will let them in provided they do their two weeks isolation & someone else (in this case SANZAAR) is paying for it. It's already been done for America's Cup teams so I don't see how they could say "no" to Pumas and/ or bokke, plus Wobs of course.

 

[KOB1987]

‘Shutdown risk’ is too high in the People’s Republic of New Zealand. They need to do it where there is the greatest chance of allowing a decent crowd.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bernard Laporte has told a French newspaper that bokke are in "advanced talks" to replace Japan in the NH November/ December comp.

Edit: Marinos calls BS:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...oks-could-ditch-rugby-championship-for-europe

I'm guessing money will be the determining factor & you'd have to assume that NH will be more lucrative than SH so we could be back to a tri-series or maybe just Bledisloes.

 

[zer0]

6N teams: We're hosting an enlarged 6N to generate some more cash!
Georgia:

6N teams: We're inviting Japan and Fiji to join!
Georgia:

6N teams: Japan can't make it
Georgia:

6N teams: We're probably gonna invite South Africa in their stead!
Georgia:

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

sarugbymag.co.za claims to have "reliably learned that 10 October is now the new prospective ‘relaunch’ date for [Currie Cup] to start, ultimately including 14 rounds of action before the playoffs." A 3 October start is even a possibility.

https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/local-competition-in-october/

So allowing for a few days to name & assemble a squad, travel to wherever & isolate for two weeks they'd be going into TRC with two or at most three games under their belt. Not enough IMO.

Health Minister Hipkins has been pretty evasive re: government green-lighting the comp going ahead in NZ which is concerning given he was very positive about Auckland coming out of L3 ("ploughing ahead", he said at one point) in the days before it was announced.

Newshub have already declared it a non-starter (to be fair the same journo rated the chances of N v S happening as 50/50 & fading) & I think we'll find that is indeed the case in the not-too-distant future. SEQ Bleds on 10 & 17 October then in NZ on 7 & 14 November looking more likely by the day.

 

[Wilson]

6 positive tests from Argentinian players has probably killed a rugby championship bubble comp:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...s-argentina-announce-6-positive-covid19-tests

Could still put some sort of tournament together, be it an old tri-nations or getting Japan/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga (whoever is not involved with the expanded six nations)

 

[Wilson]

Looks like they're approaching Japan to take Argentina's place, but only if necessary:

SANZAAR is holding preliminary talks about bringing Japan into The Rugby Championship if Argentina is forced to withdraw because of an outbreak of COVID-19 within their squad, but there is no question that the Pumas remain the preferred team.

Basically it looks like if Argentina play broadcast revenue is guaranteed (because it's the product initially promised) if they're replaced with some one else it gives the broadcasters a chance to renegotiate a lower fee.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ surely the problems that caused Japan to withdraw from 8-Nations would also prevent them taking part in a SH tournament?

 

[Wilson]

^ surely the problems that caused Japan to withdraw from 8-Nations would also prevent them taking part in a SH tournament?

Possibly, but I'm not sure what the deal was there. Is it set to start earlier than the Rugby Championship?

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ set down for November & December but JRFU bailed as they can't run training camps because their coaching staff (Joseph & Brown, possibly others) aren't currently in Japan & can't get in due to Japan's border restrictions.