A rugby-loving nation, New Zealand loves its All Blacks and its rugby. Rugby is New Zealand’s sporting icon and national sport.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) funds the game from professional to community levels across the country. However, professional rugby is being diluted, mainly due to Super Rugby Pacific (SRP). New Zealand-based SRP teams are not competing on equal terms with clubs in the Top 14, English Premiership, or United Rugby Championship, which are excelling in skill development, experience, and financial competitiveness.
Cam Roigard of the All Blacks. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
For this reason, NZR, which funds New Zealand teams, should receive investment from World Rugby ahead of USA Rugby so it can address the issues facing New Zealand based Super Rugby sides for the benefit of all stakeholders, fans, and players, and strengthen the competition overall.
SRP currently does not provide a sufficiently competitive environment for players representing, or aspiring to represent, the All Blacks. Players chosen for the national team are expected to perform at an elite level against international opponents such as South Africa, Ireland, and England. To ensure this, World Rugby should fund NZR to improve the competition’s standard, creating a stronger pathway for players and a better experience for fans and viewers worldwide.
The question is why should World Rugby invest more significantly in USA Rugby than NZR? World Rugby has announced a major investment of between $250 million and $270 million over the next five years to support rugby development in the United States, from the professional game to the community level, including funding the Rugby World Cup there.
Japan was once in a similar position, attempting to grow its professional and community game before hosting the Rugby World Cup. However, that campaign fell short due to limited development and weak fan engagement. Japan’s Brave Blossoms needed consistent, high-level performances to convince local audiences that they could compete with tier one nations, but results over the past few years have been unconvincing. Japan Rugby League One has not led to sustained growth in attendance or viewership because fans recognise that their national team and top domestic players struggle against elite international sides.
(Photo by Clive Rose – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
A similar outcome is likely for USA Rugby. The proposed investment will not deliver long-term financial returns or the global growth World Rugby expects. The $250 to $270 million investment should instead be halved, with a portion redirected to NZR.
This funding would allow NZR to strengthen its Super Rugby teams and establish a seventh New Zealand based side, restoring SRP to a balanced 12-team format. The investment could be used to increase player salaries, making New Zealand based franchises more competitive in attracting and retaining talent, and covering start-up costs for the new team. This would make it more feasible to bring international stars such as Antoine Dupont and Cheslin Kolbe to Super Rugby, enhancing both competitiveness and global appeal.
The United Rugby Championship has already expressed interest in expanding its geographic reach to the USA, and similar discussions have surrounded SRP. However, these would be strategic missteps by World Rugby, repeating past mistakes.
Fan engagement within New Zealand for SRP remains strong, but in-stadium attendance suffers because supporters expect to see internationally capped players of the calibre of Dupont or Kolbe. Their inclusion would help globalise SRP, attract wider audiences, and improve the standard of play by exposing local players to world-class competition. This would strengthen the All Blacks and raise the level of rugby across the region.
In short, investment in NZR would raise the quality of professional rugby in New Zealand, increase global interest in SRP, and deliver benefits for fans, players, and governing bodies alike. A stronger SRP would be a victory for all stakeholders and a major step forward for the professional game.
AZhttps://https://ift.tt/d9K8P6Z New Zealand ahead of the USA: Why World Rugby needs to get its priorities straight
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