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It’s a juggling act for most domestic NZ Union players in that the much coveted Allblacks jersey literally comes at a price.
Onionball will never be number one in France, but it could kill the game in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. If we make rugby league the dominant sport across the Pacific then onionball will be short on talent and become even blander and less skilful than it is today, as those Western European countries can't play for shit.
Precisely. It should never be forgotten how RU systematically pillaged RL in France in WW2 - with the actual assistance of Nazi collaborators, no less..
That last paragraph absolutely
What the FFR and Vichy regime did to the FFRXIII in the 1930s is the most disgusting episode of corruption in the history of sport. The act is not even spoken about because the onionballers are in bed with the establishment.
Losing the aura of the All Blacks will seriously hurt onionball. If people see New Zealand's best "rugby" players in the NRL and playing for the Kiwis then it will show which game is superior.
Which is one reason why nz2 should come ahead of Perth.
Doubtful, the way this admin is going we'll have another 4 within the this decade, they are willfully hellbent on expansion, which is great, im sure there is a plan in place for wa/sa down the road, if you remember from 1988-1998 we had 10 teams introduced, having 4 in a decade isnt much of an effort in comparison
A second NZ team would definitely give disgruntled onionball fans in NZ a genuine reason to take a greater interest in rugby league. My preference is for a second North Island team that also represents South Island until NZ 3 is introduced.
Nah it’s got to be Christchurch, esp with the new stadium. With some games at Wellington and Dunedin
Easts Tigers have the money, catchment and prime location. I cannot see Cairns getting a team, especially one that represents PNG.
RU can't change its rules as the IRB (World Rugby) is at the behest of the northern hemisphere countries who wank off over scrums and lineouts.
Just need to get the kiwis playing regular test matches.
Problem is nz lost so many players to Tonga and Samoa. The Tonga vs nz test match coming up should be good
The thing about that is that the Southern Hemisphere unions are only beholden to World Rugby because they allow themselves to be.
A second NZ team will provide more opportunities for talented youth from NZ to earn a living without moving abroad. At the moment the NRL's salary cap is around par with the French and English onionball competitions. If Super Onionball continue to decline to the point it pays its players peanuts and a discount on leather patch suit jackets, then kids from NZ may very well choose RL over the chance of playing for the All Blacks.
Whilst that may be so will it really mean the top talent chooses league over union? No of course not, until playing in the nrl or for the kiwis becomes more prestigious than playing for the all blacks it won’t make an iota of difference. If earnings where the key driver the current 17 options to play in the nrl would be enough opportunity and the warriors would be so awash with talent they’d be sat at the top of the table every season.
