New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[final say]

The funny thing is, kids follow superstars, not teams anymore, not like the old days where you simply grew up following your rusted on favourite team, now they are all wanting to be Shaun Johnson, Nathan Cleary, Brian To'o or DWZ, rather than just follow the panthers or warriors for example, this warriors team is stacked full of NRL stars, and also had reece walsh only a few years back, I feel like covid opened up interest into NRL, while they were roaming Australia, and now 4 years they are back home getting the rock star treatment

Neglecting the youth has been Rugby's biggest failure.
Young men want excitement, they want speed, acrobatics , collisions and nail-biting finishes.. Super rugby offers them a slow walk to a line out followed by a penalty .. they were along the ride with the All blacks like a tradition until now, they are slowly asking each other " why are we watching this bore fest?"

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

There's posters on here that were adamant that if SR fell, they could fall back on the NPC.. well the NPC crowds ,popularity are dwindling and now so is the funding.
Rugby union is rotting from the ground up...

Look mate I`m excited too, but I`m not going to get too carried away, we need the Warriors performing year-in year-out for League to really make a dent over there, and just like the bloke says in the hit Kiwi movie Hunt for the Wilder People when he returns home from watching them at the pub: " dem Warriors, they`re bloody useless". Let`s hope that`s not a sentiment we are going too often hear in the future.

 

[Maximus]

Meanwhile all the " not youth" on here keep telling me how it is and how Rugby will always be king..

They really have no idea how rapidly its happening, they have no understanding how rapidly trends catch on in the age of social media.
We are at the tip of the iceberg..
Imagine another NZ NRL team right now!
It's too late for SR or the NPC .. it's over. Any changes now is just rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic.

Gobsmacked is going to start another account claiming to be a 17 yo born in NZ now.

 

[final say]

Look mate I`m excited too, but I`m not going to get too carried away, we need the Warriors performing year-in year-out for League to really make a dent over there, and just like the bloke says in the hit Kiwi movie Hunt for the Wilder People when he returns home from watching them at the pub: " dem Warriors, they`re bloody useless". Let`s hope that`s not a sentiment we are going too often hear in the future.

They didn't even make the Final last year, pumped by Brisbane. How did the support start in 2024? Sellout, Sellout, lost and lost...Sellout, Sellout..and sold out..2 of those Sellouts were in Christchurch! this isn't dependant on the Warriors success.. they want NRL!

If Another team is announced for NZ in 6 months time.. do you realise just how unstoppable the NRL will be in NZ?
The NRL is the biggest sporting competition in the Pacific and they're on board!

 

[Matiunz]

Look mate I`m excited too, but I`m not going to get too carried away, we need the Warriors performing year-in year-out for League to really make a dent over there, and just like the bloke says in the hit Kiwi movie Hunt for the Wilder People when he returns home from watching them at the pub: " dem Warriors, they`re bloody useless". Let`s hope that`s not a sentiment we are going too often hear in the future.

That’s the key, the Warriors need sustained success to maintain interest.
They look to be on the right track with Webster but once SJ/Tohu/RTS retire in 1-2 years if they can keep it up it will be critical. We’ve seen periods of this popularity before I hope it sticks this time.
If they can maintain the crowds with poor performances will be telling

 

[Bukowski]

How soon would we bring a side in? I don't think 2026 would be out of the question for NZ team.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

How soon would we bring a side in? I don't think 2026 would be out of the question for NZ team.

2027 might be more realistic, find out this later year, two years to assemble a competitive team. Seems like a long wait, but once we know who`s in there won`t be any shortage of headlines.

 

[Bukowski]

2027 might be more realistic, find out this later year, two years to assemble a competitive team. Seems like a long wait, but once we know who`s in there won`t be any shortage of headlines.

I'd be striking and the iron is hot. But your right, if the announcement is later this year there would be lot of media and excitement through the game to carry into 27.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

I'd be striking and the iron is hot. But your right, if the announcement is later this year there would be lot of media and excitement through the game to carry into 27.

Especially if the Warriors can maintain their form, that should keep interest in League in NZ at its current pitch. There would be so much excitement around whether this team could be another top NRL team. Another one in the eye for the Aussies. The Kiwi`s would love that. Throw in a couple of Kiwi Test match wins and they`d be at fever pitch.

 

[Bukowski]

Especially if the Warriors can maintain their form, that should keep interest in League in NZ at its current pitch. There would be so much excitement around whether this team could be another top NRL team. Another one in the eye for the Aussies. The Kiwi`s would love that. Throw in a couple of Kiwi Test match wins and they`d be at fever pitch.

That's why I think the earlier the better. You wouldn't want the warriors to drop down again in the mean time. Thankfully they are going great guns atm

 

[i0Nic]

I used to think the competition should be a true national comp but I think let the AFL think they have that. The NRL differentiator and a more exciting proposition would be to be have an Asia pacific comp with the next teams in NZ and PNG, and throw in a third Brisbane side. All teams would be successful and we’re not banging up against the AFL in Perth etc.

 

[Bukowski]

I used to think the competition should be a true national comp but I think let the AFL think they have that. The NRL differentiator and a more exciting proposition would be to be have an Asia pacific comp with the next teams in NZ and PNG, and throw in a third Brisbane side. All teams would be successful and we’re not banging up against the AFL in Perth etc.

I think we'd be crazy to ignore Perth. Not expanding to an area because of AFL is a very poor reason.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

MSN

www.msn.com

"The other reason why sevens is on my mind is Hong Kong. That’s where legends announced themselves to the world, but the 2024 edition of that tournament has come and gone without too many people noticing.

"Never mind the rugby, 20 or 30 years ago, the Hong Kong Sevens was the ultimate boys’ trip for Kiwi footy fans and now only a few realise it’s on."

Probably save the money and spend it on going to Vegas to watch the Warriors instead. The ultimate boys` and girls` trip.

 

[Brian potter]

They didn't even make the Final last year, pumped by Brisbane. How did the support start in 2024? Sellout, Sellout, lost and lost...Sellout, Sellout..and sold out..2 of those Sellouts were in Christchurch! this isn't dependant on the Warriors success.. they want NRL!

If Another team is announced for NZ in 6 months time.. do you realise just how unstoppable the NRL will be in NZ?
The NRL is the biggest sporting competition in the Pacific and they're on board!

Yeah, it’s seems like all the stars are aligning for a South Island NRL team what with the rise of the warriors, the downward trajectory of super rugby and the new stadium in Christchurch so this being RL you just know that PNG will be team #18.

 

[final say]

I used to think the competition should be a true national comp but I think let the AFL think they have that. The NRL differentiator and a more exciting proposition would be to be have an Asia pacific comp with the next teams in NZ and PNG, and throw in a third Brisbane side. All teams would be successful and we’re not banging up against the AFL in Perth etc.

Well said. Why worry about being truly national comp when you can be a truly international comp?

 

[Matiunz]

MSN

www.msn.com

"The other reason why sevens is on my mind is Hong Kong. That’s where legends announced themselves to the world, but the 2024 edition of that tournament has come and gone without too many people noticing.

"Never mind the rugby, 20 or 30 years ago, the Hong Kong Sevens was the ultimate boys’ trip for Kiwi footy fans and now only a few realise it’s on."

Probably save the money and spend it on going to Vegas to watch the Warriors instead. The ultimate boys` and girls` trip.

Sevens shot itself in the foot a bit from an entertainment standpoint by trying to become a legitimate sport.
HK7s was a one off piss up party with actual name players playing, a team with Lomu and Cullen in an open field was mouth watering.
They then expanded to around 10 tournaments, specialised unrecognisable to the general public players, toned down the party aspect (killed Wellington sevens) to appeal to become an Olympic sport.
What was a once a year highlight got massively diluted, I follow Union but sevens is now its own niche sport that I have no idea when it’s on and May catch the odd game by chance.
I’ve done Wellington and Sydney sevens and it was fun enough- once, Warriors in Vegas however is very tempting.

 

[Canard]

Yeah, it’s seems like all the stars are aligning for a South Island NRL team what with the rise of the warriors, the downward trajectory of super rugby and the new stadium in Christchurch so this being RL you just know that PNG will be team #18.

Just need some credible bids.

"Fan funded" isn't going to get it done.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Sevens shot itself in the foot a bit from an entertainment standpoint by trying to become a legitimate sport.
HK7s was a one off piss up party with actual name players playing, a team with Lomu and Cullen in an open field was mouth watering.
They then expanded to around 10 tournaments, specialised unrecognisable to the general public players, toned down the party aspect (killed Wellington sevens) to appeal to become an Olympic sport.
What was a once a year highlight got massively diluted, I follow Union but sevens is now its own niche sport that I have no idea when it’s on and May catch the odd game by chance.
I’ve done Wellington and Sydney sevens and it was fun enough- once, Warriors in Vegas however is very tempting.

I did Welly a few times before the fun police killed it. One year I got so messed up I didnt even make it to the stadium.

 

[Matiunz]

I did Welly a few times before the fun police killed it. One year I got so messed up I didnt even make it to the stadium.

I’d believe it lol, the shame about that one is the whole city came alive for the weekend and for the most part it was good natured fun.

 

[MugaB]

TikTok - Make Your Day

gobs had this pinned from the opening post

Awesome bloke, he holds a really good podcast isaacs johns ex panthers halfback from a decade ago, but yeah he is right, the way the warriors are promoting themselves compared to other clubs and codes is helping them thrive, its a great way to stay relevant regardless if you are winning comps of just winning in general