Aisle be Back: World Rugby, the ABs and the NPC

So those people at World Rugby been on the phone to you have they? Did Augustin Pichot or Bill Beaumont send you a Survey Monkey invite. Or even just a text.

No? Hmmm. That’s odd. As a fan I would have thought you’d be the first cab off the rank as the chiefs of world rugby chew over yet another attempt to make the international game faster, stronger higher.

Well if they do get in touch, just tell them I’d like to give my opinion too.

Admittedly I am quite sure what we would be asked to give our opinion on because some of them seem just as mystified about this latest idea of a world cup every year except when there’s a world cup.

But don’t worry because I don’t think I’ve ever seen any metric on what followers of rugby think or prefer. About the only that counts is who pays to go to either the games, or for pay tv subscriptions.

If that’s what you pay attention to, then no doubt for some countries, the financial model is getting a tad stretched. For others, it’s way hay, let’s crack open another magnum.

So if anyone cared to ask me, here’s what I’d say. Don’t devalue your product even further by setting up bogus competitions.

Instead, try to enhance and support what has the history and tribalism. And where that exists, don’t flog it to death.

So keep the Lions, bring back at least something resembling tours with tests over a series, don’t play the Bledisloe four times a year (I lose count . . .), slot in the Grand Slam so that one touring side has a crack at it every four years.

In short, make test rugby more of a rarity. If you really, really must add an annual super game, then why not make it a clash between the Six Nations champion and runner-up, and the Rugby Championship best two.

That would take it about two weeks. Make it somewhere exotic and neutral like Hong Kong or Hamilton.

Well, I wouldn’t hold your breath. I’m just hoping rugby doesn’t lose its head and start bastardising what it already has to fix a multitude of problems.

For example, will a world cup every year fixes what is ailing Australian rugby? No.

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The next two weekends of course should be crackers and you can bet your bottom dollar that the All Black coaches are loving working with a team that should be feeling the heat.

So as much as the Argentinians will give it their all, and that can be a lot on home turf, I can’t seem them quite getting there. Let’s say it will be tight though, within a 10 point margin and that only towards the end.

Then onto South Africa, and a wise thing was written this week. That in fact the pressure will be on the Boks because they have set themselves a very high bar.

If they do get up a second time, then it’s time to start recalibrating expectations about the world cup next year. They are, after all, our first up opponents in the tournament.

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It’s charging up nicely for the Wellington Lions, with key games against Tasman and then the pace-setting Auckland, and winding up with the sub-par but probably desperate Taranaki.

That’s a tough three in anyone’s book but if the Lions are serious contenders, we’ll know that from the scorecard in those three games.

It was interesting to read some background on the Auckland revival. Coach Alama Ieremia (you remember him!) has wisely tapped some old and new heads.

Seems very commonsense and straightforward. Which leaves you wondering why those qualities have eluded the blue and whites at provincial and Super level for nigh on a decade.