Best news of day!

[Dan54]

Bledisloe going back to 2 tests a year. Bloody great news (still prefer 1)
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all ... sts-to-two

[Guy Smiley]

There ya go Rugby Australia.

You reckon you don't need us. Try some of that for flavour.

[Grandpa]

Replace it with a three match test series against South Africa each year instead..

[Guy Smiley]

Replace it with a three match test series against South Africa each year instead..

The problem has been too much of a good thing. Super 12 and then Super 14 were amazing... then our partners got greedy. The Tri Nations was brilliant... but then it went to 3 games, then back to 2 each against 3 opposing teams. I think that's enough.... and we certainly don't need to be playing the Wallabies 4 times in one year as we have done.

NZ can pull games against any of the other test playing nations. We don't need to be dragging other tournament partners along sharing that revenue stream when we can be pulling more of it in for ourselves. Filling our schedule with more of the same when we could be bringing more games against other teams would be a mistake.

We've got a three test series against Ireland later this year, with the possibility of a game against the Maori thrown in for good measure. That is a tour. I'd rather see more of that happening.

[MungoMan]

Replace it with a three match test series against South Africa each year instead..

The problem has been too much of a good thing. Super 12 and then Super 14 were amazing... then our partners got greedy. The Tri Nations was brilliant... but then it went to 3 games, then back to 2 each against 3 opposing teams. I think that's enough.... and we certainly don't need to be playing the Wallabies 4 times in one year as we have done.

NZ can pull games against any of the other test playing nations. We don't need to be dragging other tournament partners along sharing that revenue stream when we can be pulling more of it in for ourselves. Filling our schedule with more of the same when we could be bringing more games against other teams would be a mistake.

We've got a three test series against Ireland later this year, with the possibility of a game against the Maori thrown in for good measure. That is a tour. I'd rather see more of that happening.

Second best news is that QC is finally Strayan. Nice they got that sorted before the poor bugger dies of old age.

[Grandpa]

Replace it with a three match test series against South Africa each year instead..

The problem has been too much of a good thing. Super 12 and then Super 14 were amazing... then our partners got greedy. The Tri Nations was brilliant... but then it went to 3 games, then back to 2 each against 3 opposing teams. I think that's enough.... and we certainly don't need to be playing the Wallabies 4 times in one year as we have done.

NZ can pull games against any of the other test playing nations. We don't need to be dragging other tournament partners along sharing that revenue stream when we can be pulling more of it in for ourselves. Filling our schedule with more of the same when we could be bringing more games against other teams would be a mistake.

We've got a three test series against Ireland later this year, with the possibility of a game against the Maori thrown in for good measure. That is a tour. I'd rather see more of that happening.

I agree 4 matches was ridiculous... with regards to SA I mean if they join the 6 Nations... we should still have an annual test series (2 or 3 matches in the same country) against them somehow... we (NZ) need that exposure...

[ASMO]

Surely the best news of the day is that Ben Youngs isnt starting the game against Wales

[Grandpa]

Surely the best news of the day is that Ben Youngs isnt starting the game against Wales

Not for Wales!

[Guy Smiley]

I agree 4 matches was ridiculous... with regards to SA I mean if they join the 6 Nations... we should still have an annual test series (2 or 3 matches in the same country) against them somehow... we (NZ) need that exposure...

Firstly, I can't see SA joining the 6Nfor years yet, if it all.

Secondly, that exposure argument can be flipped. SA need to play the ABs. If they don't and they go looking for games against NH opposition, they'll devolve.

[Grandpa]

I agree 4 matches was ridiculous... with regards to SA I mean if they join the 6 Nations... we should still have an annual test series (2 or 3 matches in the same country) against them somehow... we (NZ) need that exposure...

Firstly, I can't see SA joining the 6Nfor years yet, if it all.

Secondly, that exposure argument can be flipped. SA need to play the ABs. If they don't and they go looking for games against NH opposition, they'll devolve.

They likely will.... though that doesn't make me feel any better. It might if the All Blacks were the top team in the world currently, rather than 4th or 5th best...

[Guy Smiley]

I agree 4 matches was ridiculous... with regards to SA I mean if they join the 6 Nations... we should still have an annual test series (2 or 3 matches in the same country) against them somehow... we (NZ) need that exposure...

Firstly, I can't see SA joining the 6Nfor years yet, if it all.

Secondly, that exposure argument can be flipped. SA need to play the ABs. If they don't and they go looking for games against NH opposition, they'll devolve.

They likely will.... though that doesn't make me feel any better. It might if the All Blacks were the top team in the world currently, rather than 4th or 5th best...

Foster won't be there that long.

[Dan54]

Replace it with a three match test series against South Africa each year instead..

The problem has been too much of a good thing. Super 12 and then Super 14 were amazing... then our partners got greedy. The Tri Nations was brilliant... but then it went to 3 games, then back to 2 each against 3 opposing teams. I think that's enough.... and we certainly don't need to be playing the Wallabies 4 times in one year as we have done.

NZ can pull games against any of the other test playing nations. We don't need to be dragging other tournament partners along sharing that revenue stream when we can be pulling more of it in for ourselves. Filling our schedule with more of the same when we could be bringing more games against other teams would be a mistake.

We've got a three test series against Ireland later this year, with the possibility of a game against the Maori thrown in for good measure. That is a tour. I'd rather see more of that happening.

Bang on Guy, I reckon NZR have done there sums and figured a shared revenue game against the likes of Wales, France , etc etc every year is of more value than a 3rd Bled every 2nd year. As you say with talk of Irish playing Maori ABs, I was stoked, can see it working as Ireland will then treat tour as a practice for World cup, bring a bigger squad etc and different team to play (I assume as sare revenue for extra game/s) helped make me think life is good and we getting on right track!

[Grandpa]

Replace it with a three match test series against South Africa each year instead..

The problem has been too much of a good thing. Super 12 and then Super 14 were amazing... then our partners got greedy. The Tri Nations was brilliant... but then it went to 3 games, then back to 2 each against 3 opposing teams. I think that's enough.... and we certainly don't need to be playing the Wallabies 4 times in one year as we have done.

NZ can pull games against any of the other test playing nations. We don't need to be dragging other tournament partners along sharing that revenue stream when we can be pulling more of it in for ourselves. Filling our schedule with more of the same when we could be bringing more games against other teams would be a mistake.

We've got a three test series against Ireland later this year, with the possibility of a game against the Maori thrown in for good measure. That is a tour. I'd rather see more of that happening.

Bang on Guy, I reckon NZR have done there sums and figured a shared revenue game against the likes of Wales, France , etc etc every year is of more value than a 3rd Bled every 2nd year. As you say with talk of Irish playing Maori ABs, I was stoked, can see it working as Ireland will then treat tour as a practice for World cup, bring a bigger squad etc and different team to play (I assume as sare revenue for extra game/s) helped make me think life is good and we getting on right track!

Though NZ Rugby are saying it's to reduce the number of games.. not replace them with other games...

[Dan54]

The problem has been too much of a good thing. Super 12 and then Super 14 were amazing... then our partners got greedy. The Tri Nations was brilliant... but then it went to 3 games, then back to 2 each against 3 opposing teams. I think that's enough.... and we certainly don't need to be playing the Wallabies 4 times in one year as we have done.

NZ can pull games against any of the other test playing nations. We don't need to be dragging other tournament partners along sharing that revenue stream when we can be pulling more of it in for ourselves. Filling our schedule with more of the same when we could be bringing more games against other teams would be a mistake.

We've got a three test series against Ireland later this year, with the possibility of a game against the Maori thrown in for good measure. That is a tour. I'd rather see more of that happening.

Bang on Guy, I reckon NZR have done there sums and figured a shared revenue game against the likes of Wales, France , etc etc every year is of more value than a 3rd Bled every 2nd year. As you say with talk of Irish playing Maori ABs, I was stoked, can see it working as Ireland will then treat tour as a practice for World cup, bring a bigger squad etc and different team to play (I assume as sare revenue for extra game/s) helped make me think life is good and we getting on right track!

Though NZ Rugby are saying it's to reduce the number of games.. not replace them with other games...

Yep they saying they want to reduce games to 12-13 tests, I thinking they thinking by dropping a Bled they can still keep money making games. So 3 in mid year tour, 6 in 3Ns , and 3 Autumn int, still leaves them a Japan/USA test and another money maker in Wales/Scotland etc etc and a warm up one against Island team going into 3N?? Just my quick guess off top of head, and could well be miles away from reality.

[Guy Smiley]

I don’t know if that article has been edited or not, I thought on first reading there was a reference to cutting the number of Bledisloe games to allow another test against a different opponent. I may have read that elsewhere.