The worst kept secret in rugby finally got confirmed yesterday, with the news that all the men's Super Rugby teams are off to Queenstown for the foreseeable future.
Finlay Christie stands over a collapsed scrum, Chiefs v Blues, Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Unlike most things NZ Rugby has kept quiet in the past, though, this was one that they probably didn't mind people knowing in advance so they can get used to the idea. This latest curveball is something almost no one wanted, however it is important to balance out what this means for the competition.
Pro: One of the most annoying trends of recent times is Super Rugby teams referring to themselves as 'clubs' (they're not, that's why they don't have clubrooms and don't have to pay subs), but at least now that claim has a bit more credibility as they will actually be playing on a club field. Wakatipu RFC is hosting the Queenstown games, complete with the same sort of changing facilities the rest of us have to deal with every Saturday afternoon. Enjoy, lads.
Con: No one knows how long it'll last, as Chris Lendrum from NZR was quick to point out yesterday. It's one thing to say it's just for the first three weeks, but if it gets past that point and the comp is still confined to the south, it becomes more of a mental challenge for the players. Especially the All Blacks who were away for the better part of four months last year, including a stint in MIQ.
Pro: It could be a lot worse. Just ask the Breakers or Phoenix, who presumed they would be back playing at Spark Arena or Sky Stadium by now. Or the Warriors who are slowly morphing into essentially an Australian team.
Con: Queenstown and rugby players don't have the most harmonious history, with former All Black Norm Hewitt violently introducing himself to a window there in 1999 violently introducing himself to a window there in 1999. The 2011 English Rugby World Cup squad treated their time in Queenstown like an extended stag do, and generated a bizarreblackmail story after Mike Tindall got caught hooking up with a woman who wasn't his wife. Only two seasons ago the Highlanders lost themselves a few fans after trashing their hotel on a bye week, however they last year they proved that the lesson had clearly not been learned.
Pro: Southland, long seen as the junior partner in the Highlanders arrangement, gets its moment in the prime time. Rugby Park hasn't seen this action since the Shield went south, it's just a shame none of the locals can go along to watch it.
Con: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will debut in front of no one. The hype around RTS has been the big storyline of the off season, but has been consistently hampered by the fact that the Blues' new midfielder still hasn't played a game of union since high school. An event like that deserves a big crowd at Mt Smart or Eden Park, rather than in front of a few camerapeople and otherwise empty stands.
Pro: Golf is the perfectly distanced social pastime and some of the best courses in the country are right on the doorstep, which will suit the likes of Jordie Barrett just fine.
Con: Moana Pasifika needed to start this season with a bang, if not on the field then by attracting a fanbase straight away. They now face an incredibly challenging first few games, away from home, so things need to click into place even faster than they would have hoped.
Pro: In a throwback to the old days, teams face a long, winding bus trip to their Invercargill fixtures. It remains to be seen whether there will be fights over the back seat and how many toilet stops will be required on the way home.
Con: There's no plan as yet for Super Rugby Aupiki, with NZR saying they are weighing up options. Moving the new women's teams into the bubble is all but impossible as most of the players are part-time, so it's likely Aupiki will be moved to later in the season. But that will come with a big knock on effect to women's club rugby around the country if they overlap, given the loss of that many players would seriously stretch already small competitions, plus there are scheduled Black Ferns training camps that need to be worked around as well. NZR have said they are committed to Aupiki going ahead no matter what, but this problem is a bit more of a challenge than it first appears.