0
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/down_dis.png)
![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
Tuesday, 26 June 2007 @ 5:31 PM
http://ninemsn.sportal.com.au/defaul...splay&id=29687
SANZAR, the official body controlling the Super 14 and Tri Nations competitions, is holding a special meeting on Tuesday evening (Australian Time) to discuss the South African decision to send a below-strength team to Australia and New Zealand.
New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs was uncertain of the exact timing of the phone conference but said the chief executives of the respective South African, New Zealand and Australian Unions would be taking part along with the SANZAR administration.
The meeting follows Australia's concern at South Africa's surprise move to send a reduced strength team and those concerns would be aired. As would the fact that both Australia and New Zealand sent full strength teams to South Africa, who played to full houses in Cape Town and Durban, while both would have less of a draw to market for themselves.
Hobbs said the South African decision came as a surprise and a disappointment to him.
As late as just before the New Zealand Test with South Africa on Saturday in Durban, Hobbs said the chairman of the South African Union and he assured him that the speculation and rumour surrounding the selection of a less than full strength team was not right.
"He knew nothing of it," Hobbs said.
Hobbs added that both Australia and New Zealand had received earlier assurances from the South Africans that they would send their strongest team.
Hobbs was mindful that New Zealand's response to the South African decision was not as strong as Australia's.
That was due to the fact that New Zealand wanted to be careful of being accused of hypocrisy over the issue after it took 22 players out of the Super 14 competition for the first eight rounds.
However, Hobbs said the circumstances were different, and at a different time of the year. And New Zealand had given notice and advice well ahead of the competition to SANZAR.
That move was less disruptive to the competition, Hobbs said.
News Limited, the television provider for the series had expressed its concern about the situation.
Hobbs said New Zealand was also very aware of player welfare issues and there was a genuine move to try and improve the season structure but there was still a lot of work to be done.
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
NZ should definately stay out of this after messing up the S14, and the Wallabies are not good enough to play a full-strength Springbok side anyway![]()
I've been waiting a long while to meet a South African with a sense of humour........I guess I'll just have to keep waiting.Originally Posted by Goldmember
![]()
Just happy to be here
i know, when will that day come...Originally Posted by The EnForcer
i hope they wrok something good out and south africa send a full strength team over. this hobbs guy seems to agree with the australians but i think there is no way he wasnt behind sending a crap team here.
Much as I feel for the fans who bought tickets, a Springboks side will show up that represents their country. I'd've still swapped it for the only test match we got this year. If the ARU is really that upset for the fans, they should give everyone a tenner that walks in the door (but I bet they won't). Other than that, they should focus on getting the game won to jump over SA on the world rankings.
Don't feel too bad for the fans that have bought a ticket. If this weekend's anything to go by, there won't be many at the game. Latest ticket sales are only about 30,000....so much for having to have a 65,000 seater stadium to hold the Bledisloe.
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!
I thought sales were only ~30,000 for the AusvSA match, but sales were over 70,000 for the Bledisloe this weekend?
"No he's never met a nice South AfricanOriginally Posted by The EnForcer
And that's not bloody surprising man
'Cause we're a bunch of ignorant loudmouths
With no sense of humour - ha ha"
Not according to something I read on RugbyHeaven this morning.
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!
Who said that?Originally Posted by Goldmember
Looks like the South Africans have played the injury risk card to justify not sending their full strenth side. Absolute BS!
Last edited by The EnForcer; 28-06-07 at 05:44. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Just happy to be here