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WELLINGTON: The All Blacks would consider pulling out of the 2015 Rugby World Cup unless commercial restrictions imposed on teams were revamped, New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief Steve Tew said today.
Tew said such a drastic and unprecedented step would be "the very last port of call" but could not be ruled out, as current arrangements meant his organisation posted a loss every time the quadrennial tournament was held.
"That's obviously a last resort and our style is to be consultative, collaborative and to try to work with everybody to find a solution," Tew told Radio New Zealand when asked if the All Blacks could boycott the 2015 World Cup in England.
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Tew said International Rugby Board (IRB) rules penalised major unions in World Cup years because their regular Test schedules were curtailed and teams were not allowed to promote their sponsors during the tournament.
He said this meant that competing at the 2011 World Cup was costing the NZRU more than NZ$13 million ($10.3 million).
"It's putting pressure on the balance sheet and frankly, in the current environment, we just can't afford to run a World Cup-year loss, nor do we think it's necessary." he said.
Earlier, Tew told Britain's Guardian newspaper: "The prospects of us going to England in 2015 under the current model are very slim. We cannot continue to sign on for an event that costs us so much money."
He told Radio NZ that the NZRU had been pushing the IRB for changes to the commercial arrangements for eight years and had gone public to try to ensure the issue was finalised by 2015.
"Now is not a bad time to make sure the issue is raised and considered, to give ourselves enough time to find a solution without having to go to any drastic measures," he said.
"We have the support of most of the major unions and a review is not only necessary but now, in our view, quite urgent."
Tew said the bulk of the NZRU's NZ$13 million shortfall came from television revenues and gate receipts lost because the annual Tri-Nations competition was shortened in World Cup years so it did not clash with the tournament.
He said other major unions faced similar problems, estimating their combined losses at 35-40 million pounds ($55-63 million).
Tew said solutions the IRB could consider were changing the World Cup date, to allow a full Tri-Nations schedule, or paying more money to participating unions.
He also said the IRB's World Cup sponsorship rules, designed to avoid any clash between team sponsors and the IRB's own corporate supporters, should be relaxed.
"In football, the FIFA model, there is room for both sets of sponsors to get some coverage during the World Cup period and we think that's something we should be looking at very seriously," he said.
A Rugby World Cup Ltd. spokesman said the commercial model that applied to the tournament was being reviewed .
"We are committed to working in collaboration with our unions to ensure that the tournament continues to balance the strategic needs of our unions with the ability to provide the financial platform for the development of (the) sport," he said.
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
Doesn’t this remind you of that annoying kid in the play ground who threatens to take his ball and leave because not everyone is being nice to him lol Seriously NZRU you really are a joke.
I think NZ have a fair case here. For the 2003 RWC Australia racked in the money and the IRB really saw how much a cash cow it could really be and got even greedier.
Not really. The ARU has the same concerns. Going by the article, so do a number of other Unions. No business can stand a large and probably unnecessary loss being imposed on it every 4 years. Those Unions have been trying to negotiate better outcomes basically since the 2003 RWC, without success.
Kiwi Rugby's foundation stone, the NPC, is under enormous financial pressure. In Oz we already know what that pressure can do - it was the reason for the ARC's immediate demise.
I think it's an opportune time for this matter to be re-visited with the press; in the middle of what looks like being the most successful RWC ever (even if not on the paddock for the hosts)
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
"Super Union" anyone?
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
and before the choke this year makes nobody care that much whether we're there or not.
Nobody can tell me the sponsors of an international rugby team don't take the world cup into account, and nobody can tell me a smart accountant can't evenly divide the spoils over the requisite four years......essentially the unions lose ticket sales and broadcast rights.........again which they can negotiate over a four year term. In return they get a whole new strip forced on them once every four years which a bunch of fans will buy in the hope that the team wins a world cup. It might not work out perfectly balanced, but there are certainly figures on both sides of the ledger!
C'mon the![]()
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I think you miss the point. The NZRU miss out on big bucks due to the Tri-Nations being shortened. They want the IRB to take this into account. They also want team sponsers to get some exposure. This is allowed in the FIFA World Cup.
You can bet the ARU is behind them on this one.
Is there a book on whether NZ compete in the next RWC?
vBookies?
que??
All blacks motto for the 2015 world cup:
We cant choke if we don't try!
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