Boss issues NZ threat before Bledisloe opener

2 years ago 136

Rugby Australia president Hamish McLennan says his menace to locomotion distant from New Zealand and spell home astatine nine level remains unrecorded contempt immoderate productive trans-Tasman discussions this month.

Super Rugby Pacific volition proceed successful 2023 with 5 teams from Australia, 5 from NZ arsenic good arsenic the caller Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika outfits.

But the signifier of the contention beyond that remains uncertain arsenic McLennan continues to propulsion for a amended woody for Australia.

Watch each lucifer of the Rugby Championship connected the location of rugby, Stan Sport. Continues September 15 with the Bledisloe Cup opener. All matches streaming ad-free, unrecorded and connected demand

McLennan, speaking earlier Thursday's Bledisloe Cup opener successful Melbourne, described NZR president Stewart Mitchell a "really bully guy" and said discussions were "grinding forward."

"Hopefully it volition resoluteness itself oregon we'll spell domestic," McLennan said, portion being asked whether helium felt RA was present getting much respect and leverage astatine the bargaining table.

"I deliberation the caller authorities understands and appreciates that New Zealand's aboriginal is tied to Australia's success. Whether you telephone that respect, I don't know, but I deliberation there's an acknowledgement that we're really a beauteous important portion of their premix now."

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McLennan besides denied helium was bluffing astir going solo portion acknowledging a steadfast trans-Tasman contention remained the champion model.

"We wouldn't person said it if we weren't real. There's nary doubt, we've said it publicly, that the precocious show outcomes would astir apt beryllium amended with New Zealand successful the mix.

"But we're not going to play 2nd fiddle truthful clip volition archer if we're bluffing. But they cognize we're superior - we've got the backing of our subordinate unions, Super Rugby nine chairs and Channel 9 to spell domestic.

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"And look, we haven't won a Bledisloe successful 20 years truthful who's to accidental that a home contention wouldn't present much wealth to Rugby Australia and possibly, with much teams and much players, amended precocious show outcomes. We'll see."

McLennan said helium was taking nary pleasance from New Zealand's rugby struggles, with the All Blacks winning conscionable 3 of their past 9 Tests.

"The troubles that they've had conscionable shows you however hard it is to get those combinations close successful immoderate team. They're rather fragile organisations. They'll get it right, don't underestimate them and I deliberation they'll beryllium formidable contiguous too.

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"You tin ne'er constitute the All Blacks off."

McLennan added that the Wallabies performances had been "a small frustrating" successful 2022, portion acknowledging different teams were besides struggling to backmost up bully performances.

"If you tin sound implicit the Springboks, and adjacent playing Argentina successful that state is hard truthful I deliberation Dave's (Rennie) made existent progress.

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"It's a beauteous evident happening to accidental but they request much consistency successful their game. They're heading successful the close direction, there's nary doubt."

Despite the Wallabies slumping to a worst-ever satellite ranking of eighth, McLennan backed Rennie to usher the squad done to adjacent year's Rugby World Cup.

"Absolutely. Dave's done a large occupation successful settling the squad down. There's been existent advancement that's been made. He's arsenic frustrated arsenic anyone," McLennan said.

"The satellite rankings, you tin benignant of usage them arsenic a information point, but everyone successful satellite rugby tin spot that the Wallabies person travel backmost and are connected the determination and are heading successful the right direction. So I instrumentality a batch of bosom from that."

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