New Zealand Rugby has confirmed it is considering a union-league hybrid match against Australia.

 

New Zealand Rugby has confirmed talks are under way to stage a cross-code match between the All Blacks vs Kangaroos live.

What would the late Sir Colin Meads have thought? The man voted as the All Black of the 20th century was not beyond pragmatism, as he showed by coaching the rebel Cavaliers in South Africa in 1986, a year after the originally sanctioned official tour was thwarted by the law courts.

Even so, news of the proposed hybrid game between his cherished All Blacks and rugby league’s Kangaroos would likely have been a step too far. For most of Meads’ life, league was the game’s enemy, the haven of those whose “palms had been crossed with silver”, a competing product and a poacher of talent.

That view has softened considerably since the professionalisation of rugby union in 1995 and the cross pollination of ideas and personnel is now commonplace, but there remain risks for New Zealand rugby in the proposal. They probably outweigh the material gain of a one-off payment and may ultimately kill off the idea.

Generations of former national representatives have long celebrated the history and prestige the black jersey represents. This is a perception All Blacks Rugby Game has itself regularly championed, in holding up the All Blacks and their success rate as a unique presence on the international sporting landscape.

The former players retain a powerful collective voice, and the trivialising of the jersey for such an event – financial benefits or not – will sit uneasily, especially for those prior to 1995 who went unpaid as they helped to build up the All Black legacy.

The immediate public reaction suggested, predictably, that there was no shortage of scepticism about the concept in pubs and clubs throughout the country as well. This sentiment is not something New Zealand Rugby can afford to ignore, especially given the promising shoots the restart of the season has provided, in terms of public re-engagement with the game.

Whether the hybrid concept gets off the ground or not though, do not be surprised if there are more left-field All Black Tours  money-making ideas to come in the years ahead.