Saturday after the game, rugby clubs across this once Long White Cloud provided sanctuary, where a culture was nurtured; where club protocols of behaviour substituted for police and many a romance was kindled - be it all against a goal post as twilight fell.
Today?
Clubs have disappeared - Carton Grammar Teachers Eastern -
in Auckland today these once separate senior clubs producing as they did
provincial and international reps, now latent lay in the bosom of one club
alone.
The dollar rules.
Like an ever-flowing river, time has changed the face of the
game that once stood supreme across the globe midst colonial outposts of an
also now dead Empire.
Love of the sport is a false motive. Rugby Union today faces
relegation to the power of dollars invested in other codes.
Rugby Union as we knew it, as with all rivers, tides and
time, once past, can never be recovered.
Some say what emerges from the mists of time, is
better? Electric cars for example.
At the moment given the collapse of lithium mines,
reflecting the collapse of E car demand in Europe and USA (1), this manifestation of
progress may be as ill-considered as Bitcoin.
On the other hand, as the following example may attest;
evolution can produce outstanding performances to the demise of Rugby
Union. See this link:
https://www.nrl.com/news/2024/09/27/storm-v-roosters--finals-week-3-2024/
Ross Meurant BA MPP Former Police Inspector. Former Member of Parliament. Former Diplomatic Representative. Current partner www.gena.co.nz
(1)
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8mvmmpmvro
4 comments:
Dear Ross. You have had first hand experience at what the NZ Rugby Union can achieve having faced off against the non participants in this sport. Robert Muldoon saw & took the opportunity to deflect the "vision of New Zealander's" from a then Political issue, and ( I am advised ) against all advice decided that the South African Rugby Union Team should visit.
From that point, as a Nation we have had the MSM depict this sport as the be all and end all, not only in player selection but the ?? Money that could be made. It would be interesting to "ask Don Clarke" (or even Sid Going) - what he thinks of todays' rugby, here in New Zealand.
Turning the sport into a professional game, I do not think has helped, not only here in New Zealand, but Countries such as Australia, England, France - as they too will struggle to maintain both finances & player's - you only have to review the "injury list" of recent years.
Also what will not help Rugby - it is constant denial of the effects of concussion.
Like many I could name those NZ Rugby Players, having been in a professional game, at the end of their National Playing time have had to seek "employment" elsewhere - France & Japan come to mind. Why - money!
Interesting that America, once attempted to field a professional Rugby Team, you do not hear of them today. Have they suffered the same fate as other Rugby nations?
In response to your comment [quote] "Rugby Union today faces regulation in the power of dollars .. [end quote] = but unlike other NZ sports, can rely on their new International Money Lenders, who no doubt "dictate the way NZ manages its National rugby team today".
Also interesting, not that you hear this in NZ, but across the world there are many who "are walking away from even buying an EV", not only because of what you mention, but that they have/are being shown as being unreliable.
I have seen evidence, that even in China, they are "not the hot potato product".
In Europe, an EV exploded the other day - while being charged inside the garage of an apartment building ( a well known danger).
But still ignored by some governments which aim for " no petrol-fuelled cars" after 2035.
For a prop you make some very good points young Ross and your comments on club protocols substituting for Police and romdmce blossoming- I met my wife at Eden Park !!
As a former Cornwall player and my sons Carlton your piece says it all.
We played for 10/- day in 1967 and a beer at the Park Lane Gotel cost 4/6😂🍺 We played for the game In 1969 University posted College Rifles on Eden spark and 19000 people turned up and again the next week when we played Otahuhu. They get 5000 not the blues The Worriors sold out EVERY game rain hail or shine Go Figure! Last noghts Test had 19 penalties I bet the Storm v Roostets had less than 5 ! No lineouts no scrum sets the game just keeps moving ! But we had the best of times as the saying goes.
Grahame Thorne
Graham Thorne, the Grahame Thorne? Gosh it was a pleasure watching you play and the interesting chats I had with you many moons ago.
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