If there is a growing feeling across the northern rugby landscape that too many New Zealanders hold professorships in self-righteousness and wear their learning loudly enough to blow Led Zeppelin clean off the decibel chart, it must also be acknowledged that they know a thing or two about the game.
Super Rugby Aotearoa is so damned hot, the paying public could toast themselves on it – no mean feat in the depths of a Kiwi winter. Last weekend’s meeting between the Crusaders and the Hurricanes in Christchurch was molten.
It may be that the pandemic-driven domestic tournament currently unfolding in All Black country in front of socially-mixed crowds running into the tens of thousands, rather than socially distanced individuals measured in dribs and drabs, is the most compelling piece of club/provincial/regional business since the Heineken Cup was in its pomp a decade or so ago.
There are a number of reasons behind its success, with the novelty factor an obvious starting point. Those of us denied our sporting fix by this wretched virus would have been captivated by anyone and anything. A 50-phase goal-line siege at Exeter? Bliss. A slug-fest hackathon from the lower reaches of the French league? Heaven. We might even, in extremis, have enjoyed a game involving Leicester.
この記事は The Rugby Paper の August 02, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は The Rugby Paper の August 02, 2020 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
England can find a little bit of cheer
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Stop messing with Marcus - Campese
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Being a Lion was the highlight of my career
I PLAYED 19 games and scored 219 points for the Lions, on the tours to South Africa in 1968 and New Zealand in 1971, but I never played in a Test and that was fair enough.
Cook's crew not fazed as they eye tilt at top half
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Forwards pack a punch for the Reds
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Tom 'Ailes' the achievements of inspirational skipper Riley
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Strachan confident Ampthill will be firing again soon
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It's a whole new ball game for Rigg
WILL Rigg’s ambition was to become a professional cricketer but it is the oval ball rather than The Oval that is his driver now.
Scarratt leads the way for Lightning
LOUGHBOROUGH won a wet and windy East Midlands Derby after having the bonus point in the bag by half-time.
Becconsall: We need to release pressure
WILL Becconsall says Exeter are not spooked by the threat of relegation as they look to turn around their Premiership campaign after starting with six straight defeats.
