Dave Rennie gives blunt verdict on the NPC and opens up on New Zealand’s Super Rugby Pacific participation
Jordie Barrett and Leroy Carter in action in this year's Super Rugby Pacific final between the Hurricanes and Chiefs and All Blacks coach Dave Rennie (inset).
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has highlighted the importance of the National Provincial Championship (NPC) and the participation of New Zealand clubs in Super Rugby Pacific.
Last week, New Zealand Rugby (NZR) held a meeting in Wellington where discussions were held on three proposals regarding the future of the game in the country.
According to reports in New Zealand’s media, a confidential NZR document titled Rugby Summit – Men’s Elite Competition Possible Options outlines those proposals for the domestic game in Aotearoa.
Those proposals are: Expanding Super Rugby with two additional teams; continuing with the current versions of Super Rugby and the NPC, but merging the Super Rugby clubs with the main provincial unions; or replacing both Super Rugby and the NPC with a new 8-10 team competition.
Rennie revealed that he watched plenty of rugby over the past weekend and feels the NPC still has a vital role to play in the New Zealand rugby landscape.
“I watched a huge amount of footy on the weekend, so I think it’s a great comp,” he told NewstalkZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast show. “It’s a part of our rugby fabric here.
“NPC rugby is tribal, and you’ve got people who, in some of those smaller unions, may not be massive supporters of Super Rugby because a lot of their players don’t get to maybe represent one team they’re scattered a bit, whereas they get a chance on the weekend to go down and watch players whose fathers and grandfathers have worn the jersey before.
He also emphasised how important the NPC is in terms of producing Super Rugby players as well as All Blacks for New Zealand.
“It’s a real point of difference from a World Rugby perspective; I reckon it’s the greatest provincial competition in the world, semi-pro basically now, and that feeds Super Rugby, which is important to then go on and feed your All Blacks,” he explained.
“So that’s massively important and needs to be maintained.”
Hosking then asked Rennie whether the three proposals for the game was something which was part of his thought process and he said: “Yeah, it has to be because if I’m not involved in those discussions, ultimately it can have an effect on the All Blacks long-term.
“My job is also to look at what’s best for the game. Hence the reason I’m saying that. Look, I think the NPC is massively important and I reckon if you survey the country, you find there’s massive support for that competition.
“It’s been brilliant this year. Real credit to all the players and staff involved in it; it’s been an excellent product and good for our game.”
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Rennie then reiterated the importance of the NPC and Super Rugby to New Zealanders.
“I try and keep away from the bottom line stuff. I guess my views are normally around what I think is best for the game; whether those things are all affordable, that’s for others to work out,” he explained.
“But I just think that the retention of NPC and Super Rugby is massively important for the game here. I’ve no doubt, fans of provincial rugby love the NPC. I think all us sort of rugby-minded people do.”
