Wales and New Zealand, too many test?
Wales hosts the All Blacks on Saturday. A test match whose programming and financial motives make our teeth gnashing.
deprived of it”EinglishAnd many injuries, Wales face the All Blacks, who have been undefeated for 68 years.
A £4m (€4.6m) match, this is how this match is viewed above all, as it is placed outside the international window as English clubs are obligated to leave their foreign players at the disposal of their own choices.
It is a program that means New Zealand coach Wayne Bivak is deprived of many ball bearers, some of them almost like opener Dan Biggar, third row Taulope Valitao and winger Luis Reiss Zammit. Also missing are regularly used players such as centre-half Nick Tompkins, opener Callum Sheedy, winger Thomas Young or second rower Krist Chionza.
Absences that add to a well-stocked dispensary with George North, Lee Halfpenny, Justin Tiburek, Josh Navidi, James Botham, Leon Brown, Dan Lydiat and Josh MacLeod.
That’s a total of 15 players, the equivalent of an entire team, while Wales is far from having a handful of players from England, or even Ireland.
«The dumbest test in history»
«In the end, it’s an opportunity for many menOn Tuesday, captain Alon Wayne appealed to the 36-year-old loyalist for his 149th selection, which would make him the most capped player in rugby history.
«They know the players will be back in the squad (as of the next Test against South Africa on November 6th), it’s an opportunity to grab attention and perhaps no bigger match for those waiting for us.‘, the Welsh franchise player for the Ospreys has been sentenced.
A slippage in the fourth autumn test outside the international window is typically for the Welsh FA, whose financial balance remains precarious.
In the current conditions, it becomes difficult to imagine Wales’ fourth victory in this 36th confrontation against an opponent he has not defeated since December 1953 (13-8), but the sporting quota passed after the financial quota.
In a scathing editorial, the Daily Telegraph He did not hesitate to qualify for this match as “The dumbest test in history».
«We love challenges»
Even former Wales international Shane Williams said the federation “He was actively working against the survival of the four (Welsh) regions that are regularly deprived of their best players and cannot deliver the maximum in the League (Pro14) or in Europe“,” in a column on the site rugby paper.
In the wake of one of the most serious crises that the sport has faced, with the Covid-19 epidemic, it was difficult to refuse a surprise win in a prestigious match at a stadium where, for the first time in more than a year and a half. , 74,500 seats were put up for sale and a taker was found.
«Sometimes, in rugby, you just have to realize that the sport is more than just a specific match.Pivac pleaded.
«It’s about sponsoring the sport in general. If we look at the finances of this country, without (this test) we will have problems. And in terms of rugby, it’s quite a challenge. We love challenges“, he added.
«Everyone is commenting on the fact that he’s outside the international window, but it’s a chance to take on the All-Blacks in a packed stadium. You wouldn’t refuse it, would you?The director general of the federation, Steve Phillips, added.
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