probable demise <\/a>which has highlighted the tenuous financial situation of all 11 franchises, means Super Rugby and the New Zealand and Australian rugby unions badly needed a win.<\/p>\nFortunately for them, they got one.<\/p>\n
Christchurch\u2019s hospitality and accommodation providers have been huge beneficiaries of the influx of 14,000 visitors, many of whom travelled from Australia. <\/p>\n
It was reported that one bar went through 50 kegs of beer \u2013 2500 litres \u2013 on Friday, and it was difficult to find a table in the riverside bars even three hours before the kick-off of the Crusaders\u2019 match.<\/p>\n
Indeed, on Friday afternoon, World Rugby chief executive Dr Brett Robinson, a former Wallabies loose forward, launched a passionate defence regarding what his organisation is doing to help the game in the Pacific in the wake of the Moana Pasifika news in front of many hundreds enjoying a brew, including former teammate Michael Brial, a player many Kiwis will remember as the man who launched an extraordinary attack on All Black Frank Bunce in a Test in Brisbane in 1996.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/a-view-of-te-kaha-stadium-before-the-crusaders-v-waratahs-ma-HP4MZULY5JFMVF7NQO6WUZK6IE.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
A view of Te Kaha Stadium before the Crusaders v Waratahs match. (Source: Photosport)<\/p>\n
Asked how serious a threat league is to union in Australasia, Robinson was clearly reluctant to give NRL boss Peter V\u2019landys a public relations victory, but said: \u201cThe point that we have to double down on… is that rugby\u2019s competitive advantage is that we are truly a global game. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to stay true to our competitive edge. And with the greatest respect, I don\u2019t think rugby league could quote 2.2 million women playing the game around the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur aspiration by 2030 is to have another 1.2 million women playing this sport. We just have to keep it all in perspective\u2026 we respect we\u2019re in a competitive contest, but Rugby Australia just announced an incredible surplus because we had the British and Irish Lions come into our country last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a Rugby World Cup in Australia next year that will deliver a financial windfall. We have a women\u2019s World Cup in Australia that will showcase the very best of the international game.<\/p>\n
\u201cRather than focus on what may be considered weaknesses we should focus on the strengths of our game which are we are a truly global game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robinson added of the Moana Pasifika situation: \u201cI don\u2019t want to get into the situation regarding Moana, but what I do want to say is that rugby is the game of the Pacific.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is no doubt that rugby is winning the war in terms of the international game and there is little doubt too that league will continue to make inroads at a domestic level. <\/p>\n
The question remains how Super Rugby will build on this weekend. Such a concept is unlikely to work elsewhere in New Zealand due to the demographics and stadiums in Auckland and Wellington. And Dunedin does not have the population or accommodation providers.<\/p>\n
Will Christchurch get another go next year or will Brisbane, the Gold Coast or Perth see the potential and make a bid?<\/p>\n
With the league threat an ever present in terms of attracting rugby’s young talent, Super Rugby organisers must choose wisely.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Analysis: Christchurch turned it on this weekend and provided a public relations win for rugby at just the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632731,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,3925,5386,29897,215801,10569,216832,760,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-632730","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-blues","11":"tag-chiefs","12":"tag-crusaders","13":"tag-highlanders","14":"tag-hurricanes","15":"tag-moana-pasifika","16":"tag-rugby","17":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632730"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632730\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Hurricanes](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/hurricanes-players-stand-during-the-national-anthem-in-front-EHH6IISVMBEUTAX2SRSQLENGVM.jpg\")
<\/p>\n