An ANZAC Bledisloe?

@Kiwiwomble
Local sports clubs recognising the legacy of wartime service is not the issue.
It's contemporary professional sports entities using the public emotions surrounding that legacy to accumulate some extra revenue that is the issue.

Australian rugby (union) has more right to do that than any other sports code.
Except for in Sydney, WW1 ended rugby union in Australia.
A lot of local rugby clubs couldn't commemorate the wartime service of their members because they had ceased to exist.

Rugby union only began to revive in the rest of Australia in the late 1920's.
And in country NSW and Qld, where it had been strong, it only revived in the period after WW2.
Australia didn't play an official test match from 1914 to 1929.

@mohikamo

Local sports clubs recognising the legacy of wartime service is not the issue.
It's contemporary professional sports entities using the public emotions surrounding that legacy to accumulate some extra revenue that is the issue.

That is what I am very uncomfortable with. I just think Anzac day and what it means is our most sacred day, and not keen on it being sold.
I know it maybe old fashioned etc, but just money isn't or shouldn't be end all. well in my opinion anyway.

@Dan54 said in An ANZAC Bledisloe?:

That is what I am very uncomfortable with. I just think Anzac day and what it means is our most sacred day, and not keen on it being sold.
I know it maybe old fashioned etc, but just money isn't or shouldn't be end all. well in my opinion anyway.

I agree.
But when you see what has happened in Australia, I can understand why the ARU feels obligated to get involved.
Especially when rugby union has a closer affiliation with the military than the other codes.

The AIF had an excellent team in 1919 (they had a win over an equally excellent NZ team).
The team was kept together and had an unbeaten tour of Aus when they got home.
And that is considered one of the reasons that rugby (union) wasn't completely extinguished in Aus.

Not just Anzac day either, pro sports are real quick to jump at any opportunity to get on a national event bandwagon

@mohikamo i wasn't suggesting we do it so pro sports should, was building on your point about how local clubs were decimated by war

the only thing i think we should consider, the only thing worse than commercialising ANZAC day would be for it to purely be a dawn service and then forgotten about, i think there is some beauty in celebrating the freedoms those people fought for after you have shown your respects, and i have softened after talking to old mates who told me that fi there wasnt a series of things going on during the day they would just be going home, often alone

I find it odd that now that there's a test match we're getting complaints about it happening on Anzac when we just went through a Super Round that had a focus on Anzac, and league basically spends the entire weekend going deep in Anzac.

Realistically, the sports are pretty respectful about Anzac, and for some, the pre-game will be their main acknowledgement as they wouldn't have got up for the dawn services.

@Nepia said in An ANZAC Bledisloe?:

I find it odd that now that there's a test match we're getting complaints about it happening on Anzac when we just went through a Super Round that had a focus on Anzac, and league basically spends the entire weekend going deep in Anzac.

Realistically, the sports are pretty respectful about Anzac, and for some, the pre-game will be their main acknowledgement as they wouldn't have got up for the dawn services.

Yep we have always played on Anzac, but I don't like it being used as the marketing tool, and only reason for game. I know Aussie have used it as money spinner for a few years, and they pretend they are doing it to pay respects. Wheel out a few old fellas play the Last Post etc, then shoving them back where they come from. Have a bit of a game. They really want to be respectful of Anzac, play army teams , as that what Anzac actually is.

If holding a Bledisloe Test in late April next year genuinely helps Dave Rennie and his coaches with their World Cup preparations, then I'm all for it.

If it doesn't; then this is nothing but a marketing gimmick and we've had far too many of those in recent years.

@No-Quarter said in An ANZAC Bledisloe?:

actual fans

So AB fans that live in the states aren't actual fans? That's a bit rough. I've got a couple of mates who fly to the other side of the country for AB games (or even make ill-fated trips to London just to watch the ABs play South Africa at twickers).

Not condoning the idea, but that's a bad call.

This would have been an awesome idea 20 years ago - before ANZAC Day had been too commercialised and the competition between the two countries was closer. The fact it is a genuine Aus vs NZ matchup too would have added to the occasion.

But now, it looks like a belated cash grab.

I think commercial cash grab first and foremost given both RU's need the $$'s and secondly it's also an attempt to to raise the profile of union when so many people in Oz, especially younger generations, are only aware of league, afl and/or soccer. Not sure an annual test game will sway the latter away from their preferred sports but if a good % of the revenue from the game are put towards grass roots and development purposes in both countries then it's a good thing.

My main resistance at the moment is I just don't want us to lose the Bledisloe ever.

Regardless, this is a great pic! ABC online.

@allblacksfan2 said in An ANZAC Bledisloe?:

My main resistance at the moment is I just don't want us to lose the Bledisloe ever.

haha
you started off with very big thoughts; and finished with a very small and personal one!

it wont just be a money raiser in Aus, it'll be profile raiser for the whole sport
anzac day sport is huge in aus now
a competitive test match, Aus v NZ in rugby union, will be up against :
Eastern Suburbs v St George in the NRL
and
Essendon v Collingwood in the AFL

What really sells it is that the AFL and NRL might actually notice it, and not like it!