NZR's approach to profiting from Tonga cheapened everything
Well, guess what? NZR were wrong. They sought to profit off the Tongan community and merely cheapened their own All Blacks brand i…
Hamish Bidwell
05 Jul 2021, 0:03
Contributors
Hamish Bidwell
@HamishBidwell
Hamish has been an opinion and sports writer for over 20 years in New Zealand, featuring on RNZ, New Zealand Herald, Stuff.co.nz, and RugbyPass.
Beauden Barrett was stiffed by the All Blacks but we can't make the same mistake with Richie Mo'unga
Coaching is about providing players with the best opportunity to be successful, but neither Barrett nor Mo’unga will ever truly …
Hamish Bidwell
27 Jun 2021, 23:27
Lolly scramble of All Black selections begs the question, is there actually a plan in place?
How many positions in the All Blacks starting XV would you say are sewn up? I’d say about five and a half.
Hamish Bidwell
22 Jun 2021, 0:32
The bottom line is the All Blacks are not short of talent and an unbeaten season is on the table
In all fairness, though, the coronavirus-dictated draw has been kind to New Zealand. All but one match is at home, creating an exp…
Hamish Bidwell
14 Jun 2021, 2:17
'You suspect another white, male Cantabrian isn't quite what NZR needs right now': Talk of diversity no substitute for actual diversity
At most other times in our game’s history, Stewart Mitchell would have been the ideal choice as NZR chairman - but this isn't mo…
Hamish Bidwell
07 Jun 2021, 20:00
In New Zealand, we are very good at producing quality rugby players. What's missing is the right vehicle to promote them
We had our chance to go insular. The coronavirus pandemic provided New Zealand with the opportunity to create a purely domestic co…
Hamish Bidwell
31 May 2021, 17:24
Julian Savea won't be turning the clock back to 2010 but his signing by the Hurricanes has proven to have merit
Savea is more than a rugby player and a teammate. He is an icon and an inspiration and you can see how valuable that is within a f…
Hamish Bidwell
25 May 2021, 20:01
The game's caretakers in New Zealand need to grow up, get in a room and sort this out for rugby's sake
I don’t know about you, but I’m bored of this debate about private equity funding. I don’t care if it’s Silver Lake or you…
Hamish Bidwell
17 May 2021, 17:00
Instead of hating and criticising, you could actually just sit back and admire the greatness of the Crusaders
They win, for starters, and what an unimaginable crime that is. They don’t boast, they don’t showboat, they don’t disrespect…
Hamish Bidwell
10 May 2021, 18:53
New Zealand's elite players would be better served trying to win the odd test match rather than dictating terms of the Silver Lake deal
Correct me if I’m wrong, but this is the narrative we’re being sold, right? That NZR and the provincial unions are dullards, w…
Hamish Bidwell
02 May 2021, 22:49
It's hard to go past Akira Ioane when wondering where it all went wrong for the Blues in 2021
Ioane talked about learning a few lessons and rediscovering his love for the game and a lot of us went down the lazy route of decl…
Hamish Bidwell
26 Apr 2021, 21:54
Why are the All Blacks going to pick Retallick, Barrett and possibly Perenara out of Japan and not guys everywhere else?
If we are going to pick Beauden Barrett and Brodie Retallick (and maybe not TJ Perenara if John Kirwan’s telling the story) then…
Hamish Bidwell
19 Apr 2021, 0:29
Perofeta's comments may hurt his team's chances but give some much-needed spice to Super Rugby Aotearoa
It wasn’t that Perofeta’s comments were outrageous. More that they were a little naive and inclined to antagonise a Highlander…
Hamish Bidwell
13 Apr 2021, 19:32
All Black captains don't lecture people on social media or journalists on what they should be reporting on
You put Savea at 7, you make him captain and very quickly Cane’s absence ceases to be a major concern. Frankly, it’s the opens…
Hamish Bidwell
05 Apr 2021, 17:06
Hard to fathom the protests of All Blacks who are happily bankrupting their governing body
What’s not in dispute is that NZR cannot continue to pay its mammoth player wage bill and that alternative revenue streams are r…
Hamish Bidwell
29 Mar 2021, 22:39
What Scott Robertson has done with Sam Whitelock that no other coach could
It was a pleasure to watch the Crusaders beat the Blues 43-27 at Eden Park on Sunday. To see the methodical way the Crusaders dism…
Hamish Bidwell
21 Mar 2021, 22:04
It won't be up front where the Blues need to prove their title credentials against the Crusaders
The Blues weren’t just a Super Rugby also-ran for a decade or more, they weren’t even relevant. No, the Blues were an utter em…
Hamish Bidwell
15 Mar 2021, 21:37
At some point the Chiefs' players have to put up or shut up with their third coach in three successive years
The blame game’s become a staple of Chiefs rugby. Remember Colin Cooper? He couldn’t coach, apparently, with the players and s…
Hamish Bidwell
09 Mar 2021, 14:32
It's simply not good enough that the Hurricanes don't have a formidable tight five after 25 years of trying
At the Hurricanes, it’s always been about hoping the backs and loosies can work enough magic to cover for the deficiencies up fr…
Hamish Bidwell
01 Mar 2021, 15:30
Haven't we already said goodbye to the great Dan Carter? His real retirement was years ago
The man’s career was over by then and he did well to keep being paid a healthy wage and to maintain the strength of his personal…
Hamish Bidwell
22 Feb 2021, 17:18
