Bad Optics
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So the North v South rugby clash has hit a bit of trouble. Some of it has been bad luck, but some of it has shown up how NZR doesn’t always get it right.
A lot of the build-up to his fixture has been a bit AstroTurf. Hey, we’re reaching out to the tradition of the match (not played since 1986) even though we’ll change the eligibility rules to make sure it’s an even contest.
That’s not really tradition, even with the slightly grotesque beer branding.
But that is not the main point of this; it Is about the really high-handed approach to what is going on at the moment.
Imagine a major NZ business planning to relocate 20 senior staff members from Akl to Wgn on Monday and not thinking of applying for an exemption.
That is exactly what NZR has done here. For all the talk about relocating the match they seem to have overlooked the fact that Auckland is currently in Level 3. You just can’t move people around the country as you please.
Whether or not they are allowed dispensation is a matter for the Ministry of Health, but you would imagine the fact they never asked for that in advance won’t help their case.
Bubbles have worked well so far in our dealing with this. Self-entitlement bubbles; not so much