France snubbing New Zealand tour shows the difference in priorities

Fabien Galthie has provided a timely reminder that real professional rugby does exist in some places.

Galthie, the France coach, has indicated that he will bring an understrength side to play the All Blacks in New Zealand next year.

“We want to work hand in hand with the league and the clubs,’’ Galthie said of his attitude to the Top 14.

“Our goal is for players to be able to give the best of themselves in the French team, but also in club. We want to go further while taking into account the challenges of the clubs.’’

So, for matches in 2025 against the All Blacks that are simply being staged to fulfil test windows and television schedules, he’s likely to leave his 20 best players behind.

If it was the Six Nations or a Rugby World Cup or the World Rugby Nations Championship, when that gets off the ground, you'd assume Galthie’s actions would be different.

But obligations to club owners, fans and the integrity of the Top 14 itself demand that players participate as fully in club football as they’re able.

After all, it’s not as if this trip to New Zealand counts for anything.

Isn’t that refreshing? Isn’t that an example of how club competitions should be treated? Isn’t that yet another illustration of why Super Rugby Pacific simply isn’t a competition people should take seriously?

We watched the Rebels wave goodbye to Super Rugby the other day.

It’s easy to think they were poorly run individually or that Rugby Australia gave them inadequate support.

But the truth is the Rebels ceased to remain a viable commodity, because Super Rugby isn’t a viable commodity.

Only it could be, if New Zealand Rugby didn’t insist upon restricting the participation of its best players or sending a sprinkling on Japanese sabbatical.

That’s what kills competitions, as Galthie alluded to.

Hopefully the Nations Championship will matter, just as the Rugby World Cup already does. But, in between those assignments and a British & Irish Lions tour every 12 years, what are we actually saving our players for?

Surely not to beat the ordinary-looking England team that’s about to arrive on our shores?

Super Rugby should be a good competition and plenty of people will argue it was once upon a time. Probably the best on the planet in fact.

Right up until we decided that everything had to be about the All Blacks.

I applaud Galthie for his pragmatism and ability to see the bigger picture.

To a degree he’s got no choice, given the ownership model in the Top 14.

But that doesn’t diminish the fact that putting All Black interests over and above every other facet of rugby has not served New Zealand well.

Healthy, competitive competitions don’t have teams fall by the wayside, the way the Rebels have. They don’t carry teams for season upon season who have little hope of making the playoffs, let alone winning the title.

Real professional competitions demand the participation of their highest-paid players, rather than sending them off for another rest.

Galthie and the French hierarchy recognise that and have cut their cloth to fit.

I think the overall health of rugby in these parts would be enhanced by similar thinking.