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'We have lost our way': Steve Hansen calls for global rugby unity in wake of coronavirus
By Online Editors
Former All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen is calling for the rugby world to put self-interest aside in pursuit of global unity and a new approach to revive the game as it stares down the barrel of uncertainty amid the COIVD-19 pandemic.
Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with WalesOnline, the 60-year-old World Cup-winning coach said the perilous financial state of nations around the globe can't be attributed solely to the coronavirus outbreak.
Rugby Australia is among one of many unions facing economic downfall, with the organisation forecasting losses of around A$120 million if no more games are played this year.
Elsewhere, England's Rugby Football Union is projecting a loss of £50 million, while New Zealand Rugby is bracing for a $25 million hit.
World Rugby last week announced a relief fund of US$100 million to assist unions grappling with the financial ramifications of coronavirus, but for some - like USA Rugby, which has already filed for bankruptcy - that has come too late.
However, Hansen believes that the virus has presented an opportunity for the game to come together and lay out a new blueprint for the coming years.
“We have an opportunity now to start with a blank page because you have got everybody putting self-interest to the side. They know they could be gone if they don’t do the right thing,” Hansen told WalesOnline.
“So it’s a great opportunity to bring everybody together — north, south, individual countries — and do what it is right for the game. It’s been a long time coming.
“There has been a lot of self-interest and if we don’t do the right thing, we could lose the game and that would be a tragedy. We have lost our way in rugby a little bit and we haven’t been working well enough together.”
World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont has said they were in discussions with Six Nations, SANZAAR and the International Rugby Players union to develop a plan to return to action once governments and health authorities allow them to do so.
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Latest Comments
Reiko should be the dual winger guy as he should be used to playing either side given he's had to do both at 13 (pass and step left/right).
Maybe he has such a bad preference that that's why he's not a good center?
Go to commentsAgreed. And I don't have much more to say on it, but I had been having one thought that sprang to mind at the tail of this discussion, and that is that it's not all about Razor.
It's not about any coach being "right". I think a lot of selections can become defense and while it doesn't really apply here I really enjoyed that Andy Farrell just gave into the public demands and changed out his team for the change that had been asked for. Like why not? This is the countries team, keep them engaged. The whole reason i've only just finished watching the game was because I wasn't interested in watching any of the selected players against a team like Italy (still actually enjoyed the first half with the contest Italy made of it).
Faz leap frogs a younger half back into start. He hands the golden child the game over July's golden child. He gives an old winger a go, a new flanker and hooker. None of them really did any good, certainly not enough to suggest they should have been promoted above others, but who cares? You won, and you gave the country what they wanted, that's all that matters after all. It's for the country, not the one in charge who thinks they have to have their own pied piper tune playing.
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