Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Right, if you were hoping the Australian media reports were right and we were finally on the cusp of seeing some really big changes to Super Rugby, like allowing players to cross borders and permitting All Blacks to play for Australian Super Rugby teams, I'm really sorry to tell you that idea has already been shot down.
New Zealand Rugby is already saying it's not going to allow it to happen and has briefed news media to that effect.
The problem for New Zealand Rugby, apparently, is that it's all a little bit hard for the accountants.
I don't know whether you understand how it works but NZR pays a retainer to players for playing for the All Blacks, and then their Super Rugby clubs top that up. Damian McKenzie, for example, might receive a whopping $1 million retainer to play for the All Blacks, with that income then supplemented by his Super Rugby team.
The question, of course, is why NZR would continue paying that really gigantic salary if he's actually in Australia playing for the Waratahs.
So there would have to be some significant changes to the way players are contracted, and apparently that's all just a little bit hard. Too much paperwork.
But it's a lame excuse because, if anything, it should actually take some of the financial pressure off New Zealand Rugby. If Super Rugby could become genuinely profitable, and profitable enough for the clubs to pay the lion's share of player salaries, it would work well for NZR in terms of the money it's spending.
The benefits for the competition could be enormous because it could, if done properly, create a much more dynamic league. Australian teams could recruit a group of elite All Blacks and then start beating New Zealand teams, which would be very different from what we've seen year after year, with New Zealand sides dominating the playoffs in a highly predictable fashion.
But this is the problem across many of our traditional sports, really: rugby, cricket and netball. The national bodies don't want to let go of control.
The Super Rugby clubs are trying to force that conversation. They're the ones who commissioned the Deloitte report I've been telling you about in the past few weeks, which basically lays out the fact that Super Rugby clubs can't turn a profit.
They're also holding a summit next month with NZR to try to drive some change.
But clearly those changes will be, as the briefed media have described them, more of an evolution than a revolution, which means don't expect anything major.
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On the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast for Friday, 28 August, 2026, Air New Zealand's chief executive tells us how he plans to turn around a $242 million loss.
Residents are upset that deals are off to sell their houses to make way for the Mill Road upgrade.
Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick on Ardie Savea's touching gesture before the first test against South Africa.
And on The Sports Huddle, Nicky Styris and D'Arcy Waldegrave on how impressed they are with Savea's leadership.
Get the Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Full Show Podcast every weekday evening on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Tonight on The Huddle, sports presenter Nicky Styris and Newstalk ZB's own D'arcy Waldegrave joined in on a discussion about the latest sports news!
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Sky TV has posted a full year net profit of $59 million, more than double last year's, resulting in 32 cents per share dividend for shareholders.
CEO Sophie Moloney told Heather du Plessis-Allan she is 'really thrilled' by the result.
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The All Blacks are set to face their second test against the Springboks at DHL Stadium, Cape Town on Sunday (NZT) after winning the first test last week.
Former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the team shown in last weeks test.
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