THE NHRU has renewed hope of hosting more Super Rugby games after positive talks with NSW CEO Andrew Hore this week.
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Hore met with the NHRU, Newcastle Council and other stakeholders on Monday.
A crowd of 12,621 was on hand at McDonald Jones Stadium to watch the Waratahs suffer a loss to the Sunwolves on March 31 - the first NSW Super Rugby game played outside of Sydney.
Although the attendance was below the 15,000 anticipated, commercially the game was a success. The Waratahs are without a permanent home until a new stadium is completed at Moore Park in mid 2021.
"The meeting was very productive," NHRU general manager Andy Fairfull said. "We talked about how we can get the Waratahs back and how we can do it better. We are trying our hardest to get a game next year. After bringing the Waratahs game up here, Andrew Hore is very conscious of maintaining those networks."
Fairfull also discussed with Hore the NHRU's decision not to send a men's team to the NSW Country Championships.
"We believe the Country Championships should be moved to Sydney and played during a bye in the Shute Shield so that Sydney coaches can have a look at players and identify talent," Fairfull said. "Previously we have sent a senior men's side in which the majority of players haven't made themselves available for the Country side. We are not convinced by the pathway and we are not convinced by the format."
"We have brought that to Country's attention for the past three years."
Fairfull also revealed that the NHRU had spent more on the representative program this season despite not fielding a men's team.
"We sent three teams like we did last year, but we sent two women's teams and one colts," he said. "Last year we sent a women's, a men's and a colts team. The fact Country moved the women's sevens into a separate tournament cost every zone more. The sevens was in Armidale and the other were in Tamworth. We had to double up on busses and on playing gear. The reason we went that way was because we need to grow the women's game and there are clear pathways. We will give preference to the women over the men until Country come up with a pathway for men. We agree the pathway for colts is there and we agree the pathway for women is there."
