Quote: vastman "Two points, one I love the way people on here assume they know the reasons why this day was picked, for all they know there may be many sound reasons for doing so. This assumption especially by the OP who has a habit of talking rubbish that the RFL is totally idiotic is getting a bit tiresome.
Secondly and far more importantly the OP shows no understanding for the game in NZ but then he has little understanding of the UK game so no surprise.
RL and RU in NZ DO NOT share a fan base. RU is generally followed by the white population of NZ especially the farming communities of which there are many, not a problem just a fact. RL is followed mainly by working class communities in and around Aukland, these communities are largely made up of Māori people and Pacific Islands people.
This is mirrored in the team make up of the two games, nearly the entire RL team is made up of people of Māori heritage or Pacific Islanders, with very few people of Anglo Saxon heritage and this has always been the case though far more so these days. The All Blacks (slightly ironic given the name) have a much larger 'white' element, whilst many of its non white players started in League. I don't think its a race thing as such just the way its panned out through history and of course there are many Māori's etc who do play and watch Union.
What I do know is that either watch one or the other, so no League fan will ever be put off attending due to the All Blacks playing - whilst no Union fans will be lost because they wouldn't be attending anyway.
Truth is that with a line up of games like that if the RL fans of NZ don't turn out then the fault lays there imo.'"
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