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All blacks to block Sam Whitelock He has raised the possibility of reviving the historic North Island and South Island Derby if this year’s testing schedule is canceled.
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Whitelock said he had been in talks with New Zealand Rugby, the players’ association and members of the Super Rugby squad, about ways to restart rugby once the Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed.
He said there were numerous variables, including international travel bans, that are sure to prevent the All Blacks from playing at home against Wales and Scotland in July.
The Rugby Championship involving New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina is also in doubt and Whitelock said the search was underway to find alternatives.
“We are talking about everything. We are seeing the All Black and North v South events if we cannot travel internationally,” he told Sky Sport NZ on Tuesday night.
“I’ve never played North v South and I’ve heard some good stories about what the grudge match of the year used to be like, it would be great to be involved in one of those.”
The North v South match, first played in 1897, was once one of the most anticipated and most contested matches on the New Zealand rugby calendar.
However, the rivalry has been neglected in recent years, and has only taken place twice since 1985.
The governing body of the southern hemisphere, Sanzaar, has also raised the idea of national Super Rugby competitions, with the five New Zealand teams playing against each other.
Whitelock, who has just returned from Japan after the cancellation of the Top League interrupted his work with the Panasonic Wild Knights, said he would join the Crusaders if the national Super Rugby comes forward.
He said any competition would need a four-week entry period before starting so that players can ensure they are in shape.
New Zealand will ease a tight coronavirus blockade next week, but the rules still prevent team sports from resuming for the foreseeable future.
The New Zealand Rugby Players Association said last week that it was preparing for the nightmarish scenario that there would be no professional rugby taking place this year.
New Zealand Super Rugby players, including the All Blacks, have agreed to a 50 percent pay freeze amid New Zealand Rugby’s warnings that it could lose up to NZ $ 100 million ($ 60 million) in revenue .
