Yes, public health is important. But surely not as important as rugby

If the government thought that avoiding the risk of economic catastrophe and unnecessary death was more important than securing the right to host the Rugby Championship, it has something more to come, writes Hayden Donnell.

Like many Kiwis, my biggest fear when Labor won the election in 2017 was that Jacinda Ardern would curse the All Blacks. Some people laughed and said, “John Key wasn’t actually the captain of the All Blacks“And” results on the field are more likely to be dictated by the rugby players who make up the All Blacks team. “

Well, who’s laughing now? We could be hosting a couple of Bledisloe tryouts on both sides of the election, but that’s little consolation when you consider the multinational carnival of the sport that might have been. Last week it was announced that New Zealand had forfeited the right to host the next Rugby Championship. Australia reportedly “tweaked” the competition’s organizing rights because our government refused to ease quarantine requirements, which would have forced touring teams to form 25-person training bubbles.

As Gregor Paul noted to the Herald, Australia’s victory was due to its government’s ability to “do mature and holistic risk assessments that recognize that the health of a nation cannot be separated from its economy or measured solely by the spread of an illness”. In other words, the best governments weigh risks and rewards, and make decisions in the best interest of the country. They’re not just saying no to rugby just because it could mean a little more Covid-19. They compromise.

The risks of this situation were obvious. South Africa has registered 24,737 new cases of Covid-19 in the last fortnight. Argentina has registered 145,242 infections in the same period of time. Six members of the Pumas squad, including their coach, have already caught the virus. If an infected person from one of the squads in those countries does not behave well in quarantine, it could unleash a chain of transmission that kills several older or more vulnerable people and sends New Zealand hurtling towards another economically catastrophic lockdown.

The reward, however, is rugby.

Any Kiwi who thinks well knows that there really is no competition. What’s an overwhelmed Intensive Care Unit or two compared to the sight of a Puma accessory crashing into Sam Whitelock in the middle of Forsyth Barr Stadium? One dose of Covid-19 may be the best hospital pass, but it’s one that most New Zealanders would catch with both hands if it means saving our national game. When the end came, they would undoubtedly shout one last “go the All Blacks” before gently slipping into the blackest jersey of all, death.

Thanks to this government, Australian rugby fans now have that opportunity.

This is a policy failure that sets precedent. The last time we stopped All Blacks games, it was in protest of the harmful racism of our opponents. Now we are postponing matches because of a global plague. Whats Next? Cancel rugby to stop climate change? To cure cancer?

This has to stop.

Yes, other industries have also sacrificed for the sake of the country’s Covid-19 response. The $ 5.1 billion international student industry has also faded due to the government’s refusal to relax its quarantine rules. But how important is it to really learn? I’m not alone when I say I’d cancel the education of a thousand people to watch a lineout smash the Cake Tin’s sideline, or destroy a dozen conference rooms to witness a box kick from Aaron Smith from within his own 22.

People have also given up on many things. They have said goodbye to their dying loved ones through Zoom. They delayed their weddings. Some have put on a mask without going crazy or screaming in Aotea Square.

Even the fundamental institutions of our society have had to make adjustments to adapt to the new coronavirus. The election has been delayed to allow as many virus-free campaigns as possible. But some things are more important than democracy. Things like rugby.

The summary of the RNZ headlines at 7.30am yesterday listed several stories about rugby, before moving on to the news that there may be extraterrestrial life on Venus. Some people may see that as skewed news values. It is not. The potential new life in our solar system is simply not as important as what is happening to the All Blacks.

The government needs to recognize that reality. As Gregor Paul writes, staying rigid on its quarantine regulations seems like a cynical attempt to “stay on track to temporarily eliminate Covid before the general election.”

The temporary elimination of Covid-19 can mean a relatively safe and unhindered period of economic activity, along with fewer long-term deaths and illnesses for New Zealanders. But what good is that if there is no rugby? People can be replaced. Economies can be rebuilt. You can at least overlay a cool background on a Zoom funeral. One thing you can’t replace is Jack Goodhue breaking through the Springbok defense for a 20-meter gain near the Eden Park midline. At the moment, it seems that the government does not understand how important it is to the Kiwis, to the New Zealand Rugby Union, and most important to me, to see 33 consecutive scrum restarts. Some people in this situation simply need to clarify their priorities.