OPINION: It would be easy for Kiwi fans to revel in the Wallabies' World Cup woes, but those woes are not good for New Zealand rugby.
Remember, the majority of our rugby is played against Australia, through Super Rugby and then the Rugby Championship.
Rarely do we see the northern hemisphere teams, apart from the July series and end-of-year tours.
We need Australian rugby to be strong, otherwise you might start seeing some of those knock-on effects from those low ebbs of Australian rugby play through into the New Zealand rugby ecosystem.
Rugby Australia has to take a very hard look at itself.
Quite clearly, it cannot sustain five teams in Super Rugby - it needs to spread that talent across three or four.
Certainly, it will be back to the drawing board at Rugby Australia, but NZ Rugby will desperately be hoping it can get its affairs in order, because we need our neighbour’s game to be strong.
Ollie Ritchie is Newshub's rugby reporter at the World Cup. Join us at 8am Saturday for live updates of the All Blacks v Italy pool clash
