Serious doubt has been cast on exactly how much NZ Rugby officials knew about the Rugby Championship schedule that left them "blindsided" and desperate to change.
Newshub has obtained the minutes from a SANZAAR meeting, which indicate that all parties - including NZR - agreed to a six-week tournament ending December 12, as well as the timing of its release.
The documents starkly contrast the chorus of complaints from New Zealand officials over the last week, allegeding they'd been taken off guard by both the schedule - which requires players to quarantine over Christmas - and the timing of its announcement.
"Our understanding was that both New Zealand and Australia would be home for Christmas, regardless of where the tournament was played," says NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson.
Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan has refuted that claim.
"I've seen board minutes from September 17, where the six-week competition was signed off," McLennan says.
Newshub has obtained those very minutes, which clearly show:
- A six-week draw presented to the competitions group - including NZR - was accepted by everyone.
- The New South Wales Government wanted to announce its support for the draw on September 21. That was pushed back to September 24, but all were comfortable with that.
But Robinson remains adamant that NZR didn't sign off on either.
"We didn't agree to the schedule, and don't agree to the schedule or the announcement," Robinson insists.
The minutes from that meeting clearly show a December 12 finish, meaning it was on NZ Rugby's radar.
In fact, the minutes suggest NZR had engaged the Government to try and negotiate a more favourable quarantine period of just 10 days.
Robinson disputes that NZR asked for any Government assistance.
"This is not the Government's issue," he says. "We're working with Rugby Australia and SANZAAR around this."
All Blacks captain Sam Cane has also doubled down on claims the team were "blindsided" by SANZAAR's decision.
"My first reaction was exactly that - 'hey, that's not my understanding, where's this coming from?'" Cane says.
"I got on the phone to [coach Ian Foster] pretty quickly and he was in much the same boat… like 'oh, we didn't see this coming'."
NZR may be standing firm, but there appear to be no real surprises here.
