Hopefully someone will fix the Rugby Championship draw so the All Blacks aren't stuck in quarantine on Christmas Day. 

It's already been reported that senior players with new babies or babies on the way won’t go if this happens. 

But the question is, if this can’t be fixed, should we expect those players to miss Christmas with their families? 

Absolutely we should. 

Arguably this might be most important competition these guys ever play because of the state of NZR right now. 

NZR, like many other businesses, has lost huge amounts of cash because of Covid. It’s had to lay off a quarter of its staff. Right now, it needs money and this competition is going to bring money in. 

This year, across this country, employees have pulled out stops to help the businesses they work for  

They’ve taken pay cuts, they’ve worked massive hours to pull in contracts, like the staff at JBA who turned around a six week project in five days to save the business.  

What are the All Blacks if not employees of NZR?

Now I’m hoping those reports that senior players will boycott the competition are untrue, because I would hope they would do what it takes to help their employer. 

Because if NZR suffers from a lack of cash, it’s not the All Blacks who take the hit.  It’ll be the women’s team, grassroots rugby and – already – a quarter of the staff at HQ. 

And really, it’s one Christmas to forfeit. Cricket players give up their Christmas every year. 

This time around the All Blacks aren’t just playing to win a competition, they are playing for the good of the game in this country. 

Isn’t that worth missing one Christmas for?