Its amazing Scotland has done as well as they have recently with that foundation to the international game. It’d be like if the NPC in New Zealand was reduced from 14 to 6 and the Super Rugby teams bank rolled by NZR dropped from 6 to 2! But in a way the financial foundation between the two countries is identical.

All Blacks success and sponsorship bank rolls most of the game here. Super rugby is mostly subsidised by the central contracting of players - I doubt any club could possibly break even on game day receipts & their own sponsorships.

There’s a big problem at the NPC level which ranges from semi to mostly pro depending on the union. It had been holding its own up until Covid; but year after year of down scaling, fiddling and demoting its importance has seen attendances even for the popular unions down.

There was a reasonable influx of cash from the Silver Lake partnership with NZR selling a stake in their new commercial entity, but by the sounds of things some provincial unions have pissed that away on short term player contracts trying to buy titles rather than using it to invest in the game at club, junior & women’s levels.

Again similarly to Scotland at the high school level its essentially well funded schools spending lots of money competing against each other and so young players are identified given scholarships to schools and from there it flows into academies. So if you miss out when you’re 15-16, you might as well try to get into another pro sport like football, basketball, league or cricket as your ability to make a living in Rugby can dissipate quickly if you don’t make those age grade squads.

MLR has helped a bit though; there’s some players who’re stars over there, like Jayson Potroz who has never been a chance for a Super Rugby. Those lads get a full time gig by playing an MLR season followed by an NPC season.