Francesca Rudkin: What do the Election and Rugby World Cup have in common?

Aside from the Wahs, who have dominated public discourse for the last few weeks, there are two other matters of some significance going on at the moment - the General Election and the Rugby World Cup.

It dawned on me on Friday morning - after the Newshub Nation’s Powerbrokers Debate, and while we wait patiently for the All Blacks to take to the field again - that these events have quite a bit in common.

They are both at times exciting, but for the most part boring, and occasionally headache inducing.

Put simply, both are in need of a shakeup of both style and formats.

Last weekend I was amped for the debates, but reminded this week that debates aren’t really debates. They’re a time restrained forum in which leaders, supported by a folder filled with back up notes, repeat well-rehearsed policy messages, while they may attempt a few zingers. It’s all about a strong defence and not messing it up.

We don’t learn anything new. Nor do we get much of a feel for the person behind the politics. To be fair, there has been the odd lively moment, especially in the Minor Leaders Debate but the overwhelming repetition of the same old narratives generally makes for pretty dull stuff. Talking over people doesn’t work in day-to-day life. It’s not suddenly going to work on television. The format needs a shake-up – if you’re going to make the debates look like a game show – maybe throw some game in.

The Rugby World Cup is similar. Rugby is a brilliant sport to watch, except at the professional level where defence and time wasting dominate. I don’t care how they do it, but the game and tournament desperately needs to speed up. Fewer rules? Fewer set pieces? Fewer advantages?

Hang on – it’s starting to sound like something else.

And regarding the tournament, cooler temperatures? Fewer teams? Bigger squads? More jeopardy in pool play? Let’s speed this up.

Crazily, the Election and RWC collide on the weekend of the 14th and 15th October when the All Blacks play their quarter final – a live or die game. The same can be said for the fate of our politicians as the election results come in.

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