In a uniquely New Zealand bind, politicians and top sport officials are currently asking themselves whether the rugby-mad nation can host an All Blacks Test and an election on the same day.
The rehashed international rugby calendar has Australia heading to New Zealand for two Bledisloe Cup matches next month, tentatively scheduled for October 17 and 24.
That will mean for the first time, the All Blacks will play in New Zealand on the same day as a national election on October 17.
At the start of the year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced an election on September 19, saying there were “a number of things to take into consideration” when she chose the date.
That included “whether or not there might be anything else that will be taking minds onto other things, for instance, important sporting fixtures”.
After rescheduling the poll due to a COVID-19 outbreak, Ms Ardern changed her mind.
“These are unusual times,” she said from Dunedin on Monday.
“I think that New Zealanders are perfectly able to engage in a Bledisloe Cup and an election. I’ll be trying to do the same.”
Ms Ardern said the scheduling decision was “totally” up to New Zealand Rugby.
Neither NZ Rugby or Sport Minister, Grant Robertson, would comment on whether there was any behind-the-scenes jostling over dates.
Mr Robertson’s office confirmed “discussions around plans to host the Bledisloe Cup games are ongoing with an announcement coming shortly”.
There is no recent precedent for home All Blacks Tests to be played on Fridays or Sundays, though NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson told Radio NZ it was “a possibility”.
Conventional wisdom in NZ politics holds that voters may be distracted by All Blacks fixtures, leading politicians to avoid rugby fixtures before choosing the election day.
University of Auckland academic Jennifer Curtin, who runs New Zealand’s Election Study and is writing a book about rugby, said fears the two events would keep voters away were ill-founded.
“I don’t think it will have any impact on turnout. Advance voting is highly likely in greater numbers than last election,” she told AAP.
“A lot of people in New Zealand don’t actually follow rugby. A sizable minority, probably 40 per cent, don’t give a rats.”
Ms Curtin said she wasn’t aware of evidence that suggested All Blacks fans skewed in any one particular political direction.
The All Blacks have twice been in action overseas on the same day as an election, in 2008 and 1975.
They beat Scotland in Edinburgh on November 8, 2008, and England at Twickenham on November 25, 1975.
Given the time difference, those matches actually took place on the following day in New Zealand.