The Warriors and the All Blacks are set to clash this weekend - not on the field, but on the TV streaming schedule - and it's left fans and venues in a bit of a pickle.
Kiwis will have to decide between backing the Wahs in their biggest game of the season against the Penrith Panthers OR watch the All Blacks take on their toughest rivals, South Africa.
One unnamed Auckland pub has already made the call, and punters aren’t too sure how to feel about it.
A poster taped to their window has been shared on Reddit, reading: “Due to our large customer base for All Blacks games, we will show the Wahs at 6, but we will be switching to the ABs at half time. We will flick back to the Warriors during the All Blacks’ halftime to check the score at the end of the game.”
The way this pub has swung is basically the same dilemma most Kiwis are facing. While some places can show both games, fans still have to pick which team gets their full attention.
A user on X reckons they’ve worked out a risky way to watch both games in full without missing a thing.
“Watch Warriors live (first half doesn’t clash anyway), record start of All Blacks and start that game after the Warriors, or just rewind on SkyGo etc. Stay off social media for 2 hours to not see a result,” they said.
Another fan suggested skipping the Wahs game altogether, blaming the NRL for the clash.
Someone else pointed out how rare the Wahs match is so close to the finals rounds: “The All Blacks play the same three teams in this made-up championship every year. The Warriors are in a competition where making finals is never a given. I’m sure the All Blacks can handle some split support for the first half.”
Even the teams themselves are recognising the tough choice. The All Blacks and the Wahs dropped a post on Facebook, joking that fans will be stuck watching like it’s a tennis match.
So, what’s your game plan? Wahs, ABs… or both?
