Crusaders boss hits out at 'lazy' NRL clubs over recruitment tactics

The Crusaders have lost a handful of their next-generation talents in recent weeks, prompting CEO Colin Mansbridge to level some criticism at those he sees as preying on their world-renowned academy.

Star prospect Harry Inch informed the Crusaders last week that he intends to pursue an opportunity with New Zealand’s NRL club, the Warriors, while fellow schoolboy standout Saumaki Saumaki is also looking to the 13-man code, and is set to make the South Sydney Rabbitohs his new home. Both players were highly touted coming up through the Nelson region and had contracts with the NPC’s Tasman Mako.

News of fellow Mako man Fletcher Anderson being Llanelli-bound after an approach from Scarlets added to the bad news for the Crusaders, while U20 graduates Eli Oudenryn and James Cameron have both been recruited by the Blues.

Mansbridge reacted to Inch and Saumaki’s departures with frustration, saying NRL clubs too often look to young players coming through rugby union academies instead of developing their own talent.

“They [league clubs] unashamedly target rugby union development systems because they think they are so good,” Mansbridge said, as reported by Stuff.

“There are a lot of opportunities for young men and women now, and I think that other code does a very good job of relying on rugby union to be its development pathway. They don’t do any of it themselves; they’re really lazy in that area.”

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Mansbridge added that the NRL’s expansion into Perth and Papua New Guinea would only worsen the recruitment drain. His counterpart at the Warriors, Cameron George, responded to the quotes by saying Mansbridge had got the wrong idea, and that his club had big plans for the future, also adding that the Crusaders may be “feeling the pressure” of rugby league’s growing presence in New Zealand.

“We have got to be careful. We don’t own anyone. Our job is we want them to play for Canterbury or Tasman, the Crusaders and the All Blacks. That’s the perfect combination. We do everything in our power to enable that to occur, but without coercion, without handcuffing, we try and make the system work.

“What happens is sometimes, just through the activity of other clubs, the activity of other codes, and then the player looking and perceiving what their opportunities are, they make certain calls.

“We can’t convince every player every time. I think if we get it 90% right, we are pretty comfortable. There’s been a wee bit more activity recently. But I just go back to the core, what are we about, what are we trying to do, and are we doing as well as we can?”

The CEO also spoke about the departures of Oudenryn and Cameron, saying he understands why the former might feel that his best opportunities may lie elsewhere.

“Coming through our system, Eli has found his place in Tasman, and he looks at the Crusaders roster and goes: ‘Actually, I’ve got a 100-plus test All Black [Codie Taylor] ahead of me. I’ve got another [George Bell] who looks like he could be a 100-test All Black, and another [Manumaua Letiu] who looks like he could be an All Black captain. I’ll take my chances with the Blues’.”