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Fresh player poll results show over half of New Zealand's Super Rugby stars think NZR isn't doing enough to keep Kiwi talent
More than half of New Zealand’s Super Rugby stars believe New Zealand Rugby isn’t doing enough to keep Kiwi talent from heading overseas.
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That’s according to a fresh slew of results released from an anonymous poll conducted among “over 100 players” from New Zealand’s five Super Rugby franchises by NZME‘s Sam Casey.
The results from the poll have offered some insight into the real opinions held by a raft of players nationwide about the state of the professional game in New Zealand.
Since Monday, results of 10 questions per day from the 40-question survey have been released by The Country Sport Breakfast, with the biggest revelation thus far being almost half of the players disagreed with Ian Foster’s appointment as head coach of the All Blacks.
That was followed by Tuesday’s discovery that showed a hefty 44 percent of players viewed All Blacks and Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles as the “biggest grub” in the New Zealand game.
Other interesting findings included Beauden Barrett was regarded as both the best player and first-five in the country, Forsyth Barr Stadium was by far the most popular ground to play at in New Zealand, and Cullen Grace was tipped to be the All Blacks’ next breakout star.
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The newest release of results on Wednesday have provided similarly intriguing answers, with perhaps the most concerning for NZR being that 57 percent of players believe the union isn’t doing enough to keep its talent from heading overseas.
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The financial might of clubs in the UK, France and Japan have seen a raft of key figures depart New Zealand, plenty of whom have left prematurely or in the prime of their career.
One of the biggest examples of the global economic imbalance came in 2015, when electric All Blacks utility back Charles Piutau turned his back on the Kiwi game at the age of just 23 to sign a contract with Pro14 club Ulster in Northern Ireland.
The deal made 17-test Piutau the one of the wealthiest players in the sport, a status he still holds today with Premiership side Bristol, where he is reported to have become Britain’s first million-pound player.
Numerous other All Blacks have since followed suit in deserting their All Blacks ambitions to sign permanent deals in Europe and Japan.
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The concept of sabbatical clauses to play in Japan have also become a common theme in recent times, with Barrett the most recent example.
The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year is set to join Top League giants Suntory Sungoliath next year on a deal reportedly worth $1.5m before returning to New Zealand following Super Rugby.
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That move echoes that of fellow international teammates Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock.
Retallick is still under contract with the Kobelco Steelers until the end of next year’s Top League, meaning he is currently unavailable for the Chiefs.
Whitelock, meanwhile, was due to miss this year’s Super Rugby season after signing with the Panasonic Wild Knights on a six-month contract, but has since returned to the Crusaders after COVID-19 cut short the Top League campaign.
Despite the NZR’s attempts to compromise with players to let them cash in on their talents abroad on a short-term basis before allowing them to keep playing for the All Blacks, it seems the majority of Kiwi Super Rugby stars aren’t happy with the outflow of talent.
Furthermore, an overwhelming 77 percent of those polled said New Zealand players based overseas should not be eligible for All Blacks selection, as is currently the case for those signed on permanent deals with offshore clubs.
Other eye-catching findings from Wednesday’s release from the poll show that 48 percent of players would pick the Highlanders as their destination of choice if they were to transfer from one franchise to another.
Another 58 percent of players believe Super Rugby should have a trade or loan window implemented into the middle of the season, similar to that of European football’s mid-season transfer window in January.
The final release of results from the poll is expected to be released on Thursday.
Here is a full list of the poll results released so far:
Do you think NZR got it right with the new All Black coaching team?
No: 46 percent
Yes: 28 percent
Not assistants: 26 percent
Who is the best player in NZ rugby?
Beauden Barrett: 40 percent
Ardie Savea: 20 percent
Brodie Retallick: 12 percent
Eight others: 28 percent
Who is the best player 23 years of age or under in NZ rugby?
Jordie Barrett: 33 percent
Will Jordan: 22 percent
Luke Jacobson: 14 percent
Sevu Reece: 14 percent
Six others: 17 percent
Who is the best first five in NZ rugby?
Beauden Barrett: 58 percent
Richie Mo’unga: 32 percent
Aaron Cruden: 9 percent
One other: 1 percent
Who is the best winger in NZ rugby?
George Bridge: 46 percent
Sevu Reece: 21 percent
Rieko Ioane: 13 percent
Ben Lam: 11 percent
Four others: 9 percent
Who is the best midfielder in NZ rugby?
Anton Lienert-Brown: 66 percent
Jack Goodhue: 21 percent
Ngani Laumape: 11 percent
Two others: 3 percent
Who is the best fullback in NZ rugby?
Damian McKenzie: 47 percent
Jordie Barrett: 25 percent
David Havili: 18 percent
Beauden Barrett: 10 percent
Two minutes to go, down 4, need to score a try. Whose hands do you want the ball in?
Damian McKenzie: 30 percent
Beauden Barrett: 24 percent
Richie Mo’unga: 10 percent
17 others: 46 percent
Who will be the next breakout star and make the All Blacks?
Cullen Grace: 17 percent
Hoskins Sotutu: 14 percent
Mark Telea: 12 percent
27 others: 53 percent
Who is the best professional coach you’ve had?
Tony Brown: 17 percent
Scott Robertson: 16 percent
Dave Rennie: 9 percent
Warren Gatland: 9 percent
Jason Holland: 9 percent
16 others: 40 percent
Who is the most respected player in NZ rugby?
Same Cane: 24 percent
Brodie Retallick: 17 percent
Dane Coles: 11 percent
Ardie Savea: 10 percent
10 others: 38 percent
Who is the biggest grub in the NZ game?
Dane Coles: 44 percent
Brodie Retallick: 15 percent
Jordie Barrett: 10 percent
Seven others: 32 percent
What player 25 years or under do you think will play 100 tests?
Anton Lienert-Brown: 40 percent
Jack Goodhue: 15 percent
Jordie Barrett: 13 percent
Eight others: 32 percent
Who is the best referee in Super Rugby?
Angus Gardner: 47 percent
Ben O’Keefe: 24 percent
Paul Williams: 22 percent
Three others: 8 percent
Who is the worst referee in Super Rugby?
Glen Jackson: 48 percent
Mike Fraser: 29 percent
Rasta Rasivhenge: 9 percent
Four others: 14 percent
What is the best ground to play at in NZ?
Forsyth Barr Stadium (Dunedin): 61 percent
FMG Stadium Waikato (Hamilton): 18 percent
Eden Park (Auckland): 8 percent
Five others: 13 percent
What is the worst ground to play at in NZ?
Central Energy Trust Arena (Palmerston North): 22 percent
Orangetheory Stadium (Christchurch): 20 percent
Sky Stadium (Wellington): 18 percent
Rugby Park (Invercargill): 15 percent
Four others: 25 percent
What player from another franchise would you sign at yours?
Scott Barrett: 28 percent
Beauden Barrett: 14 percent
Brodie Retallick: 10 percent
Ardie Savea: 10 percent
17 others: 38 percent
Who is the toughest player in NZ rugby?
Sam Cane: 44 percent
Brodie Retallick: 18 percent
Ardie Savea: 7 percent
11 others: 30 percent
Who is the hardest player to tackle in NZ rugby?
Ngani Laumape: 37 percent
Sevu Reece: 17 percent
Mark Telea: 9 percent
Ardie Savea: 9 percent
10 others: 28 percent
Who is the most underrated player in NZ rugby?
David Havili: 21 percent
Gareth Evans: 12 percent
Lachlan Boshier: 10 percent
Bryn Hall: 7 percent
21 others: 50 percent
Who is the best bloke off the field?
Brad Weber: 24 percent
Beauden Barrett: 16 percent
Dane Coles: 12 percent
David Havili: 10 percent
15 others: 38 percent
Does NZ Rugby do enough to keep its talent in NZ?
No: 57 percent
Yes: 43 percent
If you had to leave your franchise, which franchise would you go to?
Highlanders: 48 percent
Crusaders: 18 percent
Chiefs: 16 percent
Blues: 8 percent
Hurricanes: 7 percent
Retire: 3 percent
Should the ‘on-report’ system be introduced to lower the amount of cards?
Yes: 88 percent
No: 12 percent
Is the coverage of schoolboy rugby good or bad for the game?
Bad: 51 percent
Good: 49 percent
Are you happy with drawn matches? If not, what would you prefer?
Golden point: 70 percent
Happy with draw: 19 percent
Extra-time: 7 percent
Golden try: 5 percent
Should Super Rugby have a mid-season trade/loan window?
Yes: 58 percent
No: 42 percent
Should you be allowed to play for the All Blacks if you’re based overseas?
No: 77 percent
Yes: 23 percent
Comments on RugbyPass
Good to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
16 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
16 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
16 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
16 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
16 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
16 Go to comments