Have the All Blacks XV if you like, but make it New Zealand's genuine second XV
There has to be a better way of navigating the journey from out of provincial and franchise rugby and into the test arena.
I’m not sure the newly-minted All Blacks XV is it. Not least because of the elite players who aren’t in it.
What’s the point of Tupou Vaa’i, Stephen Perofeta, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Folau Fakatava and others traipsing round with the All Blacks but rarely playing?
Why do we hand test caps out to guys we clearly aren’t making a long term investment in?
Super Rugby and the NPC don’t appear fit for purpose. Once they were stepping stones to higher honours; now? Well, your guess is as good as mine.
Take Tom Christie. Not the most brilliant player in the world, sure, but there’s no doubt he helps the Crusaders and Canterbury win rugby matches.
You’d think that might say something about Christie and suggest he has or does something special, but clearly the man is so far down the national pecking order it isn’t funny.
I despair for the situation Pita Gus Sowakula finds himself in. Just as I wonder why Luke Jacobson was an All Black for a while, if he’s only good enough for the virtual scrapheap now?
It’s clear that factors other than actual form determine selections. After all, Tuivasa-Sheck has done nothing in rugby to merit All Blacks recognition.
What’s Akira Ioane ever won or ever proved on the big stage? And yet he’s a staple in the national side.
I’m not against the All Blacks XV concept. But if it tells us anything, it’s that the leap from Super and NPC footy is obviously seen as too great.
We clearly need a further tier of football from which to evaluate players.
So if we’re going to have the All Blacks XV, then let’s populate it with people who are actually the next cabs off the rank.
Can’t trust Vaa’i, Perofeta, Tuivasa-Sheck and Fakatava to play in a meaningful test match? Then put them in the All Blacks XV.
Think Sowakula has some areas he needs to develop before he can become a regular All Black? Then play him in that team too.
All I see is muddled thinking. All I see is caps and contracts handed out with no strategy behind them. All I see is an All Blacks XV squad made up of guys on their way out of the national frame or youngsters not worthy of being in it yet.
Among the few exceptions is Wellington hooker Asafo Aumua, who aptly illustrates some of my points.
He was once one of those non-playing members of the All Blacks squad and is now, at least to my eye, one of the absolute stand-out performers in the NPC. But, because you can’t trust provincial form and because that competition has become increasingly participatory, the best Aumua can manage is a spot in the All Blacks XV side.
Talent is our only real resource here. Rugby in New Zealand isn’t a game of great financial clout and fan engagement is hardly at an all-time high either.
But we do still produce rugby players of some ability; we just aren’t, for whatever reason, very good at managing or developing them.
Guys show promise but rarely seem to improve, partly because we don’t expose them to situations where they are asked to. They either play at a level that’s no real challenge for them or they sit in the stands in their All Blacks blazer and never play.
So have the All Blacks XV if you like, but make it New Zealand’s genuine second XV.
Beef up their schedule and send them on 10 or 12-match tours against decent opposition with Saturday and Wednesday matches, because they’re not learning or achieving anything in the NPC.
At the same time, pare back the All Blacks. Pick less apprentices who are only there to hold tackle bags. Heck, just pick less blokes in general, if they’re only destined for a couple of caps.
That’ll at least help the wage bill, if nothing else.
I think what’s been done to Sowakula here is a disgrace, but what makes it worse is that he’s hardly the first player from the Pacific Islands who we’ve dangled a black jersey in front of and then discarded.
Overall, we have to treat and nurture our talent far better if we expect it to stay in the country.
Comments on RugbyPass
What a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically. I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
25 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
4 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
4 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to commentsThere’s a bit of depth there but realistically Australian players have a long way to go to now catch up. The game is moving on fast and Australia are falling behind. Australian sides still don’t priories the breakdown like they should, it’s a non-negotiable if you want to compete on the international stage. That goes for forwards and backs. The Australian team could have a back row that could make a difference but the problem is they don’t have a tight five that can do the business. Tupou is limited in defence, overweight and unfit and the locks are a long way from international standard. Frost is soft and Salakai-Loto is too small so that means they need a Valentini at 8 who has to do the hard graft so limits the effectiveness of the backrow. Schmidt really needs to get a hard working, tough tight 5 if he wants to get this team firing.
3 Go to commentsSorry Morgan you must have been the “go to for a quote” ex player this week. Its rnd 6 and there is plenty of time to cement a starting 15 and finishing 8 so I have no such concerns.
2 Go to commentsGreat read. I wish you had done this article on the ROAR.
2 Go to commentsThe current AB coaching team is basically the Crusaders so it smacks of wanting their familiar leaders around. This is not a good look for the future of the ABs or the younger players in Super working their way up the player ladder. Razor is touted as innovative, forward looking but his early moves look like insecurity and insular, provincial thinking. He is the AB's coach not the Golden Oldies.
10 Go to commentsSimple reason for wanting him back. Robertson wants him as captain. Otherwise he wouldn’t be bothering chasing him. Not enough reason to come back just to mentor.
10 Go to commentsI had not considered this topic like this at all, brilliant read. I had been looking at his record at the Waratahs and thought it odd the Crusaders appointed him, then couple that with all that experience and talent departing and boom. They’ve got some great talent developing though, and in all honesty I don’t think anyone would be over confident taking them on in a playoff match, no matter how poor the first half of their season was. I think they can pull a game out of their ass when it counts.
2 Go to commentsNot a bad list but not Porecki and not Donaldson. Not because they are Tahs, or Ex Tahs, they are just not good enough. Edmed should be ahead. Far more potential. Wilson should be 8 and Valentini 6. Wilson needs to be told by his father and his coach, stop bloody running in to brick wall defence. You’re not playing under the genius Thorn any more. He’s a fantastic angle runner. The young new 8 from the Brumbies looks really good too. The Lonegrans are just too small for international rugby as is Paisami, as is Hamish Stewart at 12. Both great at Super Rugby level. Stewart could have been a great 10 if not for Brad Thorn. Uru should be there and so should Tupou. Tupou just needs good Australian coaching which he hasn’t been getting. I don’t think Schmidt will excite him.
3 Go to commentsIf he wants to come back then he should. He will be a major asset to the younger locks and could easily be played as an impact player off the bench coming on in the last 30. He is fit, strong and capable and has all the experience to make up for any loss in physical prowess. He could also be brought back with a view to coaching within the structures one day. Duane Vermeulen played until he was 37 or 38. He is now a roaming coach within the South African coaching structures. He was valuable in the last world cup and has been a major influence on Jasper Wiese and other young players which has helped and accelerated their development and growth. Whitelock could do the exact same thing for NZ
10 Go to comments