Irish newspaper claims All Blacks have undermined their own culture selecting Sevu Reece 12 months after IRFU tore up contract offer
An extraordinary year in the life of Sevu Reece is poised to deliver an extraordinary payback in Tokyo on Saturday. It was just 54 weeks ago when Irish rugby seemingly left the 22-year-old’s fledgeling career in limbo.
He had agreed to sign for Connacht in May 2018 but his involvement in a July altercation with his girlfriend on a night out in Hamilton had a court sequel where he acknowledged he had an issue with alcohol and was reprimanded with a fine after he pleaded guilty to assault.
The matter didn’t end there, though. With the IRFU feeling the need to hold its players to higher standards of behaviour in the wake of the Paddy Jackson/Stuart Olding controversy that resulted in the sacking of the Ulster pair, the administration in Dublin let it be known to Connacht that their new singing was no longer welcome and the contract offer was to be torn up.
That was confirmed on October 4 last year but if the IRFU thought that was the last that would be heard of Reece they have been sadly mistaken.
After finishing the domestic Mitre Cup competition as top try scorer with Waikato, he was handed a Super Rugby lifeline last December when called into the wider Crusaders squad as cover during pre-season.
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What has since unfolded has been the stuff of New Zealand fairytale – and potential Irish World Cup nightmare. Israel Dagg’s injury-enforced retirement opened a slot in the Super Rugby franchise’s roster and from there Reece lethally worked his way up the selection ladder.
Come the end of the Super Rugby season in July, he not only signed off with a winner’s medal in his back pocket but he also bagged the accolade as the tournament’s top scorer which an eye-bulging contribution of 15 tries.
No wonder Steve Hansen took an interest. By the end of that month, the Fijian was capped by the All Blacks, making his debut in the win away to Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Ireland name a strong team for Saturday. #IRLvsNZL #RugbyWorldCup #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/4559bmzvi3
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Now, after four tries in five Test appearances, he will line up on the wing in the World Cup quarter-finals against the country that forcibly told him he was not welcome to earn a living there.
His selection by Hansen for the Saturday showdown in Tokyo hasn’t gone down well in some Irish quarters with the Irish Independent, that country’s biggest selling newspaper, damningly headlining a piece on the player: ‘New Zealand have undermined own values by giving Sevu Reece starring role’.
In the article, it was stated that “he’s so good at rugby, the All Blacks have made peace with his indiscretions and selected him anyway… he has made the most of that chance and the All Black threat is all the stronger for his inclusion in the team.
“But selecting him has left them open to the accusation that they have undermined their own culture for the sake of the win.”
An excellent record in 75 matches in six years boils down to a single 80 minutes in Tokyo for Joe Schmidt as Ireland go head to head against his native New Zealandhttps://t.co/4ur0hNf9oj
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 18, 2019
It’s not an accusation that has just played out in just the newspaper either. With Reece wheeled out at a media event in Tokyo, it was put to him that he could well be playing his rugby this week in Ireland had he pleaded not guilty in court.
It was a query he wasn’t too enamoured about. “That’s a tough question,” he responded. “Like I said before, I’m here now, I can’t dwell too much on what-ifs. It’s just sort of, for me, moving forward, about how I carry myself and contribute to the team on Saturday.”
That is a contribution which will be viewed with immense interest by the IRFU, given their contract termination unwittingly handed the All Blacks one of the most potent current weapons in Hansen’s arsenal.
WATCH: Jim Hamilton makes his predictions for all four World Cup quarter-finals in the latest episode of Don’t Mess With Jim
Comments on RugbyPass
Thanks 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 🤐
13 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….
13 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 💪
13 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
12 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.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
45 Go to comments