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'It'd be a disaster': Foster's warning to NZR over All Black eligibility
By Ben Smith
All Blacks head coach Ian Foster has warned New Zealand Rugby not to tinker with All Blacks eligibility and allow overseas-based players to wear the black jersey.
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The All Blacks are set to lose a host of veteran players after the 2023 Rugby World Cup but many of those have already had long and rewarding careers in New Zealand.
Foster conceded that allowing overseas-based All Blacks would strengthen the team from a depth point of view, but would be detrimental as whole.
“I think from an All Blacks perspective, purely selfishly from an All Blacks view, it makes some academic sense,” Foster told Jason Pine on Newstalk ZB.
“But for New Zealand Rugby as a whole, I think it would be a disaster.
“We’ve got a Super Rugby competition that has feed our national team for many, many years.
“I don’t think the Super Rugby competition is perfect at the moment. It needs a bit of work.
“But it’s the development path, it’s where we develop our players. We are able to work with the franchises in that space.
“We need to make sure we are selling that product to the public and we are growing our young players with the older players around them.
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“The minute we open up the door, we know the worldwide demand for our players is huge.”
Overseas eligibility was floated for departing first five Beauden Barrett last year in the media but quickly shot down by New Zealand Rugby.
The All Blacks are set to lose Crusaders’ No 10 Richie Mo’unga on a three-year deal to Toshiba along with Highlanders’ flanker Shannon Frizell.
However, they have been able to retain a number of big names coming off-contract like Scott Barrett, Samisoni Taukei’aho and Rieko Ioane which has eased concerns of a mass exodus.
Foster preferred All Blacks to stay and play in New Zealand to keep the club competition as strong as possible.
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“I think we will lose a lot of our top players and it will dilute our domestic competition too much,” Foster said.
“There are pros and cons either way but I think we have to look at the game as a whole.
“They need to stay and play here.”