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Kalyn Ponga expresses 'commitment' to NRL as he pulls plug on All Blacks dream

By Sam Smith
(Photo by Peter Lorimer/Getty Images)

NRL star Kalyn Ponga claims he has pulled the plug on his All Blacks dream after expressing his “commitment” to rugby league with a new long-term Newcastle Knights contract.

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Ponga ended widespread speculation of his playing future last week when he announced a five-year contract extension with the Knights.

That will keep the league fullback in the NRL until 2027, effectively killing off any hope of a cross-code switch to rugby union for the foreseeable future.

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Ponga had previously ben the subject of a possible move to union as he had a clause in his previous Knights contract that gave him the option to leave in the final two years of his deal to try and play for the All Blacks at next year’s World Cup.

Born in Australia to a Kiwi father of Maori descent, the 24-year-old also spent five years of his childhood in New Zealand and told TVNZ four years ago that he harboured ambitions to one day play for the All Blacks.

That prompted former All Blacks boss Sir Steve Hansen to publicly state his interest in Ponga’s services, but the Queensland State of Origin star has quashed that as a prospect with his new contract, thought to be worth in excess of A$1m per season.

More than a week after inking his new contract, Ponga has opened up on the clause in his previous contract that would have allowed him to pursue as place in the All Blacks squad had he opted to swap codes.

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Speaking on Australian radio station Sportsday NSW, the Maori All-Stars representative said he is committed to league, but claimed he couldn’t be faulted for having an exit clause in his previous Knights deal as whispers lingered about a switch to union.

“This five-year deal shows my commitment to not only the Knights, but rugby league,” Ponga said.

“It shows I want to do good things in rugby league and achieve some goals that I have. There’s always been that cloud over what I’m going to be doing because of the options I’ve had in my contract.

“You can’t fault me for having options in a contract. Five years is permanent and it’s exciting for me.”

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In an interview with TVNZ in 2018, Ponga described the All Blacks as “the best sporting organisation in the world” and said “it would be a huge goal” of his to play for them if he decided to move to union.

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“Obviously that would be a huge goal, if I was to come back to union,” the former North Queensland Cowboys prodigy and Australian Nines representative said at the time.

“I’m not too sure what my future is going to hold and whether I’m going to stay in league or change codes, but if I was to go back to union, I would want to strive for that black jumper.

“I think it’s the pinnacle. They are the best sporting organisation in the world, the stats have showed that.

“The way they hold themselves and their values and it’s just the little things that they do that make them that step above everyone else.

“To put that jersey on would be pretty special.”

Hansen, who was in charge of the All Blacks when Ponga made those comments, responded by saying he would have been “definitely interested” in Ponga, who he described as a “special player”.

“You’ve got to be aware of him, he’s a special player,” Hansen said in the lead-up to the second 2018 Bledisloe Cup test in Auckland.

“I quite like watching league, I’ve got a son that plays it and therefore interested in it.

“He’s had a super Origin, he’s a Kiwi boy and he’s just come out and said maybe one day he might want to come and play rugby.

“If that’s his choice, when he makes that choice, then of course whoever is around at that time would definitely be interested because he’s a talented athlete.”

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j
john 38 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

14 Go to comments
A
Adrian 2 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

14 Go to comments
T
Trevor 5 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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B
Bull Shark 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of 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 Brooke. 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 by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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