Kalyn Ponga expresses 'commitment' to NRL as he pulls plug on All Blacks dream
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
“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.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood 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.
30 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.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments