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Kiwi duo primed for Wales following World Cup exit
Two New Zealanders could play a key role in Wales’ re-build following their semi-final exit from the World Cup.
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Former Crusaders outside back Johnny McNicholl and ex-Hurricanes midfielder Willis Halaholo will both become available for international selection for Wales on residency grounds next year, when they will have lived in the country for three years.
The two 29-year-olds moved to Wales following the 2016 Super Rugby campaign, with McNicholl linking up with Scarlets, while Halaholo joined Cardiff Blues.
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Both men have featured regularly for their clubs since their arrivals in the United Kingdom, and would not be the only New Zealanders evident within the Welsh set-up.
Hunterville-born midfielder Hadleigh Parkes, formerly of the Blues, Hurricanes, Auckland and Manawatu, has won 24 caps for Wales since 2017 after shifting there three years beforehand, and has been an ever-present figure for the Welsh throughout this World Cup.
At the age of 32, though, it’s difficult to envisage the veteran playing internationally for much longer beyond 2019, making Halaholo an ideal replacement from next year onwards.
It’s the game no one wants to play – and TVNZ will not screen the All Blacks’ playoff for the #RWC2019 bronze medal with Wales on Friday night.#RWCFinal #RWCBronze #AllBlacks #WALvNZL #NZLvWAL https://t.co/8oSKVbby0b
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 28, 2019
Had it not been for injury, Parkes would have been joined in Japan by ex-Blues, Chiefs and Auckland playmaker Gareth Anscombe, who was ruled out of the tournament after sustaining a knee injury during a warm-up fixture against England in August.
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McNicholl, who was born-and-raised in Christchurch, told WalesOnline last year that it would be an honour to represent Wales in test match rugby if he was ever presented with the opportunity.
“If I do get that opportunity, I would be very humbled and grateful and take it with both hands,” he said.
“I feel like, I’ve brought my partner over here, we’ve adapted the Welsh culture, we’ve lived here for three years. We’ve really embraced it.
“I’ve got a daughter now. She’s Welsh, she was born here, she’s going to pre-school here and I feel like if I do play for Wales, I’d be doing her and her home nation proud.”
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Wales will finish their World Cup campaign this Friday when they face the All Blacks in the third-and-fourth play-off match in Tokyo.
The fixture will act as Kiwi-born Warren Gatland’s final test as head coach of Wales, bringing an end to his 12-year tenure.
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He will be replaced next year by fellow New Zealander Wayne Pivac, who coached both Parkes and Anscombe at Auckland between 2011 and 2014, and has coached McNicholl at Scarlets since 2016.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
I think this quiet honestly is just an innocent misunderstanding by someone who is pig sh*t stupid. Eben is a fine player but by christ, if he can’t understand or get what the Irish players were trying to say to him after the match…..well i hope he has someone looking after his finances, career and is reading the fine print for him, cause life after rugby may be quite difficult for the vacuous echo chamber.
21 Go to commentsIt could be Doris' day!
3 Go to commentsThe whole thing has blown up because Eben’s words have clearly struck a nerve in Ireland. Otherwise they would just laugh it off. I think some former Irish players, commentators and some Irish fans know deep down this Ireland team started to believe its own press and that a certain amount of arrogance had started to creep in during the World Cup. The topic was actually brought up by Irish pundits on Off the Ball recently. It’s fine to be arrogant if you can back it up. Ireland didn’t.
21 Go to comments‘The Irish are good people'. Why is Goode praising a people who hate his own? Wet wipe.
21 Go to commentsLa mejor final que se puede ver en el emisferio norte.
1 Go to commentsA lot of cope from south africans in the comments. Etzebeth is a liar and a hypocrite; you don’t have to defend him!
21 Go to commentsHe got big and really slow for a flyhalf…not sure he’s relevant in a bok conversation anymore
4 Go to commentsBest tourney team vs best team in the regular season for 3 games in RSA - talk is cheap, let’s see what’s what on the tour
21 Go to commentsOne overlooked statistic from their 2016 winning season is the Huricanes are still the only team in Super rugby history not to concede a try during the playoff rounds.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the article, Nick. The Nienaber blitz D does ask a lot of its scrumhalf. I have been watching JGP on D and he often looks like he has mastered what Nienaber asks for better than Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach! 🤣 Impressive season by JGP if I must make an understatement.
22 Go to commentsOkay last one. I promise. I think it’s despicable for Andy Goode to suggest that Eben can’t count to 12. To be fair he only had to count to 8 - the number of Irishmen who DIDN’T say that. Less the 3 kiwis of course. 23 - 12 - 3 = 8. See Joe. I can do maffs.
21 Go to commentsCheers, Nick! How do you see the Reds’ Jock Campbell’s play this year? Not as strong a carrier as Andrew Kellaway or Tom Wright, but does avoid errors. Do you see Joe Schmidt as wanting safety first at 15 or a try-assisting counterattacker?
86 Go to commentsI’m sure this was all just a big misunderstanding. Irishmen and Afrikaaners conversing in a noisey stadium. Not easy to get the right messages across. A minefield.
21 Go to commentsSay what you will about Andy Goode. But he is right about one thing… I’m not sure what that one thing is exactly… but I’m willing to hear him out.
21 Go to commentsAnother article to bait and trigger Irish fans. This must stop.
21 Go to commentsHi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
86 Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
1 Go to commentsI’d be fascinated to see what other candidates you all might have for the Lions captaincy role. Let me know, below 👍
3 Go to comments“ planning for the next cycle….” Sigh ill-advised language Elton old juice bean. Ppersonally glad you self-eliminated yourself, there were better players in the position around you.
4 Go to commentsRegardless of best in world etc. Lawes was outstanding against Leinster and has been all season. Looked like three try saving turnovers. His turnovers also contributed to NH scores. Immense performance.
2 Go to comments