Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Pacific XV likely limited to one or two players per province for All Blacks' season-opener

By Online Editors
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

The opening fixture of the All Blacks‘ season against a Pacific XV is set to be announced in the coming week, according to a report from the New Zealand Herald providing that an agreement can be reached with New Zealand’s provincial unions.

ADVERTISEMENT

The match, first revealed last month, is set to pit some of the country’s brightest young Pacific Island talent up against the All Blacks and give the New Zealand national side a chance to test their wares before they face off with the Wallabies.

While neither the match with the Pacific XV nor the games against Australia have been confirmed by official sources, the Herald has indicated the former fixture is in the final stages of being arranged.

Video Spacer

On this weeks episode host Ross Karl is joined by James Parsons of the Blues and Bryn Hall of the Crusaders. They discuss the stocks in the locking position, Aaron Smith’s dive and make the case for Sam Cane from a players perspective.

Video Spacer

On this weeks episode host Ross Karl is joined by James Parsons of the Blues and Bryn Hall of the Crusaders. They discuss the stocks in the locking position, Aaron Smith’s dive and make the case for Sam Cane from a players perspective.

Former All Blacks Eroni Clarke and Michael Jones – not Tana Umaga, as first rumoured – are set to coach a side that will be limited to picking one or two players from each Mitre 10 Cup province.

The game is due to take place on October 3rd at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland – three weeks into the Mitre 10 Cup season. As the All Blacks will already be pulled from the competition to prepare for the Bledisloe Cup matches, allowing Clarke and Jones to withdraw even more players from the competition would likely be considered too disruptive.

While non-NZ contracted players were anticipated to be included in the Pacific squad, they would have to already be based in New Zealand due to travel restrictions in place due to the COVID pandemic. They would also have to receive permissions from their overseas clubs, which may prevent their inclusion.

The Rugby Championship, likely hosted solely in New Zealand, is tentatively scheduled to kick off on November 7 while the first Bledisloe could take place on October 10.

ADVERTISEMENT

New Zealand last played a Pacific Islands composite side in 2004. That team was mostly comprised of players who had already earned caps for Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bull Shark 1 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
FEATURE
FEATURE Why the All Blacks are serious about giving Sam Whitelock one last hurrah Why the All Blacks are serious about giving Sam Whitelock one last hurrah
Search