Pat Lam weighs in on All Blacks eligibility with proposed rethink

Pat Lam has proposed a rethink of New Zealand Rugby’s All Blacks eligibility rules, saying the changes would help inject more cash into grassroots rugby and player development.

The one-time All Black, now long-time Bristol Bears coach, expressed some concern over the state of New Zealand’s development pathways in an interview this week, but wasn’t going to get caught up in problems without delivering some potential solutions.

When identifying the issues, Lam pointed to trends in the recent NPC season, saying he saw some “really good flashy skills” on display, but a lack of fundamentals.

“I looked at the fundamentals of the game — not the flash stuff: Your scrummaging, lineout, lifting, mauling, catch, pass, carry, ball presentation, your breakdown work,” he told Martin Devlin of DSPN.

“Certainly, at the top level in New Zealand, it’s great, but when I was looking down, I was thinking, my goodness, what’s happening in club rugby? What’s happening in NPC rugby? Because I just saw too many players who are fundamentally poor.”

It’s the fundamentals where Lam says New Zealand has fallen off the pace, internationally.

“That’s where I believe England has closed the gap,” he added. “The amount of work that goes into the basics of the game is huge.”

Taking a wider lens view of the game, the coach considered the financial aspect of an All Blacks eligibility law that restricts selection to players under contract in Super Rugby.

“I was always a big believer in not opening the gateway and picking players from overseas, because you’ve got to protect our competition,” he said.

“But the competition needs money. I’m hearing stories of the money that the NRL is bringing in. Obviously, my good mate, Ali Williams, and Auckland football, that’s kicked off as well; all these competing leagues.

“And then I hear a lot of mates, and John Afoa’s filled me in about club rugby in Auckland and around the country, and a lot of friends have told me they need money, right? Where’s the money? This is what I believe should happen: 50-cap All Blacks; to get 50 caps in the All Black team, you have established yourself as a player, as a leader, and in the culture. If you think of all the All Blacks there that have 50 caps or more, then look at the wage bill. What do you think the wage bill of all of those guys is?

“As Rassie does, let the other countries take the 50-capped All Blacks and let them play. Some of them with 50 caps are probably getting on, and they’re not going to get picked anyway. But the established ones, so I think of Scott Barrett, he could easily be playing in Japan, the UK, or France, just like the Springboks do, and come back straight into the All Black environment, because he’s part of the established leadership group. He can come and go.

“Anyone below that, you’re still into Super Rugby. You still can’t be picked. However, all that money that’s freed up from those players alone can go straight back into growing their game and the grassroots, back into NBC and all of that. I just believe the only thing that’s going to bring it through is the money to get that development going again, because without that, it’s unfortunately going to just continue to do what we’ve seen at the moment. And there is talent 100 per cent, but you’ve got to develop that talent, otherwise they’re heading off to other sports.”