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'Playing for the North is pretty special': North vs South stars explain New Zealand's 'unique' inter-island rivalry

By Alex McLeod
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

As much as the All Blacks selectors have tried to downplay the glaring hints that suggest tomorrow’s North vs South clash is nothing more than a national trial, the inter-island spirit of the occasion hasn’t been lost on two of the fixture’s key players.

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While it remains one of the most eagerly anticipated matches of the rugby year, the 81st edition of this historic derby has drawn criticism from fans and pundits for its eligibility criteria that has seen players tied to one of the islands based on the first province they represented at Mitre 10 Cup level.

That’s led some to question the legitimacy of the North vs South ‘brand’, with numerous players representing the opposite island of which they originated.

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Highlanders and Maori All Blacks hooker Ash Dixon is among those who fall under that category.

The 32-year-old was born and raised in Christchurch and is a product of the famed rugby nursery Christchurch Boys’ High School.

However, he was yesterday named on the bench for the North Island squad after having made his provincial debut for Hawke’s Bay in 2008.

Aside from a two-season spell with Auckland at the beginning of last decade, Dixon has remained loyal to the province that gave him his opening shot at first-class rugby, and it’s safe to assume that’s part of the reason he describes playing for the North as “special”.

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“For me, I guess playing for the North is pretty special,” he told reporters on Friday.

“There’s guys that I’ve never played with before and so seeing their background and what makes them tick is quite cool for me, because, obviously, playing down South [for the Highlanders], I kind of get what they’re about and what they’re doing.

“Guys in the different parts of the region, especially around Auckland and the Chiefs, we’ve all got different identities and different things we’re about.

“I guess it’s just connecting with that and making sure I can offer something in that area, but also do what I’ve got to bring for the North.”

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It’s a similar story but in opposite fashion for All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor, who hails from the North Island town of Levin, but started his professional rugby career in Christchurch with Canterbury and the Crusaders.

That in itself has instilled Taylor with plenty of pride in pulling on the white jersey of the South, which is where he and his young family still reside.

“I’ve got a good reason to play for the South. My wife’s from there, my kids were born in Christchurch and that’s what I’m trying to connect to this week,” he said.

“I’ll never forget that I’m from Levin or anything like that, but the opportunity to play in such a unique game is something that is pretty special to me, and I get to represent my family back in the South.”

For many of the up-and-coming or uncapped prospects taking part in the match, it presents an unprecedented opportunity of potential All Blacks selection, which will take place on the Sunday morning following the encounter.

That isn’t the case for Dixon, though, who made the surprising revelation that All Blacks selection isn’t on his radar, despite his uncapped status.

“No, it’s not actually,” he said when asked if a maiden All Blacks call-up has been weighing on his mind.

“I’ve just really enjoyed the week. I’m just really excited to play footy and play against some good players and play with some good players. 

“That’s always the challenge. These games, playing with a lot of great talent around you, you’ve got to nail what you’ve got to do and I’m excited about that. 

“That drives me and makes me want to go out there and be better.”

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Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 9 hours 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.

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A
Adrian 11 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

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