The five 'critical' All Blacks off-contract this year - and who Sir John Kirwan is most worried about losing
Former All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan has expressed concerns over the future of one of five headline All Blacks set to come off-contract this year.
New Zealand Rugby [NZR] will have a busy time at the negotiating table this year as Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Damian McKenzie, Codie Taylor and Brad Weber are all in the final years of their respective contracts.
All five of those players are widely viewed as vital figures within the All Blacks set-up, for various reasons, meaning NZR are likely to, if they haven’t already, begin negotiations over each player’s future over the coming weeks and months.
However, speaking on The Breakdown on Monday, Kirwan revealed he is worried that Weber is at the most risk of those five players of slipping away from NZR’s payroll due to his status as New Zealand’s third-choice halfback.
The Chiefs co-captain has been a regular member of the All Blacks since 2019, four years after he made his test debut, but has largely been confined to infrequent cameo appearances off the bench due to the presence of Aaron Smith and TJ Perenara.
Smith and Perenara both signed two-year contract extensions with NZR earlier this year to keep them in New Zealand until the 2023 World Cup, and Kirwan said the deal to keep Perenara, in particular, on Kiwi shores might force Weber overseas.
The 1987 World Cup-winning All Black suggested NZR may not have the funds to pay Weber the salary he deserves as a result of Perenara’s contract extension, which came after heavy speculation that linked him to a cross-code move to the NRL.
“I think the biggest risk is Brad Weber. I think he’s at the biggest risk because you’ve just re-signed TJ Perenara, so there’s probably not going to be enough money in the war chest for him,” Kirwan told The Breakdown.
“I mean I love this guy, I think they should sign him straight away. If they’ve decided he’s our third halfback for the World Cup, they’ll sign him, but he rightfully should get decent money.”
Kirwan added that re-signing Cane, Savea, McKenzie, Taylor and Weber should all be top priorities for NZR given what they offer to the All Blacks.
“You’ve got to sign Ardie Savea, especially with Sam Cane having a few years of injuries. If he’s All Blacks captain, you sign him.
“Codie Taylor, he’d probably be the first one that I’d sign with Dane Coles still fantastic but getting towards the end of his career and a few injuries.
“You’ve probably got to try and sign them all, but I’d be worried about Brad Weber more than anyone.”
Highlanders co-captain Aaron Smith as returned to the side’s starting lineup ahead of their must-win clash against the Brumbies in Canberra this weekend. #SuperRugbyTT #BRUvHIG https://t.co/Wp1Y7LwlCX
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 9, 2021
Former Black Ferns midfielder Hannah Porter told The Breakdown that retaining both Cane and Savea is “absolutely critical” ahead of the next World Cup, while ex-All Blacks fullback Mils Muliaina said he couldn’t rule out any of those five heading abroad.
“They actually go into the All Blacks environment and that’s a lot of IP [intellectual property] that they’ve got on their shoulders, so hopefully they can get that done. You wouldn’t possibly see them going overseas, but you just never know these days,” he said.
Furthermore, Muliaina said the loss of Cane, McKenzie and Weber would be particularly devastating for the Chiefs, who he said already have a youthful squad that needs experienced leaders within its ranks moving forward.
The 2011 World Cup winner warned that losing such vast experience could lead the Chiefs down a similar path to the Waratahs, who have endured a horror winless season following a mass exodus of seasoned veterans in recent years.
“They’ve got a very young squad and they’ve done very well through Super Rugby Aotearoa, but you lose a lot of that leadership and the Chiefs and the mana that they’ve got, that’s starting all over again,” Muliaina said.
“The last thing they want to be doing is getting to a stage where it’s similar to the Waratahs. I don’t think it will happen like that, but there’s a lot of leadership there that they would lose if those guys didn’t sign up.”
Last year’s All Blacks contracted to NZR until this year and beyond
Contracted until 2021: Codie Taylor, Alex Hodgman, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, Akira Ioane, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie.
Contracted until 2022: Joe Moody, Nepo Laulala Dalton Papalii, Hoskins Sotutu, Richie Mo’unga, Peter Umaga-Jensen, Sevu Reece, Rieko Ioane, George Bridge, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett.
Contracted until 2023: Asafo Aumua, Dane Coles, Tyrel Lomax, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i, Cullen Grace, Shannon Frizell, Aaron Smith, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Contracted until 2024: Ofa Tuungafasi.
Confirmed to leave New Zealand this year: Ngani Laumape (Stade Francais).
Listen to the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod below:
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
55 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
55 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
55 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
55 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
55 Go to comments