The Overseas All Blacks XV: Would this team beat the current All Blacks?
When the Springboks won their third World Cup title in Japan late last year, they did so with nine squad members playing their club rugby outside of South Africa.
The likes of Sale Sharks halfback Faf de Klerk and Toulouse wing Cheslin Kolbe were instrumental to their side’s success, but they wouldn’t have been available to play had head coach Rassie Erasmus not abolished restrictions around selecting offshore-based players earlier that year.
Without the presence of those individuals, it’s questionable as to whether Siya Kolisi would have ever lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in Yokohama five months ago.
That highlights not only the importance of those players in the South African set-up, but it also illustrates the value of being able to pick the best possible players regardless of where they play around the world.
A further eight Springboks from that squad have since moved on to clubs in Europe and Japan, and new boss Jacques Neinaber is set to take the helm of a national side that certainly looks no weaker as a result of those transfers.
Such a selection model has been met with resistance in some corners of the globe – none more so than in New Zealand, where players are only considered available for All Blacks selection if they’re domestically-based.
With New Zealand Rugby and Super Rugby clubs unable to match the finances of wealthy French, English and Japanese clubs, there remains a lingering fear that a mass nationwide exodus would ensue should selection restrictions be relaxed.
But what if there were no restrictions in place? Would the All Blacks be a better side if they allowed the selections of players who are based abroad?
There may be no certain way to answer that question unless the eligibility laws are tweaked, but here’s a XV of offshore-based players who could bolster the current crop of All Blacks if they were available for selection.
1. Ben Franks (Northampton Saints)
A two-time World Cup winner, the older Franks brother wrapped up his time in New Zealand following the All Blacks’ 2015 triumph in England. After having played for both the Crusaders and Hurricanes, the 36-year-old linked up with London Irish, where he remained until 2018. Franks is now signed with the Northampton Saints, who he may have played his last match for after announcing his retirement at the end of the now-cancelled season.
2. Hika Elliot (USO Nevers)
Capped four times by the All Blacks over a five-year period, Hika Elliot is now plying his trade in the Pro D2 with second-tier French club USO Nevers. The Chiefs centurion relocated to Nevers in 2018 after joining Top 14 side Oyonnax the season beforehand, and has been used as a No. 8 as well as a hooker during his time in Europe.
3. Owen Franks (Northampton Saints)
Twice a World Cup winner and an All Blacks centurion, few can lay claim to the feats that the younger Franks brother accomplished during his decade-long international career. In that time, he also won a hat-trick of Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, but left New Zealand on a dour note last year after missing selection for the World Cup in Japan. Now playing in the Premiership with the Northampton Saints alongside older brother Ben.
4. Brodie Retallick (Kobelco Steelers)
Considered by many to be the best lock on the planet, Brodie Retallick signed a four-year contract extension with NZR and the Chiefs last year to keep him locked in for France 2023. That deal has allowed the World Cup winner and two-time Super Rugby champion to take a two-year sabbatical in Japan, where he has been playing for the reigning champion Kobelco Steelers side.
5. Sam Whitelock (Panasonic Wild Knights)
He may be one of the frontrunners to take the vacant All Blacks captaincy role, but Sam Whitelock took the Super Rugby season off this year so he could take up a sabbatical in Japan. The 117-test veteran would have hoped to have added a Top League crown to his two World Cup titles and three Super Rugby championships after joining former Wallabies coach Robbie Deans at the Panasonic Wild Knights, but their season cancellation means he’ll likely next be back in action in New Zealand.
6. Jerome Kaino (Toulouse)
One of the hardest-hitting All Blacks of the modern era, Jerome Kaino drew the curtain on his time in New Zealand two years ago. A veteran of 81 tests and 137 appearances for the Blues, the 36-year-old left Auckland for Toulouse, where he went on to add a Top 14 title last year to his two World Cup crowns and solitary provincial championship.
7. Matt Todd (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
Although he was the victim of being a Kiwi openside flanker in the same era as Richie McCaw, Sam Cane and Ardie Savea, Matt Todd still salvaged a highly-credible career during his decade in New Zealand. With 25 tests, three Super Rugby titles, 140 Crusaders appearances and seven provincial crowns to his name, the 32-year-old relocated to Japan permanently following last year’s World Cup after having already played for the Panasonic Wild Knights in 2018.
8. Kieran Read (Toyota Verblitz)
A dominant force in the All Blacks’ No. 8 jersey for 11 seasons, former captain Kieran Read played his 128th and final test at last year’s World Cup. He retired from international rugby as a two-time World Cup champion, and was key in the Crusaders’ back-to-back-to-back Super Rugby titles. Read has since joined Toyota Verblitz in the Top League, but admitted last month that his playing days in Japan may already be over due to the coronavirus outbreak.
9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (La Rochelle)
A prominent figure within the All Blacks set-up between 2012 and 2017, Tawera Kerr-Barlow departed New Zealand to join Top 14 club La Rochelle three years ago. The 29-year-old took with him two Super Rugby titles from his time with the Chiefs, as well as a World Cup winners’ medal from 2015.
10. Dan Carter (Kobelco Steelers)
One of the all-time greats, Dan Carter’s career may have finally come to an end with the announcement of the cancelled Top League season. The 38-year-old playmaker had already bagged a Japanese domestic title with the Kobelco Steelers in 2018, adding to the raft of World Cup, Super Rugby, Top 14 and World Rugby player of the year honours he collated over an 18-year span.
11. Julian Savea (Toulon)
Nicknamed ‘The Bus’ for his explosive style of play, Julian Savea managed a scarcely-believable strike rate of 46 tries in 54 tests for the All Blacks. A sharp decline in form, though, saw the former Hurricanes wing dropped from the national side, leading to a two-year contract with Top 14 glamour club Toulon. Savea left for the south of France with a 2015 World Cup title and a 2016 Super Rugby championship to his credit.
12. Ma’a Nonu (San Diego Legion)
Calls for Ma’a Nonu to be re-called into the All Blacks squad for the World Cup last year fell on deaf ears, despite the globe-trotting veteran impressing for the underwhelming Blues in Super Rugby. His return to New Zealand came four years after he played the last of his 103 tests in the 2015 World Cup final. Nonu then went on to play 77 times for Toulon, and now finds himself in the United States with the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby.
13. Malakai Fekitoa (Wasps)
A barnstorming midfielder who exploded onto the scene in his debut campaign with the Highlanders in 2014, Malakai Fekitoa prematurely left New Zealand in 2017. After having fallen out of favour with national selectors, the then-24-year-old signed a lucrative deal with Toulon to bring an end to his 24-test career. Unable to add to his World Cup and Super Rugby titles in France, Fekitoa joined Premiership club Wasps last year.
14. Waisake Naholo (London Irish)
Another member of the champion 2015 All Blacks and Highlanders squads, Waisake Naholo called time on his career in New Zealand last year. Injury woes and a substantial dip in form saw the 28-year-old miss selection for the World Cup in Japan, but Naholo left for England with 27 test caps, the most tries in Highlanders history, a provincial title with Taranaki and a 2013 Sevens World Cup crown.
15. Ben Smith (Pau)
As one of the most consistent performers for the All Blacks and Highlanders for a decade, Ben Smith left for French club Pau last year as arguably New Zealand’s best fullback since Christian Cullen. After co-captaining the Highlanders to their first-ever Super Rugby title, the 33-year-old won the World Cup three months later and went on to make 153 Super Rugby caps and 84 test appearances.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe 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 getting 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.
8 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.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 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.
61 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.
8 Go to comments