NZ to keep selection ban for overseas-based players

[The InnFORCEr]

Staff Writers
Reuters
December 6, 2023 3:44PM


All Blacks coach Scott Robertson will not be able to pick overseas-based players in his squad any time soon, with New Zealand Rugby seeing no need to alter its selection ban.

New Zealand has long confined Test eligibility to home-based players in order to protect its domestic competitions, a rule some pundits say is outdated and could hurt the three-times world champions in the long run.

When his appointment as head coach was announced in April, Robertson said he would be open to picking overseas players.

However, NZR boss Mark Robinson said the subject had not even come up at the governing body's final board meeting of the year on Wednesday.

"It wasn't discussed," he told New Zealand media.

"We're certainly unsurprised by the fact after a World Cup year with a number of players departing this sort of thing comes up.

"We're really clear on our protocols, and think they've been a critical part of the All Blacks' success over a long time, but also acknowledge the world is changing and from time to time those discussions need to happen.

"For now we're really happy with where the policy sits."

A number of All Blacks headed abroad after the team's run to the World Cup final in France, including flyhalf Richie Mo'unga, who signed a multi-year deal to play for a Japanese club and is now ineligible for Test selection.

South Africa previously limited selection to overseas players with at least 30 Test caps but ditched the policy in 2018.

The Springboks won the World Cup in Japan the following year and successfully defended their title in France.

Australia also has curbs on picking overseas-based players, with previous coaches Eddie Jones and Dave Rennie allowed only three picks per series or tournament.

https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/ru...ers-c-12808845

[Burgs]

And Australia should do the same.

[Garry Owen]

And Australia should do the same.

Springboks have won 2 world cups in a row, maybe they are the example we should be following?

[Tazzmania]

Springboks have won 2 world cups in a row, maybe they are the example we should be following?

Not comparable as South Africa has an immense talent pool domestically to ensure continuity of player development.

Very strong school base, very strong varisty cup base, very strong currie cup base and strong URC / Champions league base.

The weak South African Rand helps them foot the bill for such a big pool by allowing the top end to play overseas.

A number of these players also flitter back and forth allowing them a stead base to work with

[Burgs]

The Springboks have access to approximately 60k more senior adult male players, so they aren't really an entity to compare with.
Their feeder system of local born and bred players will continue regardless of a the number of overseas players.
With limited elite level opportunities in Australia, if we continue to allow the slow (well, rapidly increasing) bleed of talent to England, France, Japan and now USA we will not have the player resources to maintain internationally competitive second tier competitions.
The "limited elite level opportunities" must be filled by the best we can produce, not the next best who others don't want.
I 100% support that if you want to play for the Wallabies you need to play in Australia. Anything else is facilitating a slow death.