New Zealand Rugby Union CEO Steve Tew supports All Blacks coach Steve Hansen's criticism of Australia's need to develop their own players.
Hansen started a debate between the trans-Tasman rivals after the All Blacks' 18-18 draw with the Wallabies in Brisbane last weekend when he asked if Australia's talent identification protocols were up to standard particularly for poaching New Zealanders.
This after Australia's New Zealand-born full-back Mike Harris contributed fifteen points to the Wallabies cause in Brisbane,
Harris and Australia Rugby Union CEO John O'Neill hit back, comparing Australia's "thefts'' to those by the NZRU in the Pacific Islands.
But Tew has backed Hansen saying there's a big difference between Harris' situation and the players of Pacific Island heritage in New Zealand.
"We've got a very clear conscience in terms of the players we have playing the game in this country," he told the New Zealand Herald.
"The vast majority of players across the board that play rugby in this country out of particularly Samoa, Tonga and to a lesser degree Fiji, are second, third and fourth generation New Zealanders."
Tew said he didn't have a problem with New Zealand players moving Australia but what concerns him is that ARU is not doing enough to develop their own players and need to build on a local competition.
"They've got their own issues in Australia," he said.
"They need to look very hard at the depth they have in their competition. There was a small irony that last weekend (in Brisbane) I watched three games of rugby coming out of New Zealand, when that finished the test started and when that finished the Currie Cup came on.
"The reality for us is that we want the global game to be strong so we have to accept the fact that our talent, whether it's players or coaches or for that matter anyone else who is involved in the game, will be sought after around the world.
"Ultimately there are over a million New Zealanders living overseas and a vast majority of them are living on the eastern seaboard of Australia so rugby players are no different."
Comments
Trader2 says...
Trinats
I am sure our "grass roots" definition will never correspond so lets not go there, I am afraid I have been a little naive, you have absolutely no concept regarding the big picture, your vision would seem to extend only to the next game, so I agree let's move on.
Posted 11:32 29th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
final before I move on, see oxymoron (2eyedkiwi) post.
"who tops up the salaries of the marquee players" ???
Apologies, thought we were talking about "grass roots" hence the remark, It's not funded like NZRU !!!
Posted 09:02 29th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats congratulations on how quickly you can read all those ARU reports. Brilliant stuff, small question though, who tops up the salaries of the marquee players - what oh the Thursday night pub chook raffle, I hear those things are still big in Queensland. Before you respond to a post actually take time to do some investigation.
As for your claim regarding NZRU developing Island schools, offering scholarships etc. Obviously another well researched topic, (not) again applying those PhD skills you honed during your scholastic development. As for your assertion that the NZRU put money into the super franchises , well yes you are exactly right, well done, seems to work doesn't it? As a complete contrast of course I see Queensland have just announced they will develop their own Rugby Academy, breaking away from the ARU's system (which admittedly hasn't worked that well). Anyway good to see Queensland continues to do what they and NSW have done in the past, run their own Rugby fiefdom and to hell with the rest of the country. That¿s the attitude that will most likely see you at No 3 or 4 in the next six weeks.
Posted 22:44 28th October 2012
2eyedkiwi says...
don't you guys get bored of this?
Posted 17:54 28th October 2012
dezz says...
@Spartacus. Spot on merch. You hit the nail on the head. Are the New Zealanders who play for Samoa etc just not good enough for New Zealand or did they chose Samoa over New Zealand. I seem to remember some player with 1 New Zealand cap who suddenly remembered his roots and wanted the irb to change the rules.
Posted 17:09 28th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
"this is where kiwis are confused (and that's not hard)"
So without wasting too much time on an amoeba.
here it is again.
"It's not funded or run by the ARU (like NZRU run theirs)"
"It doesn't throw in the money like NZRU do"
Maybe read between the lines ? before jumping the gun.
Posted 10:50 28th October 2012
Ramage says...
@DaveJ totally agree about the culture so the sooner O'Neill goes the better it will be for Australian rugby. We might even see the ARU move forward now the llittle coporal has been eased out.
Posted 07:08 28th October 2012
Ramage says...
Once again Trinuts you go off at the mouth and post on matters here that you know little or nothing about. I suggest in future if you want to post on here what the NZRFU does in NZ you actually spend some time do some research and dont compare what happens in NZ ,which you know little about, with what Australia is or is not doing
Posted 02:32 28th October 2012
Spartacus says...
The issue here is that NZ only complain when it affects them, and it is unlikely they would have picked Harris.
Players are allowed to move to other countries and play rugby. You can try and stop it, but you wont win - it is called human rights! Why are NZ whingeing so much when they should be celebrating their current status?
Posted 23:24 27th October 2012
northandsouth says...
luv2h8 - both collins and kaino moved to NZ as small children. If you're suggesting the cynical kiwi talent scouts are good enough to have spotted Kaino at 4 years old (from American Samoa, where rugby is not big) you're a generous soul. For every teen recruited Islander who plays for NZ, a handful of 2nd, 3rd, 4th gen kiwis developed through the NZ system represent their more distant heritage. If that simple reality doesn't suit your lazy prejudices - tough
Posted 17:52 27th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats
Thats you in a nutshell, no understanding of what is happening in your own country. Have you ever read an ARU Annual Report, with your University education should not be a problem, have a look at them over say the last 7 years then come back and tell me how much they have spent on the franchises. And if you cannot see that have a look back as far as 2004, you will see there was a healthy bottom line and then explain to the PR world where that went to in subsequent years.
Anyway as long as you imbeciles concentrate on the small picture i.e. "I can understand his frustration over an ex kiwi "kicking" out the ABs dreams of a record winning streak." then you will forever remain at No2 and probably a little lower by end of December.
Posted 13:13 27th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats
Thats you in a nutshell, no understanding of what is happening in your own country. Have you ever read an ARU Annual Report, with your University education should not be a problem, have a look at them over say the last 7 years then come back and tell me how much they have spent on the franchises. And if you cannot see that have a look back as far as 2004, you will see there was a healthy bottom line and then explain to the PR world where that went to in subsequent years.
Anyway as long as you imbeciles concentrate on the small picture i.e. "I can understand his frustration over an ex kiwi "kicking" out the ABs dreams of a record winning streak." then you will forever remain and No2 and pobably a little lower by end of December.
Posted 13:09 27th October 2012
Trinats2 says...
tha_mai:
Missed the point, it wasn't about how many channels your rugby is on, it's about you only have rugby, it's your culture. As a rugby supporter in Australia I'm very envious. We have to put up with many different sports that take up our media.
Retard2,
"miss Tew's point" ??? as in his "criticism of Australia's need to develop their own players"
I can understand his frustration over an ex kiwi "kicking" out the ABs dreams of a record winning streak.
In Australia that's just called a whinge. Poms are the best in the world but you guys are catching up.
After Tew's dummy spit, I think I may be too hard on him, after all he is a kiwi and nothing to do with Australian rugby. so here are a few pointers for him.
Australia rugby fights very hard for the support of the Aus public as it is very much a minority sport.
It has a professional pool of players far less than NZ.
How come we dont have a grass roots program, yet for many years have remained No2 in the world and won 2 WC (same as NZ and we won them away from home !!)
Australian rugby DOES have a grass roots program, and this is where kiwis are confused (and that's not hard). It's not funded or run by the ARU (like NZRU run theirs) but by the franchises themselves.
It doesn't throw in the money like NZRU do or have "developing schools" in the Pacific islands or offer scholarships the way they do in NZ.
With the likes of Pocock, Cooper, Geina, O'Conor, Gill, Slipper, Morahan, Shipperley, (to name a few) all coming through the QLD schools and grass roots system in past few years, I don't think we have a problem with "no depth" or grass roots !!!!
And there are a few more coming through in the next few years to watch out for, they seem to be getting better.
Posted 12:04 27th October 2012
passtheball says...
Samoa, Tonga have become much stronger as their players go through the, mostly NZ, systems and some end up in competitions in Europe etc. Overseas players are useful to develop strong teams and competitions and help youngsters develop but "buying in" overseas players with the future aim of int rep is a totally different matter.
That's only allowed in table tennis where every country has a Li, Wu or Chan in their team. That's a level playing field.
Posted 10:04 27th October 2012
tha_mai says...
Trinats2 - an example of the coverage the ITM Cup gets - right now the final is on, as well as Sky in NZ, other options here (Thailand, satellite) include Sky Sports 3 (UK), Supersport (SA), Setanta Hong Kong, Globalsports, Setanta (Malaysia, SIngapore and Thailand), AstroSuperSport (Asia). Unsure, but earlier season matches were on an ESPN USA channel too.
And if Tew watched ITM in Brisbane last week, in Australia too.
They've done a great job of marketing it.
Posted 08:53 27th October 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats
You really are quite dumb, surely you didn't miss Tew's point...what? Oh you did. Anyway you can ve excused, yu are in good company @DaveJ
This is exactly what I have been banging on about for months and months, ultimately Australian rugby will suffer. Their view is why develop Australian born players when we have that vast factory across the ditch. I have to say Australian rugby supporters in general, unlike Neaderthals like Trinats do understand this and hopefully the message will get through to the ARU. Of course NZ are being selfish in bringing this up but not for the reason that Trinats and others think. NZ have been losing players overseas for years and guess what, it does not make one iota of a difference. What Hansen and Tew are on about is that NZ need Australia to provided decent opposition something they have been unable to do over the last 10 years. A weak Wannabie side does nothing to get punters through the turnstiles in either country.
So wake Trinats and associates, have a little vision and don't think because you managed one draw that all your problems are over. Remember how NZ helped your game in the 70's, well they are trying to do it again, for the same reasons, but just to repeat that reason, "a strong Oz game means money for the game in NZ". Got that boys?
Posted 01:50 27th October 2012
Phill_Moore says...
@7ton and Patron, spot. on.
What Hansen and Tew are saying is actually helpful for Australia, but some trolls here and elsewhere just do not get it...
Hansen and Tew say something like:
"Develop your grassroots, don't overstretch your resources and establish a good domestic competition, so you don't have to rely on NZers to score 99% of your points"
And you geniuses flame them... Talk about shooting yourselves on the foot, defending your dependance on a tiny country, and enjoying it all the way... You crack me up!
Posted 00:52 27th October 2012
jmanngod says...
NZ long ago answered this question on poaching. NZ has a clear conscience.
Posted 23:52 26th October 2012
7ton says...
trinats2 says " the make shift team with "no depth" prevented the ABs from getting a world record."
By using a bit of his type of logic and looking at who scored it was 33 by Kiwis and just 3 by an Aussie. That really says a lot about depth doesn't it :)
Posted 19:13 26th October 2012
DaveJ says...
when sour grapes runs as far as an organisations CEO it's no longer a problem, but a culture.
Posted 14:33 26th October 2012