All Blacks: Damian McKenzie wades into New Zealand Rugby’s selection policy debate
All Blacks playmaker Damian McKenzie and head coach Dave Rennie (inset).
All Blacks playmaker Damian McKenzie has urged New Zealand Rugby (NZR) to make a change to its policy of not selecting overseas-based players for Test matches.
There has been lots of debate about the NZR’s eligibility rules as it currently prevents New Zealanders, who are plying their trade abroad, from representing the All Blacks unless they are granted a sabbatical by the governing body.
Former All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson initially urged NZR’s policymakers to keep an open mind on their eligibility rules but the governing body revealed that they would not be changing their policy regarding the selection of overseas-based players for the All Blacks anytime soon.
Although he was relieved of his duties as All Blacks boss earlier this year, Robertson had a change of heart on player eligibility in 2025 and was supporting NZR’s policy of not selecting overseas-based players.
Dave Rennie keen to recall Brodie Retallick
However, Robertson’s successor, Dave Rennie, also raised the topic of selecting overseas-based players shortly after he was appointed when he revealed that he is keen to recall legendary All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick, who is based in Japan at the same club that Rennie is currently coaching, Kobelco Kobe Steelers.
And McKenzie, who has represented the All Blacks in 74 Tests, believes New Zealand can only benefit if they opt to select overseas-based players for their national team
“It’s been a pretty well talked about point … it’d be great for that to be able to happen,” the 30-year-old said on Thursday.
“You just want the best players playing for your country, right?
“Whatever way they (NZR) go on, we just have to stick with it and back it.”
Rugby Australia scrapped the Giteau Law in 2025
If NZR ease their eligibility rules, they will follow in the footsteps of Rugby Australia (RA), who scrapped their Giteau Law last year to allow Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt a free hand to select overseas-based players.
The Giteau Law was introduced in 2015 and paved the way for Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell, who were based at French club Toulon at the time, to represent the Wallabies at the Rugby World Cup in England that year.
Initially, the Giteau Law allowed for overseas-based Australian players to represent the Wallabies if they had made 60 Test appearances and played at Super Rugby level for seven seasons.
However, it was tweaked to allow players who have at least 30 Tests and have given five years’ service to Australian rugby to be eligible to be picked while playing overseas, with a limit of three picks a series.
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Since the Giteau Law’s scrapping, Wallabies like Noah Lolesio, Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou, who are all based overseas, are still in contention for a Test call-up regardless of their experience at the international level in the build-up to next year’s World Cup on home soil.
Australia followed South Africa’s lead in broadening their selection pool beyond their own shores.
The Springboks ditched their selection policies in 2018, allowing the newly appointed head coach, Rassie Erasmus, to select players from around the world, removing any kind of requirements.
This led to the likes of star winger Cheslin Kolbe making his Test debut that year while based abroad with Top 14 heavyweights Toulouse.
