Overseas All Blacks? NZ Rugby weigh in on polarising selection policy
Aaron Smith leads an All Blacks haka during the Rugby World Cup in France.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) chief executive Mark Robinson revealed that the governing body will not review its policy which prevents the All Blacks from selecting foreign-based players.
Under the NZR’s current regulations, players plying their trade in foreign countries are unable to be selected at international level for the All Blacks.
When Scott Robertson was announced as the All Blacks‘ new head coach in April, he revealed that he would not mind selecting players who are plying their trade overseas.
Not even on the agenda
However, Robinson revealed the subject was not even on the agenda when the NZR held their final board meeting of 2023 on Wednesday.
“It wasn’t discussed,” Robinson told Reuters. “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.”
Several experienced All Blacks left New Zealand to take up lucrative offers at overseas clubs following their World Cup final defeat to the Springboks in France recently.
Mo’unga was amongst those players and after signing a multi-year deal to play for a Japanese club, the 29-year-old is now ineligible for Test selection.
Boks changed selection policy
In the past, South Africa had a selection policy where overseas-based players with at least 30 Test caps could be picked to pay for the Boks but they ditched that system in 2018 with players based throughout the world now available for selection.
Since then, the Boks have won back-to-back World Cup titles, in Japan four years ago and in France earlier this year.
Australia also has curbs on selecting players, who are based in foreign countries, with their most recent coaches Eddie Jones and Dave Rennie allowed to pick only three overseas-based players during a series or tournament.
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