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Scott Robertson has been accused of “abandoning” New Zealand rugby as he tries to get foreign players to play for the All Blacks.
After ending his first season with a win over Italy last week, Robertson said he wanted New Zealand Rugby to review strict eligibility rules that prevent it from considering overseas players.
“We don’t want to be a cycle behind or years behind,” Robertson told reporters.
“Professional rugby is always evolving. Let’s keep an open mind and look at what’s next. “I will definitely announce it.”
(Photo courtesy of Koki Nagahama/Getty Images)
World champions South Africa can choose players from anywhere, while Australia are free to choose players from overseas.
“They get the opportunity to play experienced players who are looked after and managed well into their 30s, so they have a well-balanced and big squad,” Robertson said. “They can have two really high-quality 15s. “There is,” he said. South Africa.
World Cup-winning flyhalf Stephen Donald told The Run Home radio show that players have to choose between their kits and the money available overseas.
“The biggest problem for me is whether you call me old school or whatever, there has to be an element of sacrifice,” Donald said.
“I’m sure we’ll be in an environment where we’ll be walking around and doing press conferences and saying, ‘Oh, this black jersey means so much to me.’ Well, at some point in life you have to prove it.
Donald said Razor’s comments were aimed at putting Japan-based Richie Mo’unga back on track.
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
“Let’s not sugarcoat it. This is about getting Richie Mo’unga back. That’s one person,” Donald said.
“Now, let’s talk about sacrifice. Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie – perhaps Richie Mo’unga is better than both of them at his best. But they both made sacrifices and I don’t think it’s strange to offer $1 million here.
“They would have both sacrificed $1 million because they priced out the All Black jerseys, and that’s what they were prepared to give up to get going again.
“They could also go to Japan. Someone like Damian, for example, would be much more attractive in Japan than Rich because of the way he plays.”
Donald contrasted Mo’unga with All Blacks legends Jonah Lomu and Richie McCaw, who stayed in New Zealand instead of switching codes or moving overseas.
“So this made me hot. “You have to make sacrifices.” Donald said.
“Jonah Lomu is the reason we all got paid as rugby players because he sacrificed the Dallas Cowboys, NRL and Super League before rugby became professional. Because the kid from Otara who went to Wesley, the black jersey from Tonga with nothing on it, decided there was a price, and the price he was prepared to sacrifice was this whole offer.
“Richie McCaw has never left New Zealand. Richie McCaw will never have to work a day in his life because he is the greatest All Black of all time. He won the World Cup twice, he went out and did it, and New Zealand will always look after Richie. What he did for the country.
“So you can say, ‘Oh, we can’t stop people and they have to look at all of this.’ That’s fine, but look at how that’s happened historically. Look at Richie, look at Jonah. “We need heroes.”
Donald added that he did not believe New Zealand was in the same position as South Africa, which did not face similar recruitment issues.
“This South African debate will never wash out with me because they don’t have the Warriors, they don’t have the Melbourne Storm, they don’t have Steve Adams, Auckland FC and Phoenix don’t want to grab the attention of all the young kids. “Becoming a soccer player.” Donald said.
“South Africans don’t deal with those issues. If you are an Afrikaans child in South Africa, you have no choice. It’s going to be rugby and that’s what you’re going to do and try to be a Springbok.”
