Aaron Smith and Richie Mo'unga run through drills during an All Blacks training session in 2021. Photo / Photosport
Aaron Smith and Richie Mo'unga run through drills during an All Blacks training session in 2021. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand rugby’s eligibility debate has taken another turn with All Blacks centurion Aaron Smith advocating for a change in criteria that allows long-serving veterans to be selected from offshore.
The long-standing policy of only selecting All Blacks from within New Zealand is rapidly becoming a hotly contested issue.
Scott Robertson placed the item firmly on the agenda after his appointment as All Blacks coach, and a request for the NZ Rugby board to keep an open mind.
Several senior All Blacks, including Ardie Savea, have since urged NZ Rugby to amend the steadfast rules.
The debate then reached a crescendo in recent weeks when NZ Rugby general manager of professional rugby Chris Lendrum revealed conversations are ongoing to try to entice Richie Mo’unga home early from his lucrative three season Japanese deal with Toshiba.
Damaging loose forward Shannon Frizell – also at Toshiba until mid-next year – and former Crusaders wing/centre Leicester Fainga’anuku, now with French club Toulon, are other assets in the prime of their careers that NZ Rugby were gutted to lose.
Smith, the 125-test veteran who retired from test rugby after last year’s World Cup final, is the latest to suggest changes to NZ Rugby’s eligibility stance.
Citing South Africa’s success in selecting the Springboks from abroad, Smith told the Rugby Direct podcast New Zealand should adopt a more flexible approach akin to Australia’s Giteau law that permits the Wallabies to select up to three players who have played 30 tests or five Super Rugby seasons.
Such a policy would allow Mo’unga (56 tests over seven years) but potentially not Frizell (33 tests) and Fainga’anuku (seven) to represent the All Blacks from abroad.
“The last two World Cups show that maybe it isn’t the way. For our country, our market of Super Rugby and harnessing our talent, playing in New Zealand helps the game.
“When I was playing you had to be in New Zealand to be picked for the All Blacks,” Smith told Rugby Direct.
“My only view would be there has to be a criteria for something, like if you’ve played eight years or 60 tests. There needs to be a criteria so not all our young talent takes off.
“Players could be eligible to go abroad and still give back to the country. That’s where I think it would be fair.
“By no means do I want all our 21-year-old, 10 test All Blacks taking off to Japan and not helping that next group come through.
“There has to be a group above a certain amount of tests and time in the team that gives you the opportunity to earn more money and still play for the All Blacks like South Africa have done – they’re two-time champs in a row. There has to be some gravy in that.
“I think by this next World Cup there will be changes to that criteria.
“We’ve got enough smart people at the NZRU to come up with a criteria that not all our top talent leaves.
“You’re talking about four or five players who are deserving of that top end money and will still be wearing the black jersey. I’d say in the next few years there will be something that will move.”
Sam Whitelock and Aaron Smith as the final whistle blows against Ireland in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals. Photo / Getty Images
While intense scrutiny and pressure dictates the All Blacks are expected to win every test, Smith argues the Springboks’ selection policy has provided the blueprint for claiming the ultimate prize.
“The microscope only really comes on in those World Cup years. The Bledisloe (Cup) is key every year and building our teams but you look at other nations - they build and peak at World Cups. If South Africa hasn’t shown that, then everyone is blind. They don’t do it pretty but they’ve done it. And they’ve done it twice now.
“You’ve got to applaud them on that. Talking to Pieter-Steph du Toit, my team-mate in Japan, hearing certain things about how Rassie [Erasmus] does things... It’s all calculated.
“They’re not worried about the next four years - they’re worried about how the next World Cup is going to look.”
Despite momentum gathering behind the push for changes to NZ Rugby’s eligibility, six weeks ago Lendrum told Rugby Direct selecting All Blacks from offshore was a “long, long way in the distance”.
As for Mo’unga, Smith hopes Robertson and New Zealand Rugby can lure the 29-year-old home soon as soon as possible to utilise his talent on the world stage.
“It’s a little bit of a blowout that he was even thinking of going. That next cycle should’ve been his, to be the man. I know the Japan offer would have been crazy and he’s earning every cent of it over there right now.
“He’s too young, too talented, too awesome to not be playing in New Zealand. Jeez, those Crusaders need him... I mean that in a lovely way.
“He needs to come back – and Shannon Frizell. They’re both late 20s. That’s when you start peaking. You’ve played enough tests.
“You’ve won things. You’ve lost things. This next three years is an exciting opportunity for what he could do to help New Zealand rugby.
“It would also help Damian [McKenzie], Beauden [Barrett], whoever the next guys are to come through. If NZRU can make it happen, and Toshiba are happy for him to be released, he needs to come back.
“I’m sure Toshiba will have a clause that when he leaves New Zealand he goes back there.
