Exeter, point de bascule pour le Stade Toulousain

But most of the rest of them, including the likes of Luatua and Piutau, it's a complete joke. Filling the Samoan and Tongan national sides with Kiwi's (and a few Aussies) who chased the money and are now having their cake and eating it too hasn't made them any more competitive, if anything, they've gone backwards. It's not for their benefit anyway, it's mostly the NH sides filled with SH born and developed talent that are keen on these rules.

When Augustine Pichot ran and wanted to have tougher criteria, NZ backed him, and the 'Islands' and NH nations backed the status-quo with Beaumont. Easy to see why when you crunch the numbers on players imported into national sides in their 20's after another nation has brought them through, usually to Super level.

Like Nick Bishop suggests, he was lucky enough to have options, fight for a sole cap (like Harry Plummer) wasn't the only thing on his radar. It is an accepted/ingrained aspect of rugby in NZ that players acknowedge their station (as they have lots of choices given money isn't strong to stay).

I doubt Sotutu would represent England either, they have to be one of the most stacked nations for flankers already, far more likely to be an AB. Plus (if he were to play for England this year) they would have to spend a huge amount to get him out of that declaration contract with NZR and they are already skint.

It does raise the interesting question of what sort of ratio/balance England players make up their pay from now, it has heavily increased towards International side (even if they don't win caps)? That would make it even hard, has previoulsy I think most people switching (like Shields) just viewed playing for England as icing on the cake, and the club deals themselves had to provide compeling (money) reason to leave NZ.

The three examples I'm most excited about would be if Sotutu signs in Japan with a view to playing at the highest level with Fiji (easy to see he will only be a bit part All Black unless things really go his way) in time for 2027 (NZR could even work out a 'fair play' deal with Fiji and Japan to allow him to represent earlier), and I think Shaun Stevenson has some island (Samoa) eligibility and could play from next year, alongside Ioane. Currently the Island teams are still not getting much respect from their players, and possibly that due to the unions themselves prioritizing local and WC focus, so with WR stepping up and returning the PNC with some meaning, in line for the Nations Cup, it's a great time for NZ and Australia to step up and take a lead too. Really get involved in raising profile say a tournament in Melbourne (who provide a local team themselves) that has like a Maori All Black quality invitation side included to raise the PNCs profile.

Even someone like Bower is well in the All Black frame still, but why not NZR say do a deal with Japan (for the local scene) and Fiji, say along the lines of the recent Stevenson deal with he plays both the JRLO and most of Super Rugby. He is a bit of a talisman, doing the All Black social videos during the Rugby World Cup, he could continue to link well with all three nations, added much needed experience to NZ development sides young players, Captaining the Drua and Fiji, and doing fan engagement work in Japan while playing etc (not sure if he was looking long term into that as a career, it would be good experience). Imagine the quality him, Sotutu, big Gus, drawing more quality in some of Flying Fijian's european stars coming back. Actually allow them to creaet a business product, as currently their ownly value is being opposition to other teams (playing overseas in places like San Diego). Actually give them a competition and players the rest of the world wants to pay money to watch.

Principles of the Game

Contest and Continuity

The contest for possession of the ball is one of Rugby’s key features. These contests occur throughout the game and in a number of different forms:

* in contact * in general play * when play is restarted at scrums, line-outs and kick-offs.

Living in fantasy land are the Welsh.

Not necessarily in another 6 years or when he's "80".

Never mind that you comment was nothing to do with Rassie, does it have anything to do with the article even? lol

Good to see you've still got that old fight in ya!

Codie Taylor's goal is to remain a world class level hooker up to and including the RWC 2027. To accomplish this, he must be carefully managed and maybe only needs to play 9-10 of 14 regular season matches in Super Rugby (and a similar number for All Blacks) to reach the RWC. So Taylor would not be an ideal choice as captain for the Crusaders at this point in his career.