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Ardie Savea all but shuts door on Samoa but what about Moana Pasifika?

(Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Ardie Savea has become the second All Black following Patrick Tuipulotu to sign on with New Zealand Rugby until 2025.

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While Savea has committed to New Zealand for the next four years, his deal with the Hurricanes runs until the end of the 2023 season. As such, Savea could choose to represent a different Super Rugby side in the final two years of his contract or, like Tuipulotu, he could head to Japan for a one-season sabbatical in order to boost his earnings – assuming that’s been built into his new deal.

Either way, however, it looks like Savea has shut the door on representing Samoa, despite recent changes to World Rugby’s regulations which would allow the 59-test All Black to switch allegiances after a three-year stand-down period.

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The panel of Ross Karl, Bryn Hall and James Parsons run their eyes over all the developments from the past week of rugby.

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The panel of Ross Karl, Bryn Hall and James Parsons run their eyes over all the developments from the past week of rugby.

Savea will turn 32 in 2025. Assuming he continues to represent New Zealand at test level until the end of his new contract, it wouldn’t be until 2028, when he turns 35, that he’d become eligible to play for Manu Samoa.

That being said, the details of Savea’s new deal have unsurprisingly not been made public. It’s technically possible that the loose forward might have agreed to play for the Hurricanes and the All Blacks up until the 2023 World Cup, before spending the following two years of his contract representing Moana Pasifika and refraining from playing test rugby. Savea could then head offshore in 2026 and, after one more season in the international wilderness, would become available for his parents’ birth nation, Samoa.

In this day and age, all sorts of complex contracts are part and parcel for NZR.

If, however, Savea’s four-year commitment to playing in New Zealand is also a commitment to playing for New Zealand, then the 28-year-old has all but ended his aspirations of representing Samoa – unless he believes he’ll still be up for playing test rugby at 35, which isn’t entirely out of the question.

Savea has always been a major advocate for the changes to World Rugby’s regulations and older brother Julian will become eligible to represent Samoa on January 1 when the new regulation comes into play, with the former All Black not running out in a black jersey since 2017.

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While Ardie Savea likely won’t ever have the chance to join his brother in running out wearing the blue of Manu Samoa, he’s at least kept the door open on potentially featuring for new Super Rugby side Moana Pasifika, who will join the competition in 2022.

Although Moana Pasifika has been founded as a means of helping to develop test rugby players for the likes of Samoa and Tonga, an experienced head like Savea would still add plenty to the squad and no doubt help nurture the talent of the Pacific.

For the next two years, however, Savea will continue to play Super Rugby for the Hurricanes and test rugby for the All Blacks – but who knows what the future holds?

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Elizabeth 1065 days ago

thorooughly enjoy the 'panel' the banter, insight from the guys 'Chipper & Bryn, have a great Christmas guys

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RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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