For the All Blacks' sake, the Crusaders must spread the love

The Crusaders’ dominance of the All Blacks has been long known and Super Rugby’s most successful side is apparently not content with being the main feeder club for just New Zealand’s top-string squad.

11 Crusaders will feature on the All Blacks’ upcoming tour to Japan and Europe. While the Blues, enjoying a renaissance of sorts under Leon MacDonald, boast the same number of inclusions, only Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke can put their hands up as starters in the first-choice side, whereas the likes of Crusaders stars Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Richie Mo’unga, David Havili, Will Jordan and more can make a similar claim.

With over two-thirds of the Crusaders’ starting XV selected in the All Blacks, it would make sense for the Super Rugby Pacific champions to boast a smaller representation in the newly formed All Blacks XV – but that’s not the case at all. Eight Crusaders have been selected in the 28-man All Blacks XV squad that will take on Ireland A and the Barbarians next month, again giving them the most representation out of any of NZ’s five (six, including Moana Pasifika) franchises.

Perhaps that should come as no surprise.

The Crusaders, after all, have ruled the roost over Super Rugby in recent times, with Scott Robertson’s men claiming six titles in as many years seasons. With Robertson’s right-hand man, Jason Robertson, taking over as All Blacks forwards coach part-way through 2022, it’s easy to see why Crusaders players might dominate national selection.

The selection of so many young, unproven Crusaders in the All Blacks XV does raise the question whether New Zealand Rugby should investigate encouraging franchises to loan some of their players out around the country, however.

Between the two squads, five Crusaders props have earned a call-up to a national side – George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Tamaiti Williams, Finlay Brewis and Oli Jager – while all three of the club’s contracted hookers, Codie Taylor, Brodie McAlister and George Bell, will also feature in Europe. Were he not injured and unavailable, Joe Moody would also likely still be holding down his position as the All Blacks’ first-choice loosehead prop.

Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have two hookers involved in the national set-up, the Blues two tightheads and the Highlanders’ sole representative is loosehead prop Ethan de Groot.

With the Crusaders also providing three second-rowers (Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett and All Blacks XV selection Zach Gallagher), it’s no wonder the mainlanders have been able to field such a formidable scrum over the past few years.

While the likes of the Hurricanes and Highlanders might benefit from the Crusaders sharing the love, it’s the All Blacks who could gain the most from a youngster like Finlay Brewis heading away from Canterbury, where he currently sits fourth in the loosehead pecking order behind Moody, Bower and Williams.

There’s obviously a benefit to a young front-rower sitting behind an experienced head and learning the dark arts of the trade, biding their team and awaiting selection – but that’s not necessarily the case when you’re so far down the totem pole. At least Bower and (to a lesser extent) Williams can expect to get some regular minutes here and there throughout the season but Brewis? That would take some significant intervention from the rugby gods.

It’s a similar story at hooker. George Bell is perhaps the most promising young rake in the country (although Soane Vikena and Tyrone Thompson have perhaps proven themselves more capable at this stage of their careers) but with Codie Taylor signed through to 2025 and Brodie McAlister this week inking a deal which will also keep him in the region for three more seasons, Bell isn’t likely to start accruing regular minutes for another couple of seasons.

Already we’ve seen top players with more experience than the current crop of young Crusaders forwards at times have to settle for scraps at Super Rugby level. Leicester Fainga’anuku, Sevu Reece, George Bridge have been locked in a three-way battle for wing spots at the superpowered Super franchise for a number of seasons now, with Bridge – the All Blacks’ first-choice left wing just three seasons ago – recently making the decision to head offshore after losing his starting position to Fainga’anuku at the Crusaders.

While Bridge could have made the decision to sign for another NZ side, he evidently saw the writing on the wall and has now been lost to the country. If New Zealand Rugby had stepped in and pushed harder for him to consider other options, would that still be the case?

Bridge was only second in line at the Crusaders but Brewis, Gallagher and the other young forwards who have now been called into the All Blacks XV are ranked much lower on the totem pole.

You also have to question whether their successes have come because they’re excellent talents or because Ryan has simply moulded them into excellent players. With Ryan no longer forwards coach at the Crusaders, the incentives to stick around for the young men who will be desperate to advance their cases for national selection once they’ve had a taste of ‘Test’ rugby with the All Blacks XV may fade significantly.

The Crusaders aren’t hogging talent – they’re just very good at identifying and nurturing it. But at a certain point in time, it’s important to not just be learning on the training pitch but be playing minutes against opposition from around the country and, ideally, around the world. Some of the best up-and-coming players in the country might not get that opportunity if they remain where they are, and that will be a significant loss for the individuals themselves and New Zealand and the All Blacks as a whole.