1
'It clearly shows where the intention is' - All Blacks accused of poaching
By Chris Jones
Manu Samoa coach Seilala Mapusua believes New Zealand rugby’s selection of Moana Pasifika’s Super Rugby Pacific centre Levi Aumua proves the All Blacks can still cherry-pick players who are qualified for Islands nations.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mapusua is convinced Aumua’s selection in the All Blacks XV squad “diminishes the purpose” of the Moana Pasifika franchise. Aumua is eligible for Manu Samoa, Fiji, the All Blacks and Australia.
Aumua, 28, was selected for the All Blacks XV for two games against Ireland A and the Barbarians in November. Mapusua, who is preparing Samoa for their November tests with Italy, Georgia and Romania, ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in France, told Stuff: “We waited a long time for a team like Moana Pasifika to be established. I’d like to think it’s our team but this is a not so gentle reminder that yes we can have our team but the best players will still get picked up by, in this case, New Zealand.
“What Moana Pasifika are saying is not untrue but at the same time all it takes is one. If we are looking at things in principle, it should be 100% (eligibility for the Pacific Islands teams). The establishment of this team(Moana) was to benefit Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.
“We looked at Moana Pasifika as our team. It is frustrating seeing guys like Levi being picked up by the All Blacks. Obviously it sends a message to all the other midfielders in the five (New Zealand) franchises. Frustrating is a nice way to put it.”
NZ Rugby granted the licence for Moana Pasifika to participate in Super Rugby Pacific, and it is understood that the All Blacks can select up to three players from the franchise. While the All Blacks XV is not a “capture” team, meaning Aumua could still play for Samoa or Fiji, Mapusua says it signals the centre is on New Zealand’s radar and could be elevated to the senior squad.
Mapusua said. “While everyone is saying it’s not a capped team it clearly shows where the intention is and where players are being viewed.
ADVERTISEMENT
“There’s a chance that Levi could go on and be a key player for the All Blacks and go to the World Cup. There’s also a very real chance that he might not.”
The choice belongs to the man himself, they might find they'll lose players if they think they'll lose the opportunity to make packet loads of money.
They should be happy for him. Rassie supported Duan van der Merwe when he got selected for the Lions and Scotland. It's a huge honour for him to make that selection. If he was from Samoa, living in Samoa his whole life that would be weird though. Saying that NZ rugby has an obligation to support the Island nations. Like SA rugby took Argentina under their wing. Don't poach, grow the beautiful game. What is shameful is how Eddy Jones is trying to poach the SA U/19 captain. They (England and Australia) also tried poaching Bryan Habana back in the day.
This team was really just an expansion franchise to give more players ah opportunity to play. Levi took it and flourished enough for the best team in the world to take notice of a kid from their backyard. And the problem is?
So what I'm hearing is that regardless of what country someone is born in or what country they want to play for they should have to play for a country that reflects their ethnic background? So European teams should be 100% white and the only Polynesian players in the All Blacks should be Māori.
I'm sure that there's a few white supremacists that would love this policy.
Is this a joke? He was born in Auckland.
28 year old Kiwi qualifies for multiple nations, okay, got it.
I'm bloody sick of these islanders complaining about shit like this , none of them even live in samoa , tonga or fiji. What's so wrong with someone BORN in New zealand playing for an NZ team ?
Moana P should have been based in Tonga /Samoa and limited to indigenous players. at the very least , kiwis and oz players who pin their colors to the Samoan/Tongan mast.
Not really sure what the complaint is. It's not like NZR lured a teenager from the islands, Samoa appear to have had every chance to select the player over a number of years themselves but haven't.
Nzs 6th franchise, always has been, the rules states that the Abs can select 3 players from this Moana team
Of course they cherry pick. They're not going to select the worst
Born in New Zealand...
He is also 28, so it's not like other teams didn't have an opportunity to pick him.
New zealand born, Australian raised 🤷♂️