Strangely, New Zealand has reacted to the loss of Mark Tele’a with little concern. The Blues and All Blacks wing confirmed last week that he is going to head to Japan later this year and team up with former All Blacks coaches Ian Foster and Steve Hansen instead of committing himself to the 2027 World Cup.
It seemed that the news of his impending departure to Toyota Verblitz was met with little more than a shrug, and that New Zealanders don’t particularly feel they need to lament the loss of the man who in 2023 was named World Rugby breakthrough player of the year, and who has been, mostly, the All Blacks first choice right wing since the end of 2022.
The prevailing view – certainly the most common reaction from experts, commentators and fans – was that Tele’a, who will turn 29 later this year, had his best years behind him.
The general vibe appeared to be that if he stayed in New Zealand, he’d inevitably lose his All Blacks place to one of the many emerging wings who have lit up Super Rugby this year.
The underlying inference is that he’s getting too old, will likely end up too slow and that he has made a smart decision to cash-in now and take what is believed to be an eye-watering offer to play for Toyota.
The general sentiment of Telea’s decision to leave was summed up best by the comments of former All Blacks outside back Israel Dagg, who said: “Mark Tele’a has had limited opportunities and he is in a position that has been heavily contested throughout this season.
“No disrespect, but I think that ship has sailed and I think the coaching group will look at options elsewhere.
“I’m sure he’ll be really valued over in Japan but I’m not concerned, because I think there is so much talent here that will be unlocked this season and given opportunities.”
Dagg, who played his last test at the age of 30 – he was forced to retire prematurely due to a chronic knee injury – believes that there is an overwhelming body of evidence to say that wing is a young man’s position at international level and that New Zealand always has emerging talent to call upon.
Tangitau is undoubtedly talented and frighteningly quick, and there is equally no question that Carter, Narawa, Fainga’anuku, Tavatavanawai and Carter have ability.
He named 22-year-old Highlander Caleb Tangitau as a potential replacement for Tele’a in the All Blacks, while other experts name-checked Leroy Carter at the Chiefs, as well as the previously capped Emoni Narawa and Highlanders captain Timoci Tavatavanawai.
And with Leicester Fainga’anuku on his way home from Toulon, the All Blacks will have another wing option to supposedly render the loss of Tele’a almost negligible.
This read of New Zealand as a land with an abundance of outrageously talented wings to put into the All Blacks is, however, grossly exaggerated and possibly misplaced.
Tangitau is undoubtedly talented and frighteningly quick, and there is equally no question that Carter, Narawa, Fainga’anuku, Tavatavanawai and Carter have ability.
But there is a big difference between being a proven test player like Tele’a – who starred at the 2023 World Cup and has shown in 19 appearances to date that he has the temperament and all-round game to play at the highest level – and being a promising Super Rugby player.
Test rugby is a different beast entirely to Super Rugby and that is especially true of wings, whose role in the former can often look nothing like the game they are asked to play in the latter.
Super Rugby is fast, open and aerobic and rarely do games revert to strategic kick-fests where the ability to chase and catch high balls becomes critical. And this is one of the many reasons why Tele’a’s decision to leave for Japan is more significant than was appreciated last week and has the potential to hurt the All Blacks.
A few days after saying he was leaving, Tele’a showed his real value with a bruising, bustling performance in the rain against the Crusaders. He bashed hard yards for his team, collected tricky high kicks and covered on defence.
Everyone who thinks the All Blacks can click their fingers and magic another incredible, try-scoring wing is deluding themselves. Tele’a is a special talent with a skill-set that is significantly wider and more on brief for test rugby than many of his peers and replacing him may be harder than anyone is anticipating.
He’s shown he can win the ball in the air: that he can adapt his game to make a contribution no matter the weather, the occasion or the opponent.
A few days after saying he was leaving, Tele’a showed his real value with a bruising, bustling performance in the rain against the Crusaders. He bashed hard yards for his team, collected tricky high kicks, covered on defence and popped up all over the place to add value each time he had the ball.
The Blues didn’t win but that was nothing to do with Tele’a, whose performance only typified why his Super Rugby club were willing to offer him a four-year extension to stay. Their view was that he would be the same player at 32 than he is at 28 because his game is built on his work-rate, his strength, instincts, and wider skill-sets rather than his pace.
He’s an all-rounder with an adaptable skill-set and he’s looked as at home in test rugby playing Scotland as he has against South Africa.
That’s rare for a wing to be so versatile – he can also play both on the left and right – and what seems least appreciated about Tele’a, is that his game is not as vulnerable to being impacted by age as others who have played on the wing for the All Blacks.
It’s true that many All Blacks greats – Christian Cullen, Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Jonah Lomu – were all 27 when they respectively played their last tests, while the likes of Doug Howlett and Rico Gear had just turned 29, but to automatically extend the same argument to Tele’a is lazy.
It’s true that many All Blacks greats – Christian Cullen, Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Jonah Lomu – were all 27 when they respectively played their last tests, while the likes of Doug Howlett and Rico Gear had just turned 29, but to automatically extend the same argument to Tele’a is lazy.
It’s also true that New Zealand has a bad habit of overestimating what’s actually in the talent pool. It’s not always the case the next generation steps up the way they have been predicted to and looking back through the last 15 years or so, the All Blacks have quite often been bereft of an obvious, world class right wing.
At the 2011 World Cup they had to coerce centre Richard Kahui to play out of position. In 2015, they picked too test rookies – Nehe Milner-Skudder and Waisake Naholo in their squad, which was much the same thing they did four years later when Sevu Reece and George Bridge made it into the team.
And the situation may not be so different once Tele’a moves on as there is no guarantee that any of the wings who have been touted as potential replacements will prove to be of the right calibre.
Fainga’anuku is powerful, but he’s never looked great under a high ball, and he’s been exposed defensively in the past. He may also be coming home with ambition to play more in the midfield. Narawa glides across the turf but he’s not an out and out finisher in the same mould as Tele’a and has looked a little nervous on his previous test appearances.
As for the others – all that can be said is that there is a long journey to endure from looking good at Super Rugby to becoming a reliable test players. And it’s with this in mind that former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson was obviously weighing up when he expressed his concern about the impact of losing Tele’a.
Wilson, who won 60 test caps, knows what it takes to thrive in the test arena and to give the All Blacks the full range of skills the All Blacks need in the No 14 jersey, said: “I don’t know if we can do more to keep our players in New Zealand but this really concerns me. This guy is a superstar, not just in our game for the All Blacks but for the Blues as well – one of our great superstars.
“I’m concerned right now, Mark Tele’a I think is a huge loss. He’s a bit different to what we’ve had before; the strength, the footwork in small spaces through the middle of the park. He’s in his prime, I think he has two, three, four good years in him, but now it looks like we’re going to lose that.”
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Sevu Reece is playing so well. Just equalled TJ’s Super try scoring record in spectacular for the Crusaders. Then you have Carter, Narewa etc all playing brilliantly . Wing is the least of our worries.
NZR must be pragmatic with its finances. You don’t invest money in a 29-year-old winger (by the end of 2025). Yes, Telea was a fantastic player between 2022 and 2024, but he won’t be better once he's over 30. He will inevitably be less sharp, less fast. For nearly 25 years, no winger over 30 (except maybe Jane?) has worn the black jersey. All the legendary All Blacks wingers often ended their international careers well before that age. It’s a position that wears players down because, quite simply, you're always faster at 20 or 25 than at 30.
The talent pool in New Zealand is still very strong. For me, it’s a non-issue.
Telea is right to take the yen before his market value drops.
I won’t lie - he is a loss
Anyone who thinks otherwise is in denial
He constantly tops the metres gained and defenders beaten stats
But - wing is a position that is well stocked and I’m not sure so far this year he’s in the same form
After Proctors performance against the best Aussie team yesterday he really needs to start at centre
Leinster will use Rieko on the wing at times and Razor needs to bite the bullet and try this (even if he moves to centre during tests)
Otherwise the ABs now have other threats as mentioned like Naholo who appears unstoppable and Tangitau who seems exceptionally quick
Carter - hmmm not sure
And of course LF who has been smashing it for Toulon mostly at centre
Gregor Paul mustn’t watch much outside of NZ
Also I was very impressed with Love at 10 yesterday!
How about this backline against France:
Roigard
Love
Clarke
Tavatavanawai
Proctor
Tangitau
Jordan
Love it! Absolutely Love’s it! Did i go too far there?
BTW I’m one who gives credit to Rieko for his defence at least, I’d be absolutely OK with him being used to switch into center late in games if they are using a 6-2 bench and only because the 23 is someone who can play in the backfield, like a Love. But I only really see a need to sub Proctor in his first season/half season, otherwise he should be a 80min with no need for Rieko other than to start there.
The difference between the young and old "said that if 29-30 years of age is old” is not only the experience they have, but also the capability to lead the team in any structure plan that might fail on the field.
The most fearless giants played in winning tests, over the world was 25 - 33 years of age.
The likes of NZL Wilson, the superstar Lomo, Dan Carter ,Danie Gerber, Chester Williams, André Joubert, Morné Steyn of the boks and many more, were legends and match winners by trade !
Everything now a days is to costly to invest in players beyond 25 years of age, the superstars should be there to lead by example on the field and pass there knowledge and experience on to the upcoming new born stars , not to invest in the teams age.
Should have redirected Rieko Ioane’s unjustified salary towards Tele’a, at least one of them makes a difference. This sign them to halfway through a world cup cycle thing the NZR does (or is held to ransom by) really is not helpful at all.
Given his conservatism last year, Razor will probably just go with Clarke and Reece. If any new player does make the squad, they’ll get given little game time unless a mass of injuries occur. I’d say Billy Proctor will be the next to leave given he’s stuck behind the worst 13 in NZ, and ALB as well.
Yeah Nehe and Naholo were a real weak link werent they 🤣🤣🤣 what kind of sad arguments are these? Telea hasn't even cracked 20 tests. He's not fresh but he's no veteran. Plenty of talent out there. Click bait
Typically sad LW from this author, always are. Bit confused about you player references there and think you might have missed the obvious. That’s because he’s so young by comparison. Think of him as an extra special Piutau or Leicester who was able to get a few more caps, not a Nehe, who had been a pro player since his teenage years in the NRL, or a Naholo who got injured.
I would be surprised if he doesn’t have a buyout clause in his last year so that NZR can resign him if needed. 2023 he came into the Blues? That would put him at a similar playing condition to a mid 20’s prime winger age for the 2027 WC. Hard to see him holding his standards in Japan though.
With his age and with the AB’s tendency to pick younger players out wide its probably the best decision for him to make especially while his value is still high. Its a shame that one of the best international wings is stepping away from the international game at the age of 28 but that is typically the life of an AB winger. Perhaps they should value their wingers more though. Kolbe isnt a spring chicken, neither is Arendse but both wingers are still valuable parts of the Springbok core and nobody would suggest they are past it. Habana and Shane Williams played a couple of years into their 30’s and were still powerhouse players even at that age. The same goes for countless great wingers who have had long careers.
Those are small wingers though, a little different right? Or maybe that’s just a mark that SA don’t have any other good wingers coming through? It wasn’t always the case that NZ’s started underperforming, sometimes it was that they just got outperformed by younger guys too. Look at Rieko largely kicking the great Ben Smith to the sidelines.
These players are “promising Super Rugby players” Paul, they are SR stars and performing far above the current All Blacks and perhaps even better than they ever had in SR before. Now that is a big difference.
I find it comical that a Rugby Pass content creator is using Mark Tele’s biggest weakness as the reason his departure could be felt LOL!
This rather seems like someone kicked to the curb by Razor than wanting out.
Didn't Telea look great against the Reds.
Te’lea was arguably the best wing in the world in 2022 and 2023. But he noticeably lost a step of pace in 2024 during the international season. He showed his class every once in awhile, like the try in November vs England, but those moments of class became far less often than in 2022 and 2023.
NZR simply can’t break the bank for a wing. The money needs to be saved for 10s, locks, and props- positions that NZ has less depth at.
I think they ramped up back to normal by the end of the season SC. It was a very different Blues campaign for him, and as much as people croon on about diversity in styles amongst the sides being the best thing, it makes it much harder for the players to just jump right into a different team. Look for instance how well Sititi did after coming from a veryr orthodox team.
More of a choice over wingers than were to save a buck for me.
Telea has been a fine player in the past but I feel he has made a good decision to now seek big $$$$ overseas whilst he retains some form. There is a plethora of excellent wingers around and he is comfortably replaced by these. He was not a major factor for the Blues against the Crusaders as conditions were against wingers shining anyway and both backlines were confined largely to defensive roles.
The only good wingers in the country and Caleb and .. young players like Tyrone and Caleb, Leroy, I think it’s a situation that is the complete opposite of having a plethora of excellent wingers around!
You have to make hay while the sun shines. Telea feels like a player that was hampered by the changes Covid brough to international competitions as well. He’s good enough to play aginst the likes of Kolbe and Arendse week in, week out, but unforunately the changes that stemmed from all the panic was a guy who (then would’ve been in his prime years for wing) to wait and hope that he’d get a chance to be selected.
I think they’ll look to Reece/Narawa and Clark to go with some consistency rather than aiming to find a new breakout star. Just one man’s opinion.
I think it’s the exact opposite from memory of an interview Michael. COVID gave Tele’a the chance to concentrate on rugby and make it into his provincial team, he was well passed age grade rugby by then and had not been part of any pathways even before COVID. From there, wow, what a player he turned out to be able to make those seasoned internationals look as bad a club player.
Seems to be a NZ thing to baby players until they’re trusted enough to actually be proper All Blacks.
Telea got his opportunity and lit up straight away at the end of 2022 and never looked back.
Now we have to wait for 1-2 years for some new prodigy to ‘learn the role at an international level’.
(Or just put Emoni or Sevu there.)
Seems a strange take; very rare for a young player/debutant to be thrust into a fulltime, starting role for any international team if that’s what you refer to as the opposite of “babying”. The exception is obviously when there is a superstar coming through or depth issues in a certain position but history suggests it takes time to adjust to the difference in style and intensity. And whilst Talea had some great games early, he also had some indifferent ones.
NZR and the public would much rather have him than not but he’s made a sensible decision for himself at this stage of his career - if he was 25, it’d be a much different situation.
Emoni deserves a decent crack after multiple strong super seasons, Sevu whilst a brilliant super rugby player has been found wanting against some of the better teams in internationals but is obviously a very experienced operator. Razor obviously likes Fihaki who’s been blooded in camp so there’s 3 players ready to roll. Then Reiko can play wing, Will Jordan is already one of the best 14s in the world (i’m looking forward to his growth as an international fullback of course). That’s 5 players ready to go for June.
Then there’s 8 very good uncapped players who could put their hand up (be baby’d) in Talea’s absence: Tavatavanawai, Tangitau, Springer, Taumoefalau, AJ Lam, Carter, Naholo, Nanai-Seturo.
I imagine that’s why the public isn’t overly panicked about the situation. This is of course an opinion.
It’s a pragmatic decision, really. As the saying goes, the best time to sell a business is when everything is going well, but most wait until the good times are wanning before cashing in.
The same could be said for a rugby player. At 28, Talea is in good nick and at the peak of his value. Wait until after the next WC, and he might find his market value has depleted markedly.
Besides, wing is one of the easier positions to fill and is transient by nature. We’d be far more concerned to lose a 10, 12, 4 or 8 for example. They are positions that require a lot of investment and player development. Another 14 will come along soon enough, and that’s no disrespect to Talea.
I think we have plenty of 12s and 8’s to lose, and when you say 4, losing Patrick would be less of a concern for me than loosing Mark.
The think with Mark is we’ve had it shared the fallout between Razor and MacDonald was over Razor overstepping his grounds in his preference for Reece over Tele’a. Now I wouldn’t normally be to perturbed by this, but we have a unique situation were Reece is the picture of a guy who’s not going to be able to keep his standards up, and Tele’a epitomizes effortlessness, and has only been in this game for 4-5 years, so are we really keeping a 30yo and throwing away a 23 yo?
Bang on. His loss will be absorbed as the ABs look stacked on the wings.
If he was a marquee lock or centre it might hit harder. They've plenty of options