“Doubts Linger” – Former All Black Captain Skeptical about Changes to Eligibility Rules…

Doubts Linger: Former All Black Captain Skeptical about Changes to Eligibility Rules

Todd Blackadder, the former captain of the All Blacks and current head coach of Toshiba Brave Lupus, believes that New Zealand Rugby (NZR) is unlikely to alter the eligibility rules for All Black selection in the near future.

Offering a distinctive perspective from his position in Japan, where his club has recently welcomed two new All Blacks, Shannon Frizell and Richie Mo’unga, with another player, Seta Tamanivalu, being a pivotal asset for the team.

Blackadder, expressing his concerns, emphasized the broader implications that such a selection change could have on all levels of rugby in New Zealand.

In an interview with 1News, the former Crusader stated, “I don’t think it will happen for a while. It’s really going to come down to governance models. There’s so much that has to be unpicked.”

A modification in All Blacks’ selection eligibility criteria might open up alternative paths for aspiring players to don the iconic black jersey, potentially leading younger talents to seek overseas opportunities early in their careers.

Blackadder highlighted the potential significant impacts on New Zealand’s rugby development systems, expressing worries about losing control over the development and playing identity of young players.

“It’s not so much about the selection policy – it will have a massive impact on grassroots rugby, it will have a massive impact on school rugby and it will have a massive impact on provincial rugby, plus the All Blacks, of course,” he remarked.

Another concern raised by Blackadder relates to how overseas clubs manage players throughout a season and in the face of injuries. The lack of oversight by the All Blacks could hinder their ability to make informed selections.

“There’s also the management of players to consider – there’s more to it than ‘we just want the ability to pick guys from overseas’,” he added.

“When you’re playing around the world… those clubs may not always be willing to release those players, and if they were willing to, then they would probably be on reduced contracts