NZ Rugby At Odds With Global Sports Over Eligibility Rules

Tuesday, 19 November 2024, 8:28 pm
Article: RNZ

Felicity Reid, Sports Journalist

Analysis - The All Blacks and Silver Ferns are stymied by tradition.

New Zealand Cricket is teetering between the past and the future.

The All Whites and Tall Blacks do what their international peers do.

The eligibility rules requiring players to ply their trade at home that New Zealand Rugby and Netball New Zealand insist on sticking with, despite arguments for change, are in stark contrast to the global sports on display on our shores this week and last.

The All Whites called on players from 17 different football clubs for the latest FIFA window. Including nine players of the 24-strong squad playing for New Zealand-based A-League teams.

And one starring in one of the world's top leagues.

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley actively encourages players to be pushing for game time in teams in the United Kingdom, Europe and United States.

Playing in New Zealand's domestic league is not enough in the current All Whites environment.

The Tall Blacks have players playing professionally in New Zealand and Australia who will form a roster for Judd Flavell's first games in charge in the FIBA break this week.

Several other eligible players are spread across different overseas competitions -including the NBA - or signed to schools in the American college system.

Of the players selected for this international window four have played outside of Australasia within the last two years.

Basketball New Zealand hopes to send their players out into the world and welcome them back into the national teams with open arms.

The criteria for representing the Black Caps in the last few years has been less strictly defined than rugby or netball and has one foot on the path of that of football and basketball.

Black Caps selectors say they will give opportunities to those committed to the central contract system first.

Turn down a contract offer for offshore opportunities and risk not playing for your country again - unless you have a track record and skillset they can't turn down.

The rise of the casual contract for select New Zealand cricketers is a nod to the state of the sport globally as the national body tries to strike the right balance between allowing players financial freedom and making sure they'll pull on the black cap when the nation needs them.

New Zealand's domestic cricket competitions are not as high profile as others around the world and have at times have not featured the country's top players.

Before this week the last time Kane Williamson played Plunket Shield for Northern Districts was in 2019. Between then and now he has played just under 50 games for IPL franchises.

Playing in different conditions in different countries and getting intel on international opposition at a T20 franchise training session is just as valuable for individual players as it is for the national side.

The Black Caps squad that defeated India in the historic Test series win in India had 10 players (including Williamson who ended up missing the series) that had been signed to IPL franchises in the past.

Sportspeople often quote the phrase 'to be the best you have to beat the best'.

To make New Zealand representatives the best they can be, regardless of the code they are playing, they need to be regularly competing against the best.

The Silver Ferns will lose the services of their best goal shooter Grace Nweke next year as she heads to Australia to improve her skills in the world number one ranked country's highly competitive domestic competition. Her drive to be a better player excludes her from representing her country.

Whether All Blacks return from overseas sabbaticals better players than when they were playing Super Rugby is debatable. Super Rugby has changed without South African sides or even a team from Argentina or Japan.

South Africa won the 2019 Rugby World Cup when they had players in Super Rugby and backed it up again in 2023 when they not part of Super Rugby Pacific.

Rugby wants better global reach but some governing bodies, like New Zealand Rugby, are yet to start making decisions with the mindset of a truly global sport.

© Scoop Media

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