Is player pinching really theft?
Roar Guru By Hayley Byrnes, 24 Oct 2012 Hayley Byrnes is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- All Blacks, Mike Harris, Rugby Union, Russell Crowe, Steve Hansen, The Rugby Championship, wallabies
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During this week’s session with my touch team (yes it may have taken place in the local pub instead of the field), I got to talking to one of my team mates who had just returned from a three year stint playing for a UK rugby club.
Now 29-years old and recovering from a serious injury which forced him to return to Australia, he was at that dreary point in his life which all professional footballers eventually have to face.
What to do for income now?
Fortunately for him he knuckled down a great contract and managed to walk away with some decent coin giving him some time under his belt to figure out his options for the future.
It is now honed into any young footballer that they must strike while the iron is hot. Opportunities that provide great financial gain are rare and as we have come to learn, changing your national allegiance is often required.
After this weekend’s dismal Bledisloe Cup result, much of the talk has been about controversial Wallaby Mike Harris, a New Zealand born and raised flyhalf who only moved across the ditch two years ago after serving his earlier years with provincial club North Harbour.
Harris qualifies for Australia due to a grandmother who was born here.
Cranky All Blacks coach Steve Hansen had a dig at Harris post match, accusing Australia of poaching the Kiwi native in an off-the-cuff reply during the after match press conference.
“It’s time you start developing players in your own country,” he responded after being questioned if it was embarrassing that Harris went unnoticed by the NZRU.
Harris and Australia Rugby Union’s John O’Neill were quick to fire back, pointing the finger at New Zealand’s previous recruiting of Pacific Islanders.
“I would not even want to guess how many players born in the South Pacific islands have worn the All Blacks’ jersey – the reality is there are players who will look for opportunities to play test rugby,” O’Neill responded.
And so the tiresome player allegiance debate is again doing its rampant rounds through the rugby community. Not wanting to miss out on the chat, I put it to two of my kiwi mates both playing over here after having picked up Australian Super Rugby contracts.
“If there seemed no chance of you ever wearing the black jersey, would you represent Australia,” I put to them.
Both said they would, to quote one: “You have to take the best opportunity available, embrace it and never look back.”
Now this does suck to admit, but in today’s game you have to go where the financial safety and stability is and I commend Harris on making it into the Wallabies squad.
Harris, a former New Zealand under-20′s squad member, a squad which boasted the likes of current All Blacks Israel Dagg and Aaron Smith, would have been insane to turn down any opportunity with the Wallabies. If he didn’t he would more than likely be another Super Rugby player eventually looking for financial reward overseas.
“I played in New Zealand for 20 years and I wasn’t getting an opportunity but got one with the Reds and (coach) Ewen McKenzie. And I’m thankful for that,” Harris told the media on Monday.
“I have got Australian blood and am proud to be Australian, if that makes me eligible, then so be it.”
Gone are the early days of international rugby where all that ever counted aside from on field form was residency. Professional rugby is just that – professional. Your humble footy player is now a businessman and must treat football as profitable enterprise.
If that means turning your back on your country then so be it.
Worked for Russell Crowe.
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October 24th 2012 @ 3:43am
biltongbek said | October 24th 2012 @ 3:43am | Report comment
Sadly money talks. Was this still the amateur era less players would run out for other countries.
I personally don’t have an issue with players going after money wherever it may take them, I so and will always have an issue with players learning their trade in one country and then run out for another.
Test rugby to me is the holy grail and shouldn’t be tainted with issues like this.
There should be a strong identity and pride for fans that their players that represent their home nation has been brought up with the rugby culture in his country.
But then I am Traditionalist and realise very few reason my way.
October 24th 2012 @ 11:17am
Mantis said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:17am | Report comment
I agree with you. I was never good enough at any sport to even dream of playing internationally, but if I were there’s no way I would be able to represent anyone but Australia. Would never happen, regardless of the money.
October 24th 2012 @ 12:54pm
redsnut said | October 24th 2012 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
biltongbek said ” and will always have an issue with players learning their trade in one country and then run out for another.”
IMO, that’s the same as saying – if you learned your trade/profession with one business, you should work for them for the rest of their working life.
After all, parentage and place of birth are an “accident of life”
October 24th 2012 @ 3:56pm
biltongbek said | October 24th 2012 @ 3:56pm | Report comment
Redsnut, unless they start an unternational plumbers competition where we all compete against one another in an anuual tri nations plumbers crack competition it isn’t the same thing.
October 25th 2012 @ 7:16pm
Mantis said | October 25th 2012 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
Thats a terrible analogy.
October 24th 2012 @ 9:57pm
Sylvester said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:57pm | Report comment
I totally agree as well biltongbek. Make as much money as you can at club/franchise level I say, but should not international rugby be about nationalism?
October 24th 2012 @ 10:08pm
biltongbek said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
Absolutely.
October 24th 2012 @ 6:26am
Mat said | October 24th 2012 @ 6:26am | Report comment
O Neil- “I would not even want to guess how many players born in the South Pacific islands have worn the All Blacks’ jersey”
That was a big fail as in reality he does not know the demographic makeup of NZ and those pacific players who were actually born OUTSIDE of NZ. He would be surprised how few were born outside NZ. I think Jerome Kaino was the only P.I player born outside of NZ in last years RWC squad yet alone how many NZ born players were actually in the Samoan team.
Hansen “It’s time you start developing players in your own country”.
Clumsy but people need to read between the lines. He does not mention ‘birthplace’ or country of origin. His main proposition is the development of players and where this occurs.
It would be disappointing if the ARU had under 20 representatives playing for another country especially a main rival after they had spent their resources (funding) on the conditioning and development of players who they thought would contribute back to the union. This I guess is where Hansens frustration stemmed from.
Rule 3 should be abolished and is a rule more suited to club rugby globally.
Also the excuse for ‘financial safety and stability’ is weak. It more of a lesser motiovation to move. If this was the reason then he would not have to chose to play for the Junior Allblacks. Harris chose to move from NZ as he could not progress further in his rugby career as he could not get signed up to any nz super rugby side. What do you do?you look at the easier path to progress through.
October 24th 2012 @ 6:38am
HayloHaylz said | October 24th 2012 @ 6:38am | Report comment
Over 1100 players have worn the black jersey – only 78 were born overseas. Not a bad stat.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:17am
Chiefs4life said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:17am | Report comment
it really puts the flawed argument of nz pinching P.I players into perspective
October 24th 2012 @ 6:44am
richard said | October 24th 2012 @ 6:44am | Report comment
Mat, I wouldn’t take too much notice of the dribble that comes out of O’Neil’s mouth, he is only using the pi debate as a smokescreen to deflect attention away from the real issue – a ramping up of oz poaching of nz’s playing stocks. It would seem anyone with a brown skin playing for nz is an islander that we obviously poached.
Ironic, coming from a country that fielded 5 pi’s in their last test team.Nz, on the other hand, fielded 3 pi’s ( 2 brn and bred and 1 who moved to nz at age 3) 6 europeans and 6 maoris – ALL nzers.Hanson’s comments were spot on!
October 24th 2012 @ 11:04am
Blue to the Bone said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:04am | Report comment
Everyone has their opnion, happily i don’t agree with yours.
If Harris’ real talent was developed in NZ then he would have been picked up by an NZ Super 15 team. Raw talent doesn’t = a Super 15 star. The Red’s noticed he had raw talent, picked him up and gave him the intricate skills needed to move from Junior player to Super Rugby player.
Also, how could money not come into it?! Its not the only thing that matters, but its still a big issue. They only have a small window to play professionally before their bodies give out. Most of them now study to get other qualifitcations (the Force encourage it) as they are more then aware that they need something to fall back on.
Lucky for you, you don’t play rugby and have a full time job that doesn’t require day in day out physical challenges, otherwise maybe your attitude would change?
October 24th 2012 @ 3:28pm
richard said | October 24th 2012 @ 3:28pm | Report comment
BTTB,I don’t know if your thread is directed at me, but if it is, I will just say this; it’s very easy for you to take this stance as the traffic is all one way i.e nz talent to oz. If you are using players that emigrated to oz for reasons other than rugby, well and good, you have every right to selct them. But ,if they are players your super franchises have targeted, then they should only be able to represent that team- wb selction should be out of the question.This was the point Hansen was making, and frankly he has a point.Contrary to what some ozzies think, we don’t put time and effort into our players for the benefit of other countries!
If the thread wasn’t directed at me,I apologise.
October 24th 2012 @ 3:39pm
Red Kev said | October 24th 2012 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
It doesn’t really matter why you put the time and effort in, rugby is a professional game and unless you’re going to pay those players to stay in NZ there’s nothing you can do except moan like spoiled children … which seems to be what is happening.
October 24th 2012 @ 3:46pm
Jerry said | October 24th 2012 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Kev – seeing as the counter argument seems to boil down to “Finders keepers, losers weepers” I don’t think either side of the argument has a monopoly on maturity.
October 25th 2012 @ 7:24am
richard said | October 25th 2012 @ 7:24am | Report comment
Thats a laugh,mate . You have 5 super franchises, which you cannot justify as you don’t have the player base. Australia’s solution – poach players from other countries; without the laws as they stand now, your wb’s would barely be competitive at super rugby level, let alone test level.
October 25th 2012 @ 8:29am
Mike said | October 25th 2012 @ 8:29am | Report comment
“the laws as they stand now” are simply life. It is what has always applied.
If New Zealand choose to restrict whom they will allow to play for their country, that is entirely their affair.
Siimilarly, if Australia chooses to accept players from other countries (which we have always done, nothing new there) and if those players find Australia a more attractive place to live and play, then no-one is entitled to object.
October 25th 2012 @ 9:13am
richard said | October 25th 2012 @ 9:13am | Report comment
To Mike, the point I was making is that the eligibility rules were changed recently by the IRB, this was put forward by the NH as a means of preventing nz from “poaching” pi talent. The real reason, was that the poms could use these laws to accesss foreign talent that was permeating the british – read English – game.It is no coincidence that you are seeing more foreigners in their national team.Oz has taken advantage of that, and followed suit.
I have no objection to our players plying their trade overseas for foreign clubs, but it should end there.
Let’s just say we agree to disagree on this issue.
October 24th 2012 @ 2:03pm
DT said | October 24th 2012 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
Steve Devine went to Joey’s in Sydney, played for the Aussie u21′s, and then went on to the Auckland Blues and 10 caps for the All Blacks.
People move. Get over it.
October 24th 2012 @ 6:46am
RobCampbell said | October 24th 2012 @ 6:46am | Report comment
I think Sean maitland has just agreed to play for Scotland through his grandparents after representing nz Maori and u21(this may be wrong but either way he’s definitely signed a contract with glasgow warriors)
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October 24th 2012 @ 6:58am
patonga said | October 24th 2012 @ 6:58am | Report comment
Question?? How come Brad Thorn can play Rugby League for Australia ,,, Then play Rugby for the All Blacks ,,,, Sorry but Steve Hansen had to come up with some excuse for his teams poor performance.I think if any player is given the chance to play at the highest level they will play for any country that wants them,,,
As for Mike Harris he has chosen his path to hopefully play at the highest level so good luck to him…
October 24th 2012 @ 7:23am
Sam said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:23am | Report comment
because league and union are 2 different sports, different sporting bodies that have different eligibility rules. We all know how much of a joke league is internationally including the fiasco with kiwis playing in the State of Origin.
Thorn was born in NZ so its obvious he could play for the ABs.
October 24th 2012 @ 10:57am
patonga said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:57am | Report comment
I do agree League is a joke internationally and as i said i think any player would want to play Rugby at the highest level for any country,, and Money seems to sway things either way..
October 24th 2012 @ 7:02pm
Mike said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Sam, that isn’t a reason.
Thorn’s parents moved to Australia when he was eight. He grew up in Australia playing league. He was thus eligible to play in either country. When he was 26 he chose to move to New Zealand to play rugby there, just as Harris chose to move to Australia to play rugby there.
People are allowed to move. Something to do with living in a free society.
October 24th 2012 @ 6:58am
moaman said | October 24th 2012 @ 6:58am | Report comment
What I don’t like and can’t understand about all this is;How someone becomes “Australian” overnight-having been something else all his life.It’s unthinkable to me.Your roots are an essential part of what defines you.
May as well abolish the singing of Anthems before the games as this sort of switching makes an absolute mockery of it.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:05am
biltongbek said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:05am | Report comment
Agree, I would love to know how the heart feels when you sing another country’s anthem when you have been living another culture for the majority of your adolescent life.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:35am
Ash24 said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:35am | Report comment
especially in Mike Harris case. Singing the Aussie national anthem 2 years after arriving in the country. Just Weird espeically singing the NZ national anthem and performing the haka only a year or 2 earlier. Tends to show how much money plays into sport these days. I wouldnt be surprised if Harris went on to play for England based on residence if he didnt get paid what he was worth. You see a lot of it with the Kenyan, Ethiopian middle-long distance runners representing the richer countries in the Middle east, Europe and North Africa
Theres also a big difference between Harris and the others like Cooper, Ioane, Genia who I consider true blue aussies despite not being born in another country. At least the grew up most of their life in the country they have adopted and have gone through the Australian system.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:07pm
Mike said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:07pm | Report comment
There’s nothing weird about it.
Brad Thorn played league in Australia from the age of 8. He stood up and sang the Australian national anthem in tests against New Zealand. Then at age 26 (older than Harris) he moved to New Zealand. He gained selection into the All Blacks and then sang the New Zealand national anthem in tests against Australia.
It happens. And Steve Hansen knows it happens, because he recruited plenty of mature foreign players for Wales when he was there. He’s just blowing smoke.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:44am
post said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:44am | Report comment
I have lived in the usa almost my entire life. I proudly sing the aussie anthem when it comes on. Since you’re curious, it feels pretty good to sing it!
October 24th 2012 @ 7:51am
kane said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:51am | Report comment
post, would you sing the Canadian anthem proudly if you lived most of your life in the US?
October 24th 2012 @ 9:40pm
Post said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
I have no parents or grandparents from Canada. Your question is irrelevant.
October 24th 2012 @ 8:13am
Post said | October 24th 2012 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Also, I reckon most of you guys saying that you can’t believe Harris actually cares when he sings the anthem have either lived entirely or almost entirely in one country your while lives/were raised with loyalties to only one country or both. No shame in that, most people are. However, to spout that Harris (or, by extension, Rathbone, who also qualified based on grandparents) is just chasing the money without knowing him is actually quite offensive.
October 24th 2012 @ 9:50am
Tissot Time said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:50am | Report comment
He couldnt get a job in NZL, he was offered one in Qld….he was chasing money…commercial reality and I dont know him but thats what I would do too.
October 24th 2012 @ 9:57am
Tissot Time said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:57am | Report comment
Innate loyalty and allegiance to country is an issue beyond this commercial reality
October 24th 2012 @ 1:46pm
p.Tah said | October 24th 2012 @ 1:46pm | Report comment
..” he was chasing money” is a bit too simplistic. Yes financial security is a major part, but so is playing at the highest level you can. Playing in a Super Rugby final. Playing Test matches on the other side of the world. North Harbour doesn’t offer you those opportunities. Would he have got there staying in NZ? Perhaps but injuries can cruel that chance so you take what is on offer.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:10pm
Mike said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
He was no more chasing money than every other rugby player on the planet is chasing money. Like all sportspeople, he has an intense desire to succeed, and he was going nowhere unless he could get into a provincial side. Melbourne offered him the opportunity, and he was fortunate enough to be eligible to play in Australia or New Zealand, so he took the opportunity offered.
October 24th 2012 @ 10:35pm
Mike said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:35pm | Report comment
Melbourne???? Arrrgghh!
October 24th 2012 @ 10:22am
Sailosi said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:22am | Report comment
Quite easily, I made a decision to study here, gain employment here and commit myself to Australia. I’m Australian and would have been quite proud to sing the national anthem of Australia the day I moved here.
October 24th 2012 @ 10:54am
Mals said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:54am | Report comment
Well said. While the people who “grew here” were lucky to be born in Aus, you made the conscious decision to move to Australia.
October 24th 2012 @ 10:56pm
bob said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:56pm | Report comment
ask the beast
October 24th 2012 @ 11:22pm
biltongbek said | October 24th 2012 @ 11:22pm | Report comment
He’ll have to stand in line whilst I ask the plethora who has left SA to play for other nations.
October 24th 2012 @ 8:40am
Wally James said | October 24th 2012 @ 8:40am | Report comment
I agree Moa. I also don’t understand how you could successfully represent your country at an age level and then play against them at senior level.
I have always thought one of the difficulties for Australian rugby in taking on NZers is the thought process which attends that. NZers, with their remarkable international history, have an absolute belief that they will win. Take for example McCaw’s decision to take the scrum after the hooter in the last test. Just great stuff. How is it possible to believe you can beat the All Blacks so soon after having total faith they cannot be beaten?
I mean that as no disrespect to Harris, Kepu, Cooper or O’Connor who grew up wanting to be All Blacks, or Deans who actually was one. I just do not comprehend the change in thinking which must be required.
I suspect it cannot be done and is contributing to why Australia is having such a dismal run again them
October 24th 2012 @ 9:00am
Jerry said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:00am | Report comment
O’Connor was born, grew up and learned all his rugby in Australia – I don’t think he belongs in that group.
October 24th 2012 @ 9:04am
Wally James said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:04am | Report comment
Jerry,
O’Connor is on record as living in NZ and wanting to be an AB as he grew up. For example see
http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/wallaby-dreamed-being-all-black-2841733
Unless those and other reports are wrong, in which case I stand corrected.
Cheers
Wally
October 24th 2012 @ 10:09am
Sandy said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Read the whole article Wally, “I feel Australian, I was born here, this is where I started playing rugby properly. This is where my dream started to be a professional rugby player”…etc.
O’Connor was born in Aus, spent 5 years in NZ and returned to Aus at age 11, he is a Nudgee boy with some fond memories of Eden Park.
NZ expressed some interest at luring him back but his allegiance was/is to Aus.
October 24th 2012 @ 7:13pm
Mike said | October 24th 2012 @ 7:13pm | Report comment
What’s difficult to understand Wally?
Brad Thorn sang the Australian national anthem for his tests against New Zealand. Then he moved to NZ, became an All Black and sang the NZ national anthem in tests against Australia. Sometimes that’s what happens.
October 24th 2012 @ 1:33pm
Snobby Deans said | October 24th 2012 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Totally agree Moaman. As a Kiwi who has been living in Aussie for almost 5 years, I get asked when I’m going to start supporting Aussie teams in the Super 15 and the Wallabies, etc. The emphatic answer is, never. I’m a proud Kiwi through and through for just happens to live in a different country.
I have met people who have migrated to Aussie and, for whatever reason, have decided to support their adopted country – and good luck to them if that’s what they choose to do. I can’t imagine ever doing that, not could I imagine being a Kiwi and having to sing the anthem of a different country with any conviction (but then again, you don’t have to actually sing it).
I have a 9 year old son – 5 when we arrived. If he ever gets to international level at any sport, it would be for Australia as that’s all he really knows. I’d barrack for him, but not for his team.
October 24th 2012 @ 9:28am
Roscoe said | October 24th 2012 @ 9:28am | Report comment
Sean Maitland HAS signed with Glasgow Warriors. The Scots have no morals! (please note this is tongue in cheek). People are free to make their own decisions based on what is best for them. Having never played Test level at any sport it is not my position to talk about “the national anthem”. I do know I love hearing Flower of Scotland but don’t have a drop of Scots blood in me.
As usual we have self professed expaerts trying to dictate how others should think. Good luck to both Harris and Maitland. Oh, and Aussie born prop Franks!
October 24th 2012 @ 10:26am
allblackfan said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
worh noting that the scottish RU have appointed someone specifically to chase down any eligible overseas-based player with scottish heritage with an eye to making them Scottish Test players! That’s taking things too far!
October 24th 2012 @ 12:43pm
Red Kev said | October 24th 2012 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
I was about to make a comment that I didn’t care because Scotland are barely a “tier 1″ rugby nation … then I realised I couldn’t because they’ve beaten Australia the last two times they’ve played us … damn you Robbie Deans!
October 24th 2012 @ 2:29pm
AussieKiwi said | October 24th 2012 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
At least Maitland has got the right name to play for Scotland (Maitland being the name of a Scottish clan).
October 24th 2012 @ 10:08am
all7days said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:08am | Report comment
I hope Harris always makes his own decisions and doesn’t listen to the small minded critics who think they have the right to judge decisions they could only dream to make.
The same goes for all people who are good enough at playing games to be paid for it.
Play for whoever you like for whatever reasons you have.
But just know that as a New Zealander I now class you as part of the enemy and will take joy in seeing you being battered and bruised when coming up against my Team.
It’s not personal…. You’re just not wearing Black, or blue, or Cambridge blue.
To paraphrase Seinfeld, “In professional sports we’re really only cheering for the outfit”
October 24th 2012 @ 10:16am
Shungmao said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:16am | Report comment
People you need to move on, like league you will see more PI’s and Kiwis in Australia and playing for Australia. At the current rate of immigration NZ will have the equivalent 20 % of its current population living in this country in the next 10 years. My sons school last term had 5 kiwi families join the school with early age teenage kids, we are friends with 2 of them and they have no intention of going back and fully accept there kids will probably never go back either. They will always remind them of there heritage and be proud of it but it will be what it will be.
Another view coud be , be happy Australia might afford these kids more opportunities than they ever would of had, that having access to 3 full contact football codes broadens their chances. If it was your kid would you prefer them to running on to Suncorp in Red or living in Southland selling beds, making a line break wearing the sky blue or at a Aucklnd sheep farm making stew?
October 24th 2012 @ 10:23am
all7days said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Auckland Sheep farm?!
October 24th 2012 @ 10:26am
Tissot Time said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:26am | Report comment
Commercial reality aside Bluff oysters and a nice Sauv Blanc still has a certain attraction over a XXXX and a shrimp on the barbie
October 24th 2012 @ 3:39pm
Funk said | October 24th 2012 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
Maybe you hung around the wrong crowd when in Australia, TT…..you can keep your bluff oysters and sauv balnc, I’ll take a kilo of Maloolabah king prawns, a nice qld mud crab, and a wa cray, washed down with maybe a cheeky James Squires golden ale, I think!
October 24th 2012 @ 4:12pm
kiwiinperth said | October 24th 2012 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
Funk, you obviously have never had bluff oysters, TT wish youd never mentioned them, ages since ive had them, salivating………………
October 24th 2012 @ 5:02pm
mervyn grimley said | October 24th 2012 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
What about some great northern cost of france oysters with some good champagne.
They sell ‘em on the street in france!!!!!!!!
But all those combos sound good to me.
October 24th 2012 @ 5:14pm
Funk said | October 24th 2012 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
kiwiinperth, you’ve obviously never had a mooloolabah king prawn or mud crabs.
October 24th 2012 @ 5:46pm
Tisso Time said | October 24th 2012 @ 5:46pm | Report comment
Funk I lived in Sydney for 7 years and a favourie passtime was sundowners at the fish market for Tasmanian oysters (similar lattitude to Bluff) matched with a chunk of taro washed down with some bubbly white stuff. Prawns and mud crabs are ok if someone else has extracted the meat for you.
Living in Singapore now and I have several favourite chilli crab outlets. I have a pending business trip to TYO during the upcoming Fugu season. TYO trips mandate an early morning visit to Tsukiji Fish Market for breakfast. Maybe I will see OJ there.
October 24th 2012 @ 10:40pm
kiwiinperth said | October 24th 2012 @ 10:40pm | Report comment
Funk, actually no I havent, love the Mooloolabah beach tho, one of my favourites, next time im over..
October 24th 2012 @ 12:12pm
WEST said | October 24th 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Harris if hes like majority of NZ kids will love to be a All Black, you cant tell me Harris didnt want to be a ALL BLACK!!! thats every kids dream to one day put one the black jersey….ask him that if he had a real choice, Hansen said . O.k harris we want you, when your Australian contract is up to play for the All Blacks, How does he feel watching the Haka knowing that could be him, NZRU has the problem if players are slipping threw our fingers.
Australian rugby, id hate to say but in ten years at least 50% of the Wallabys if not more will be kiwis, going by the numbers of kiwis crossing the ditch and players taking up super 15 in Australia. And having…God what then a Australian Haka NZ vs NZA.
October 24th 2012 @ 12:46pm
BBA said | October 24th 2012 @ 12:46pm | Report comment
Most of the spin following on from Steve Hanson’s terse response (to a leading question) has been making it a spin about eligibility rules. When I consider that his comment is also equally construed about the ARU’s inability to develop a tier 3 competition capabile of identifying quality players for Super rugby, etc.
It did not seem to me that Hansen was asking for eligibility rules to be changed and that what Mike Harris situation was illegal.
However, what is perhaps perceived by him is that the NZRFU goes to great expense, (and it is not making money for all, or even most of the competition) to have a third tier competition, which is considered important in bringing talent through.
It seems disappointing to a NZ rugby fan that they trawl through NZ’s competition for identifying talent when they probably have plenty of Mike Harris type capable players that could be lurking in their system, that are not being found or developed because the ARFU does not invest in it. It would also seem to me, to be beneficial to develop a competition even if it was not flly professional for growing the game in Australia, which seems to be something the ARU is always going on about.
Saying that if you had that system, and still considered someone like Mike Harris to be the most appropriate, then fine. It is a free market. However, no disrespect to Mike Harris, but I would think Australia produces plenty of backs. Props I could understand a bit more.
It does seem poor that a well funded first tier rugby nation like Australia, does not appear to be doing anything close to what they could be doing to develop and get the most for the first letter in their acronym.
Naturally that master politician John O’Neil leaps in and goes on the offensive and implies it is about an ineligibility issue rather than answer the heart of Hansen’s comment, regarding whether the ARU has done all that they could in developing their players.
It is hard to me to see how that question is that insulting, although I guess pointing out one of O’Neil’s greatest (and relatively few) failures as an administrator may be what he is getting act.