Calls Grow for NZ Rugby to Reconsider Eligibility Rules After All Blacks‘ Historic Loss
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Following the All Blacks’ unprecedented defeat to South Africa last saturday, a chorus of former New zealand rugby greats are urging NZ Rugby to relax it’s eligibility rules, potentially opening the door to overseas-based players and bolstering the national team’s depth. The calls for change come amid widespread criticism of the current squad’s performance and concerns about the future of New Zealand’s rugby legacy.
The 31-28 loss to the Springboks at Twickenham marked the first time the All Blacks have suffered back-to-back defeats since 2011, and only the fourth time in their history. Former All Blacks players have publicly questioned the team’s leadership, composure, and strategic decision-making during the match, fueling a national debate about the state of New Zealand rugby.
On Sky’s commentary, Muliaina said it appeared the All Blacks had “almost given up”, while former All Blacks captain Kieran Read asked, “where’s that spine that we want to see?”. A night later, Marshall expressed deep concern about the damage to the All Blacks’ legacy, stating: “That’s what hurts me the most. There’s a lot of hard work that has gone into the preservation of that history and continually… that’s being rattled and changed and all of a sudden its irrecoverable.”
The current eligibility criteria, largely unchanged for years, restricts selection to players contracted to New Zealand Rugby. This policy has been a point of contention, particularly as increasing numbers of top New Zealand players seek lucrative contracts in European and Japanese leagues.Critics argue this self-imposed limitation considerably reduces the talent pool available to the All Blacks.
Cruden highlighted a lack of alignment between coaches and the leadership group, observing that “once the momentum started to fall away it looked like we didn’t have any answers.” Muliaina pointed to panicked decision-making, citing Beauden Barrett’s low-percentage chip kicks – one in the 56th minute (score 17-10) with a four-on-one overlap, and another in the 64th minute (score 24-10) – as examples of a team lacking a cohesive plan, stating, “We’re not trying to win a moment, we’re trying to win a miracle.” Host Jeff Wilson added, “We changed what was working once we went under scoreboard pressure.”
Despite the criticism,the All Blacks boast meaningful experiance within the squad. The Barrett brothers – skipper Scott (85 Tests), playmaker Beauden (140) and vice-captain Jordie (75) – recently celebrated their 300th collective cap, while vice-captain Ardie Savea has 101 Test appearances. However, this experience wasn’t enough to overcome the springboks’ challenge, prompting renewed calls for a broader talent search.
