KEY POINTS:
It was a delight to see an All Black test team largely unchanged from the week before. Not only because I have previously kicked against the changing that has gone on but also because I do not believe our player depth can sustain it at the moment.
I
said recently that New Zealand rugby would have to seriously consider whether we could sustain a fifth Super 14 franchise. That was misinterpreted. A lot of people said: 'Oh, Fitzpatrick's having a crack at the Highlanders.'
Well, I wasn't at all. I was just being honest and saying that the loss of players to retirement, injuries and particularly overseas contracts has led to a lack of depth in New Zealand rugby; and that we must give serious consideration to whether we can sustain five franchises with that lack of depth.
If you want proof, just watch videos of the Super 14 this year. With some exceptions, the standard was not very good.
And that's why I am now thinking that the All Blacks and the New Zealand Rugby Union have to change their stance - and select players from overseas.
This is a departure for me. I didn't always think this way.
What changed my mind was an increasing worry that it will be bad for New Zealand rugby and world rugby if the All Blacks start to lose because of this lack of depth.
It also stemmed from helping to manage the Classic All Blacks in their game against Leicester recently and seeing the world's best tighthead prop, Carl Hayman, and others playing there and not against the Irish nor England.
I am not saying anything against anyone in the current test side but Aaron Mauger is a class player and Luke McAlister is playing very well. Justin Marshall is still world-class and there is the likes of Rico Gear, Anton Oliver and more.
In the end, I believe, selecting our overseas players is inevitable. I was never a fan of opening up the doors before but I think the sabbatical given to Dan Carter and Richie McCaw could open up a can of worms.
So we might as well address this now, rather than trying to fight some kind of partial rearguard action. If we do open things up then, yes, some players - maybe even many players - will leave and go to Europe. But I believe that, by doing so, they will erode the value of overseas players in Europe.
The clubs don't want to be paying so much for players and opening the doors will see values drop, meaning the NZRU has more ability to keep other players in New Zealand.
And it isn't as if our franchise or provincial rugby would suffer a great deal more than it is already. The standard has already dropped and we are now risking such a lack of depth in the All Blacks that we risk losing - and I think that is the last thing the game needs in New Zealand and globally.
Just look at locks, for instance. How thin are we right now? And yet we have Chris Jack playing for Saracens and Paul Tito playing well for Cardiff.
No, I have changed my mind on this. We have to start selecting from the overseas players' base, simply because there are now so many of them and because we have to take care that we don't spiral into a culture of loss. Allowing those doors to open will also safeguard New Zealand player stocks better than sabbaticals.
The problem I have with what they have done for Carter and McCaw is that it is one set of rules for some. Ali Williams, for example, could now say that he has also been a loyal servant of New Zealand rugby and why can't he have a sabbatical, go to Europe, earn pots of money for five months and then come back and play for the All Blacks?
Why can't he if McCaw and Carter can? I know the NZRU is trying to protect its assets and I think it's fantastic they are doing so. But other players will want a slice of the action too and I am worried it could cause problems within the team if some get this treatment and others don't.
Opening the doors to overseas selection solves that problem.
The NZRU is going to have to look at that.
