Rugby World Cup-winning coach Jake White’s warning to New Zealand Rugby over Richie Mo’unga, selecting overseas All Blacks

Rugby World Cup-winning coach Jake White has issued a warning to New Zealand Rugby: select foreign-based All Blacks at your peril.

As the drums beat louder for the most drastic shift in New Zealand rugby eligibility, it appears when and not if Scott Robertson will get his way and reunite with Richie Mo’unga with the All Blacks.

At present, New Zealand is one of a handful of countries that does not select players from overseas, along with Ireland, England and France.

However, that policy can leave nations hamstrung in picking their best players, who have opted for offshore contracts, worth more than what they’d otherwise earn if based domestically.

In late 2022, before Robertson was appointed All Blacks coach, Mo’unga chose to sign with Japanese side Toshiba Brave Lupus, and therefore sacrificed national selection once his longtime Crusaders mentor succeeded Ian Foster.

England are currently unable to pick former captain Owen Farrell, who similarly swapped Saracens for French giants Racing 92 after last year’s World Cup.

On the other side of the coin, South Africa do not restrict movement of players, and have won the last two Rugby World Cups with players based both at home and offshore.

In the past, New Zealand Rugby has put forward the narrative that playing for the All Blacks was meant to be a sacrifice, won after players put country over cash.

Despite the lure of overseas money, Richie McCaw famously played his entire career in Aotearoa. Recently, New Zealand Rugby has opted to include sabbatical clauses into players’ national contracts, which are rewards for long service playing in New Zealand.

But for White, who won the 2007 Rugby World Cup with the Springboks, changing selection policy to allow for overseas based players to be picked will be a point of no return for New Zealand.

“Sacrifice has got to hurt,” he told Newstalk ZB’s Weekend Sport.

“I know we’re living in modern times, but I can’t over-emphasise enough, having toured New Zealand many times, having watched from outside, how important the black jersey is.

“Once you open that gate, and you allow foreign players to be picked for your country, you’re going to lose something that’s very, very unique.

“That is the thing I see that keeps the All Blacks as competitive as any country in any sport, year after year. Once you change that, you’re never going to get it back.”

Just what shape overseas All Black selection could look like is still to be seen. New Zealand Rugby could opt to follow the same line as Australia – who introduced “Giteau’s Law” in 2015, whereby certain criteria must be met for a player to be picked from abroad.

In the All Blacks’ case, that could allow for the likes of Mo’unga, Sam Cane and Shannon Frizell, all of whom are contracted in Japan, to be picked.

A number of past and current All Blacks, including Aaron Smith and Ardie Savea, have also made their cases as to the benefits of picking from offshore.

For his part, Robertson has been consistent in his message that New Zealand Rugby needs to “keep an open mind” over its stance on overseas players.

Rugby continues to evolve at a rapid rate, where the club game has slowly but surely started to overtake the test arena.

The salaries on offer are becoming far too lucrative for players to turn down in a professional capacity, with such a limited window of opportunity to maximise earnings before retirement.

While in the past, overseas offers would be taken up by fringe players or those approaching the end of their careers, recent years has seen a shift whereby those at their peak move.

In New Zealand’s case, any loss of talent abroad has quickly been offset by the next generation coming through.

For Robertson, though, the struggle to replace Mo’unga has not been as straightforward, with neither Beauden Barrett nor Damian McKenzie able to truly claim the No 10 jersey outright.

Sam Cane has traded New Zealand for Tokyo Sungoliath in Japan. Photo / Getty Images

White, though, puts that down to being an issue of timing, rather than an overall trend.

“It’s ironic,” White asserted. “New Zealand have never had to pick foreign-based players, and still won three World Cups.

“I don’t think Richie Mo’unga’s going to make you win the World Cup. You’ve got enough rugby players there.

“If it means you’ve got to pick Richie Mo’unga and Frizell at loose forward to win the World Cup, the problem is much deeper than you guys foresee.”

White’s thoughts aren’t just limited to the issue being problematic to New Zealand, either.

Despite South Africa’s success with offshore players, White believes that long-term, it will have a detrimental effect on players coming through at home.

With South Africa’s domestic sides now playing in the United Rugby Championship, alongside clubs from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy, more and more of the Springboks’ test stars are looking for deals outside of the competition.

And with a large core of Springboks based in Japan and France on lucrative contracts, White fears for the long-term future of the game in South Africa.

“We must never kill the goose that lays the golden egg,” he said.

“If it’s going to be a free-for-all where everyone can go overseas and still play international rugby, domestic rugby in our country will die.

“Supporters won’t put money into the game, sponsors won’t put money into the game. Supporters won’t come to the games and watch live rugby, because the best players will be playing in other competitions.

“We’ve got to be careful what we wish for. Because if all the best players in New Zealand are never in New Zealand and only play for the All Blacks, you’re going to kill your domestic competitions.”

As far as New Zealand goes, though, White asserts the struggles of 2024 will just be a blip.

Robertson finished his first year as All Blacks coach with a 10-4 win to loss record, which included two defeats to South Africa, and one apiece to Argentina and France.

But regardless of whether they change selection policies or not, White believes everything is in place for the All Blacks to build towards the 2027 World Cup in Australia, and beyond.

“I have no doubt, in the next couple of years, New Zealand rugby will get stronger and stronger.

“It won’t be because they bring two or three players back from overseas, or play them while they’re overseas.

“Their rugby culture, their aura, everything they stand for in New Zealand Rugby is much stronger than any individual.

“That’s been the narrative to come out of New Zealand from day one: no player is ever more important than the jersey.

“Long may that last.”

New Zealand Rugby is in the process of appointing a new board, which Robertson has said he will present his case to over changing selection policies to better reflect the modern game.

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.