We Need to Talk: The only All Blacks that leave are the ones who've already lost the jersey

Lima Sopoaga dives over to score during a test for the All Blacks. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Another day another rant all about a sportsperson beginning with "S".

But before you run screaming and shouting "Nooooo - I can't do any more Serena stuff", this one features a different "S" word – Sopoaga.

Lima Sopoaga, the former Highlanders and All Black first-five, has issued via the UK press a warning to New Zealand Rugby that more and more young players will leave these shores and forego the All Blacks jersey for the tempting riches of European rugby.

"The jersey is losing its lustre" he said. "Rugby isn't forever, the 20-somethings are becoming more aware of that and sometimes the jersey is not enough for a better life".

He goes on to hail Charles Piutau as a trailblazer for this new-wave thinking, naming other recent All Blacks Aaron Cruden, Julian Savea and Malakai Fekitoa as further proof that change is indeed here and happening.

Yes he makes an interesting point but no I don't at all agree with him.

The key factor in this argument is, was and will always be current All Blacks.

How many of our first choice squad are giving the jersey away to go overseas?

The answer to that is none. Zero.

Since Carl Hayman decided to stay and play in France following the 2007 World Cup defeat, I can't think of one other player (still playing well enough to definitely make the side) that's decided to forego All Black selection for the lure of a foreign cash injection.

All of the players mentioned here, including Lima himself, were already slipping down the pecking order before overseas offers tempted them to leave.

No slight on any of them, that's simply a reflection of our current talent depth and the incredibly competitive environment they operate in.

Honestly this was much more of a worry in generations past when guys like John Gallagher, Matthew Ridge, John Schuster and even Zinzan Brooke signed deals to swap codes while still being first-choice All Blacks.

New Zealand Rugby will always have players who leave for the greener grass that Europe implies.

But is it really the jersey that's losing it or just those players knowing they've lost their jersey?