Tew signals Super boost
NZR boss is happy with global season talks while Smith and Dagg both look set to stay, writes Liam Napier.
Change is in the air and, if everyone holds their nerve, a long-awaited agreement on rugby’s global calendar could finally be reached in May. That’s not all, either.
New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew confirmed support will be thrown behind the move to increase residency rules from three to five years.
Add in the expected re-signing of All Blacks vice-captain Ben Smith and Israel Dagg and it will have been more than a productive start to the year for New Zealand rugby.
During a two-day World Rugby meeting in San Francisco last week, the framework for a global season was tentatively mapped out.
It is believed moving the June internationals to July, and starting Super Rugby one week earlier in February to allow the competition to continue uninterrupted, is central to the proposal.
So, too, is starting the November internationals and World Cup one week earlier in an effort to minimise disruption to the northern hemisphere club season.
Most of these suggestions have been on the table for some time but, as recently as last year, Tew issued ultimatums and threatened to negotiate individual test matches if a structure could not be agreed beyond the 2019 World Cup.
New World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont and deputy Agustin Pichot appear to have broken the deadlock and paved the way for change to be signed off at the May council meeting. ‘‘That’s the optimistic target and think that’s realistic,’’ Tew said. ‘‘We had a positive couple of days, built on the dialogue that’s gone on for many months and we’re getting to a point now where we can see a solution starting to form but that requires a bit more work.
‘‘We’re trying to agree to a longterm calendar and populate it with fixtures so we’ve got real certainty I and we lock in the windows we all need for national and international competitions. We’ve got some broad agreement around what that looks like.
‘‘If we can hold this general direction together and stick to the principals we’ve now all agreed that will be a good outcome for everyone, New Zealand included.’’
On the eligibility subject, which could also be signed off in May, Tew backed reports out of Australia that suggested New Zealand and its Sanzaar partners were now behind the shift towards foreign-born players who do not qualify on ancestry grounds, waiting five years before being available for test nations.
‘‘We’re certainly supportive of that direction. It’s what we’d like to see. It puts a bit more pressure on countries to develop their own talent and makes it a bit harder for guys to change.’’
We’re trying to agree to a longterm calendar and populate it with fixtures so we’ve got real certainty. Steve Tew
Despite reports out of France suggesting a second test against the All Blacks was possible this year, it is believed a fourth end of season tour match is unlikely. After a torrid series against the British and Irish Lions the All Blacks do not want an additional match.
As for Smith and Dagg, both are heavily favoured to not follow Aaron Cruden’s lead and head abroad after this year.
Smith knocked back a substantial offer from French club Pau and has ongoing interest from Bordeaux but is expected to re-sign with the Highlanders and All Blacks through to the next World Cup. Ditto Dagg, who was weighing potential moves to Japan or France. Should those two stick around it would see them play out the best of their careers in New Zealand.