November 13, 2024 • 9 mins
No qualms from New Zealand Rugby over the Blues' hoarding of playmakers in their squad for the 2025 Super Rugby season.
The franchise have the All Blacks trio of Beauden Barrett, Harry Plummer and Stephen Perofeta in their ranks for next year.
NZR's professional rugby general manager Chris Lendrum says the governing body can't get in the way of a player's decision.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wilder
Grave from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll joined it now by Chris Alendram. Here's New Zealand
Rugby's GM of Professional Rugby. Welcome to the show, mister Lendum.
Good to have you on interesting story floating around at
the moment. Now, the Super Rugby squads have all come
out released, ready for another epic year next year, and
there's the distribution of first five eighth talent right across
(00:36):
all of the Super franchise. I suppose, first up, what's
ended our's position on where our best first five talent goes,
how it's distributed.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, Well, the first thing I'd say is great that
people are engaged in talking about.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Our squads with such energy. That's weird. Teens have resided
across New.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Zealand's been a part of Super Rugby history for twenty years,
I guess. So it's pleasing to see in some ways
people taking a view on all of this the last
twenty four hours. Look, fundamentally, our view is that the
players get to determine where they want to play under contract,
and we don't really take a view as an organization.
(01:21):
We actually can't offer a player any more from New
Zealand rugby in terms of an All Blacks top up.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Depending on where they're playing their rugby.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
So we can't say to them you'd be worth more
to us if you went down South or came up
north or whatever. We just want to create an environment
where players make decisions based around the best opportunity for them,
you know, and kind of let it go from there.
It's important that the players have agency and where they
(01:53):
decide to play in their own careers. So that's our approach.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You've got to develop talent first five if we know
how important that role is, and so to spread the riches.
I suppose we look at someone like Malki not wrong position,
but he disappeared from Blues to go down South Wale
and then he became an All Black. But you can't
determine that the players will make that decision because you're thinking,
(02:18):
surely it's better to have someone playing than sitting on
a bench watching someone else play.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think Maloka is a great example does because he
saw that opportunity wasn't going to get.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Access at the Blues.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And actually in that case, the two clubs work together
to cracker deal and you're right, he then became a
Highlanders legend, didn't they in an All Black Wassaki Naholo
was similar around the same time. So these things do,
and players will seek to move for playing opportunity, but
there's a whole range of factors that go into their
(02:52):
decision making. Obviously access to opportunity as one. There might
be family or personal reasons they're important for them to
be in a particular venue, and.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Like I said, I think it's just important.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
That the players are able to weigh that up independent
of any organization trying to be the invisible hand moving
them around. That's sort of not the way our employment
model and our partnership with our players is geared up here.
And look heads off to the Blues in this instance.
You know, they've got three real quality players in terms
(03:25):
of the three that people are talking about, Boden, Stephen,
Harry obviously, but it's only in the last few months
that Harry's becoming All Black. They can all play multiple positions,
you know, both Stephen and Boden can play ten and fifteen,
and the Blues have done a great job of succession
planning in that space, and we want to reward and
(03:47):
enable clubs to again have ownership of their succession planning.
They've done a good job in this space, as other
clubs have done in the past and other areas, so
it's part of the competition, you know.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
And happy with how it's played out.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Here, Ali Chris Lendrum placed around the depth of talent.
I won't say crisis because that's a horrible word, but
ends it are and across the super clubs happy enough
with the players that are there are about to step
up because we know that spot's been dominated for a
few years by a couple of outstanding players. But have
(04:25):
we got the talent coming through in the next couple
of years.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Do you think, Oh, I.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Think we're really happy. I mean it's easy and we're
as guilty as this as administrators and talent spotters as
anybody else, any fan or commentator of thinking about players
and thinking about them. We're really static mindset. And look
(04:48):
at Harry Plumber last year. You know, not many people
probably would have put Harry in the discussion around at
ten at the All Blacks and he had a terrific
Super Rugby campaign and now he's in that discussion. These
guys just don't stay at the same point dusk. They
improve and grow and evolve, we hope over time with
(05:09):
good coaching and good environments wrapped around them. At Super
Rugby and NPC level, you always would love more.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Depth than any given position. But at ten, you know,
we're a better.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Question for our All Blacks coaches probably, but we're pretty comfortable.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
You know, we're a really good twenties campaign.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
We've got some young players filtering through now into Super
Rugby from NPC.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
You know, Josh.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Jacob was a name that not many people knew about
fifteen months ago. He's just been away with the All
Blacks fifteen.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Stephen himself has had a long Steven Para Fetter has
had a long career at Super rugby level from hell
back with injury. He's coming good consistently now as well.
There's lots to be to be really excited about in
that space. So we're just focused on improving and supporting
(05:56):
the players who are here to get better.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
And you know, comfortable with where we're at for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Chris, always great to have you on. You got to
finish this at this time of year. There's always a
debate that raises his head around changing the model and
looking at a draft instead. Is that ever considered you
happy enough of the model you've got. Did do you
look at it from year to year and say, hey,
maybe this needs to be adjusted.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
If I answer your second question first, we're really.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Happy yesterday and today we've announced five strong Super rugby
squads for the New Zealand teams. You got a stronger
looking more one pacifica drew a club in Australian teams.
Obviously with the departure of the Rebels there's been a
bit of a reallocation of players in there, and some
pretty strong looking teams on paper. You know, all three
(06:45):
of those core national unions that participate directly in the
competition had wins over the weekend up North. So we
feel really good right And to your probably your first
question around the draft, it's it's not something that's a
priority for us right now. We know all about the
drafts that happen in other sports. We know that when
(07:09):
done in a certain way, drafts and options create fans,
spectacle and interest. Totally get all of that that is
of interest to us in the long term. But when
you're also fielding an international team whose job it is
to win every time they take the field. You've just
got to balance all of the dynamics in your system
and make sure it's right for you. Right, So a
(07:32):
draft could work conceivably in Super rugby in the future.
It's not something we're closed off to at all. We'll
keep chatting with Super Rugby, Pacific Competition and Rugby Australia
and fijisum or Tonga, but it needs to be done
when you know, it needs to be considered at a
time when all those unions are in a position of
(07:54):
strength and have a high performance system that can underpin up.
So yeah, not saying never at all. We remain open minded,
but it's not on the agenda for the near two.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
So the James O'Connor situation is a once a need situation.
It's required and you're not going to tell anyone where
to go and play first five. So but the Crusaders
is like, we get what you're doing. We're okay with that.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, the clubs of they've all got the ability to look.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
At foreign players like James.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
In the Crusaders case, they've got two young talented teams
there bringing a player in with significant Super rugby and
international experience to help them grow make sense to us,
and we have those discussions with them around succession planning
and the role that James will play with those guys,
So no issues with that.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
It's allowable within the rules.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
You know, we do have rules that make sure that
we don't get too many foreign players stacked up in
one position because obviously we're picking all blacks they out
of Super Rugby and we need to make sure we've
got enough eligible players playing. But you know, James is
going to add for the Crusaders next year, I'm sure,
and if he helps grow too young New Zealand teens
(09:08):
over the next year or so, then it's a great
result for us.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wilder
Grave from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We'll joined it now by Chris Alendram. Here's New Zealand
Rugby's GM of Professional Rugby. Welcome to the show, mister Lendum.
Good to have you on interesting story floating around at
the moment. Now, the Super Rugby squads have all come
out released, ready for another epic year next year, and
there's the distribution of first five eighth talent right across
(00:36):
all of the Super franchise. I suppose, first up, what's
ended our's position on where our best first five talent goes,
how it's distributed.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Yeah, Well, the first thing I'd say is great that
people are engaged in talking about.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Our squads with such energy. That's weird. Teens have resided
across New.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Zealand's been a part of Super Rugby history for twenty years,
I guess. So it's pleasing to see in some ways
people taking a view on all of this the last
twenty four hours. Look, fundamentally, our view is that the
players get to determine where they want to play under contract,
and we don't really take a view as an organization.
(01:21):
We actually can't offer a player any more from New
Zealand rugby in terms of an All Blacks top up.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Depending on where they're playing their rugby.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
So we can't say to them you'd be worth more
to us if you went down South or came up
north or whatever. We just want to create an environment
where players make decisions based around the best opportunity for them,
you know, and kind of let it go from there.
It's important that the players have agency and where they
(01:53):
decide to play in their own careers. So that's our approach.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You've got to develop talent first five if we know
how important that role is, and so to spread the riches.
I suppose we look at someone like Malki not wrong position,
but he disappeared from Blues to go down South Wale
and then he became an All Black. But you can't
determine that the players will make that decision because you're thinking,
(02:18):
surely it's better to have someone playing than sitting on
a bench watching someone else play.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think Maloka is a great example does because he
saw that opportunity wasn't going to get.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Access at the Blues.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And actually in that case, the two clubs work together
to cracker deal and you're right, he then became a
Highlanders legend, didn't they in an All Black Wassaki Naholo
was similar around the same time. So these things do,
and players will seek to move for playing opportunity, but
there's a whole range of factors that go into their
(02:52):
decision making. Obviously access to opportunity as one. There might
be family or personal reasons they're important for them to
be in a particular venue, and.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
Like I said, I think it's just important.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
That the players are able to weigh that up independent
of any organization trying to be the invisible hand moving
them around. That's sort of not the way our employment
model and our partnership with our players is geared up here.
And look heads off to the Blues in this instance.
You know, they've got three real quality players in terms
(03:25):
of the three that people are talking about, Boden, Stephen,
Harry obviously, but it's only in the last few months
that Harry's becoming All Black. They can all play multiple positions,
you know, both Stephen and Boden can play ten and fifteen,
and the Blues have done a great job of succession
planning in that space, and we want to reward and
(03:47):
enable clubs to again have ownership of their succession planning.
They've done a good job in this space, as other
clubs have done in the past and other areas, so
it's part of the competition, you know.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
And happy with how it's played out.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Here, Ali Chris Lendrum placed around the depth of talent.
I won't say crisis because that's a horrible word, but
ends it are and across the super clubs happy enough
with the players that are there are about to step
up because we know that spot's been dominated for a
few years by a couple of outstanding players. But have
(04:25):
we got the talent coming through in the next couple
of years.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Do you think, Oh, I.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Think we're really happy. I mean it's easy and we're
as guilty as this as administrators and talent spotters as
anybody else, any fan or commentator of thinking about players
and thinking about them. We're really static mindset. And look
(04:48):
at Harry Plumber last year. You know, not many people
probably would have put Harry in the discussion around at
ten at the All Blacks and he had a terrific
Super Rugby campaign and now he's in that discussion. These
guys just don't stay at the same point dusk. They
improve and grow and evolve, we hope over time with
(05:09):
good coaching and good environments wrapped around them. At Super
Rugby and NPC level, you always would love more.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Depth than any given position. But at ten, you know,
we're a better.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Question for our All Blacks coaches probably, but we're pretty comfortable.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
You know, we're a really good twenties campaign.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
We've got some young players filtering through now into Super
Rugby from NPC.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
You know, Josh.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Jacob was a name that not many people knew about
fifteen months ago. He's just been away with the All
Blacks fifteen.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Stephen himself has had a long Steven Para Fetter has
had a long career at Super rugby level from hell
back with injury. He's coming good consistently now as well.
There's lots to be to be really excited about in
that space. So we're just focused on improving and supporting
(05:56):
the players who are here to get better.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
And you know, comfortable with where we're at for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:04):
Chris, always great to have you on. You got to
finish this at this time of year. There's always a
debate that raises his head around changing the model and
looking at a draft instead. Is that ever considered you
happy enough of the model you've got. Did do you
look at it from year to year and say, hey,
maybe this needs to be adjusted.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
If I answer your second question first, we're really.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
Happy yesterday and today we've announced five strong Super rugby
squads for the New Zealand teams. You got a stronger
looking more one pacifica drew a club in Australian teams.
Obviously with the departure of the Rebels there's been a
bit of a reallocation of players in there, and some
pretty strong looking teams on paper. You know, all three
(06:45):
of those core national unions that participate directly in the
competition had wins over the weekend up North. So we
feel really good right And to your probably your first
question around the draft, it's it's not something that's a
priority for us right now. We know all about the
drafts that happen in other sports. We know that when
(07:09):
done in a certain way, drafts and options create fans,
spectacle and interest. Totally get all of that that is
of interest to us in the long term. But when
you're also fielding an international team whose job it is
to win every time they take the field. You've just
got to balance all of the dynamics in your system
and make sure it's right for you. Right, So a
(07:32):
draft could work conceivably in Super rugby in the future.
It's not something we're closed off to at all. We'll
keep chatting with Super Rugby, Pacific Competition and Rugby Australia
and fijisum or Tonga, but it needs to be done
when you know, it needs to be considered at a
time when all those unions are in a position of
(07:54):
strength and have a high performance system that can underpin up.
So yeah, not saying never at all. We remain open minded,
but it's not on the agenda for the near two.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
So the James O'Connor situation is a once a need situation.
It's required and you're not going to tell anyone where
to go and play first five. So but the Crusaders
is like, we get what you're doing. We're okay with that.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, the clubs of they've all got the ability to look.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
At foreign players like James.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
In the Crusaders case, they've got two young talented teams
there bringing a player in with significant Super rugby and
international experience to help them grow make sense to us,
and we have those discussions with them around succession planning
and the role that James will play with those guys,
So no issues with that.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
It's allowable within the rules.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
You know, we do have rules that make sure that
we don't get too many foreign players stacked up in
one position because obviously we're picking all blacks they out
of Super Rugby and we need to make sure we've
got enough eligible players playing. But you know, James is
going to add for the Crusaders next year, I'm sure,
and if he helps grow too young New Zealand teens
(09:08):
over the next year or so, then it's a great
result for us.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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