For our NZ members

nbn

Carlos Spencer, Christian Cullen, Joe Roff . . . I wonder how many of those spectators knew they were watching future greats of the game?

I watched the whole thing hoping to see some great runs from Cullen but he wasn't actually that involved other than his goal kicking . . . which was pretty good.

I was lucky to meet Joe, who was sitting in the row ahead of me on the flight to New Zealand. We were both heading to the World Cup and ended up chatting about rugby. I told him I thought he’d retired too early, but he didn’t agree. He's really down-to-earth and likable.

The Cullen era was likely the golden age of All Blacks rugby. He was special but so was Lomu and so was....where does it end?

The golden era of NZ rugby goes back to 1987 when the AB's won the first WC, It reached its peak in the period from 2008 to 2017. That is when decay started to set in.

There is no sign of a return of the glory years and that is due to a variety of factors like -

1. Lack of interest of the youth in playing a sport as hard as rugby, The SB's under 20's have not won a single Undr 20 series since 2017 coupled to decine in national pride of people. .
2. The AB's used to get Pacific Islandersto play for the NZ Super Rugby teams and they progressed in playing for the A B's. Thgat route has dried up with NH teams recruit Islanders to play their club rugby in Europe and in Japan,
3. The fact is the refusal of the AB's to select players who do not play franchie rugby in NZ.
4. NZ rugby shop them in their own feet by expelling Argentina and South A frica from Super Rugby and suffer major financial losses, This ;ed to a decline in ability to contract top players lost to NZ.

Ou Maaik...Rugby fortunes can turn around in one game...and the All lacks aren't nearly as poor as we've been in 2017...watch them this year...

Dumbmike you do realize that Auckland has the largest population of Polynesians in the world right.

We hear this rant over and over but it keeps coming up (especially from the Poms) The vast majority of Polynesians playing for the ABs were born here as the main influx was back in the 60s and 70s.

As you point out it's the northern hemisphere that is raiding the Islands and weakening Samoa, Fiji and Tonga way more than us.

Do we get some from the Islands, sure we do but since many of them have extended family here they are want to come.

There have only been 32 Polynesians play for the ABs not born in NZ

People not born in New Zealand that played for the ABs 83

People not born in South Africa that played for the Boks 55

Not a big difference in numbers for well over 100 years of rugby.

CF

I am really worried about the issue of Rugby in NZ. The finances is a mess with out a real solution. I have no/t seen the youngsters like the above and Carter coming through the mill to replace the older rugby battle forces.

It is not the current players that bothers me - it is the future players prepared to sacrifice their lives to ensure NZ prowess in rugby. Rugby is hard work - not playing computers and woke beliefs, . .

ouMaaik, watch Saturday's final ... Canes v Chiefs, & you'll see an abundance of talent most countries can only dream about.

Mike is having another Shitory.

It does not show on international level. Fact is I do not write shit on site - I write issues based on fact. I do not copy self-opinioned BS on site - I leave that to you.

Good posts Mike.

Certainly the wee abs can poach less islander talent these days and their finances are not good.

Big problem they could easily solve is to select players outside of nz. I suppose the penny will drop at some point in time.

Yes there have been planty of woke kiwi lefties in the past but I think they will eventually swing right like Australia has done with the the amazing One Nation now the most popular party in Australia.

Woke lefty Globalist policies are a disaster and hence the now very unpopular Justine Arderne moving to Australia. As they move to the right the kiwis will recover their patriotism and national pride. Remember for Globalist national pride is anathema.

Main problems that may not be so easy to solve could be their finances, poorer competition opportunities and a cultural drift from rugby. Time will tell but if a decline come it will be gradual.

Meanwhile our talent base has expanded greatly with Black players stepping up. Our major worry is getting top quality coaches to follow after the great Rassie Erasmus.