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 NZ Rugby World column, June 2004
Challenging times ahead for Chris Moller and Jock Hobbs as negotiations heat up for television rights renewal. The Union has been criticised recently for letting players go offshore prematurely. It is a real problem but I think criticism of the Union is misplaced. Financially, we cannot expose or overextend ourselves and the margin for error is slim. The Board is showing excellent restraint in managing their resources wisely as they plan their negotiating strategy carefully. Reserves have been built up painstakingly since the game went professional and I'm glad to see them being managed with conservatism and reality. Once a deal is signed with a media partner then the Union will be able to move ahead more aggressively in the critical areas such as grassroots development and player retention. Once the financial situation is clarified I would certainly support and endorse a program to keep our experienced players here in New Zealand longer. We are losing traction, experience and rugby scar tissue in letting 29 to
30 year-old Super 12, NPC and even All Blacks leave too early. |
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You can't blame the players; they need financial security. You cannot blame the Union at the moment because it also needs financial security. But going forward our policy needs to change. We need to pay players to stay in New Zealand for that additional two to three years when they may be past their peak in terms of pace but they are absolutely at the top of their game in terms of the top three inches. We need these battle-hardened warriors in New Zealand to pass on their knowledge, expertise and judgement to our young guns. Look at the England side in the World Cup. Choc-a-bloc with 30-somethings full of confidence, experience, will and desire. What prompted this was a dinner I had in Tokyo recently with Alama Ieremia. Alama is still going strong with Suntory, one of the two strongest teams
in Japan and, in fact, has just been appointed vice-captain at the ripe
young age of 34. He was joined last week by the 28 year-old Pita Alatini who
blew everyone's minds at training. His hands and feet were twinkling at
speed. A pretty solid Super 12 outfit could be assembled amongst Kiwis currently playing in Japan and I'd like to see them come together as a Japan Barbarian side to play Italy on their Japanese tour this year. I think they'd give JK's mob a real hurry-up. Particularly if interchange were ever allowed. Alama and co are probably at their best nowadays in twenty-minute bursts! It might be a little short of front-row quality but how's this for a Super 12 line-up: Coaches - Alama Ieremia, Deon Muir, George Konia; Managers - Eroni Clarke, Tabai Matson; Sponsorship & Entertainment Committee - Inoke Afeaki, Jason O'Halloran, Reuben Parkinson; Team - Fullback, Leon MacDonald; Wingers, Glen Osborne, Karl Te Nana; Centre, Scott McLeod; Second-five, Pita Alatini; First-five, Tony Brown; Halfback, Tanner Vili. And in the forwards: No 8, Ron Cribb; Openside Flanker, Glen Marsh; Blindside Flanker, Troy Flavell; Locks, Dion Waller, Royce Willis; Front-Row, A problem. No front-rowers up here. But at a pinch Filo Tiatia, Kupu Vanisi and Chresten Davis. Sevens-style scrums! Alama's story is a landmark in the new age of professional rugby. His career combined the amateur days with the first days of the professional era. Born 34 years ago in Samoa, Alama only played one game of rugby before leaving the Islands for New Zealand at the age of 18. He couldn't play in the Islands because he couldn't find any boots big enough! His father focused hard on the need to get a good education so that he could fulfil his potential in life. Alama duly fronted up and succeeded in securing a BA in Geography. He also discovered boots that would fit him and, egged on by Kiwi classmates, played a couple of games of Touch. He progressed immediately into First XV, Club footie, then to Wellington, then the international stage with Samoa. In 1992 he got a call from Laurie Mains who told him he had the potential to become an All Black. There went the Geography degree! Alama called his Dad to tell him he'd been spotted with All Black potential. His father was quiet for a while but recognised the inevitable and said to Alama, 'Well, you need to follow your destiny and be the best you can be. Give it everything'. Alama burst into tears at the support from his father and two years later made his debut as an All Black. The reason I was having dinner with Alama was that I was part of his debut in a small and strange way. It was in Dunedin in 1994 and Shane Howarth and Alama were debutantes. John Timu and JK were on the wings, Frank Bunce at centre and Steve Bachop at first-five. Alama reminded me that on the morning of the match JK brought all the backs into my room at the illustrious Shoreline (since displaced in the pro era by the more upmarket Southern Cross). There, on two single beds, we talked about what it meant to perform at peak and to represent the pinnacle of your profession. Alama reminded me that I told him and Shane to focus on playing their natural game and not to just play safe because it was an international. They'd been picked because of their adventurous spirit for Auckland and
Wellington and they should relax and show this spirit without thinking
twice. I remember that JK subsequently got a roasting from the coaches for risking these precious debutantes in front of the passionate but ignorant business leader just before a Test. Alama and Shane thought it was common practice and didn't realise that the norm was much more insular. JK, however, defended the decision by arguing that a) I was part of the culture, b) the players responded terrifically, c) it was a break from the constant direct rugby feedback they had been given, and d) they played well and won! Shane has subsequently written to me about his memory of this meeting and Alama talked about it warmly at dinner. Rugby is very special in delivering moments like these. Alama built on that debut to play 40 times for New Zealand, 30 times in Tests. He was in the stands for the 1995 World Cup final sitting next to my wife, Rowena. Rowena remembers Alama gesticulating wildly and screaming 'wipers, wipers' at Mehrts. Unfortunately, no one was listening. We also remembered the appalling post-match dinner when Louis Luyt embarrassed his nation, rugby and all the players, before narrowly avoiding being laid out by Mike Brewer. We all then went back to the hotel where I introduced the team to the dubious benefits of Black Velvets (pints of draft Guinness and champagne) and where we carried on until 4am. Alama remembers being tipped out of his bed about an hour later by a
rampant Craig Dowd. A midfield back and a prop sharing a room is a recipe
for such disasters. The next day saw a court bonding session which is better
left between those involved. 1999 was another disappointment for Alama - against France where the team were blown apart by one of the most incredible 30 minutes of French flair ever seen in the history of the game. This left Alama with a burning desire to play one more season to prove to himself and to others that he still had the stuff. He finished 2000 professionally having demonstrated great fitness, commitment and very strong passing and handling skills. He was then approached by Eddie Jones to go up to Suntory in Japan. I have a lot of time for Eddie. I had a meeting with him in Sydney two weeks back along with Brett Robinson, the Wallabies performance coach. Eddie is a very empathetic, emotional smart guy who is always looking to innovate. He speaks fluent Japanese and has fantastic connections with Suntory which he uses as a blooding ground for coaches and players. It's a very smart model the NZRU might want to look at closely. Alama and wife Michelle were so impressed with Eddie's plans and the fact that the Suntory CEO came along with him that they decided to play in Japan despite Michelle never having travelled abroad and Alama never having visited Japan. They set new goals for themselves and four years later are busy
fulfilling them. Alama speaks Japanese and is 80 percent of the way through
his New Zealand coaching certificate. He has a passion for the game and for coaching, and also for the Islands. When he finishes in one or two years he will be a great asset for Samoa and rugby which hopefully will have gotten through its current crisis and be thriving once again with a World Cup in view. A rugby success story. A Samoa and New Zealand success story. Let's hope that together the NZRFU and the Islands will find a way to drive more of these success stories. We should be keeping our players a couple of years longer, we need to be working with the IRB on registration rules… it would be great when Islanders have finished their All Black careers for them to stand down for the year and then be allowed to play for Samoa, Fiji or Tonga again. This would provide role models and experience and make Island and World Rugby stronger. We live in hope. |
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