Market Myths

In The Last 12 Months Mainstream Media Has Built Into Its Daily Narrative That The Number Of Players Heading Overseas Is Increasing And Is Now Close To Crises Point. But Is That Really The Case? Nz Rugby World Provides A Dummies’ Guide To The Player Market To Explain The Real Situation.

IS THE VOLUME OF PLAYERS LEAVING NEW ZEALAND INCREASING THE WAY MOST MEDIA COMPANIES SAY IT IS?

NZRW: The answer depends on what time periods we are comparing. Typically a World Cup year sees the highest volume of player traffic and in 2011, there was a massive clean out of players across the five Super Rugby sides.

A total of 27 contracted players signed overseas deals that year, which was slightly more than the 22 who left in 2007.

That compares with 2015 when just 11 contracted players signed offshore deals and three others – Richie McCaw, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock – retired.

So far this year we have seen Super Rugby players Nehe Milner-Skudder, Owen Franks, Ben Smith, Matt Proctor, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Liam Squire, Melani Nanai and Jordan Taufua announce they will be leaving with Kieran Read also moving on, even if he doesn’t yet know where.

Inevitably there will be more players on the move as the likes of Aaron Smith, Waisake Naholo and Ryan Crotty are coming off contract.

But if we compare the last three World Cup years, the overall trend shows the number of players leaving is not steadily increasing.

YES, BUT THERE ARE LIES, DAMNED LIES AND STATISTICS SO IS THERE ANOTHER WAY OF LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS THAT WOULD SHOW A DIFFERENT PICTURE?

NZRW: There is indeed, but again, it doesn’t foster doom and gloom. After the major cleanout in 2011, New Zealand didn’t see a huge number of players leave throughout the remainder of that World Cup cycle.

Richard Kahui, Jerome Kaino and Sonny Bill Williams – although the latter two both came back in 2014 - Isaia Toeava, Piri Weepu, Jimmy Cowan and Zac Guildford all played at the 2011 World Cup but then opted to leave either after Super Rugby in 2012 or 2013.