I wouldn’t pick Mark Tele’a in the All Blacks this year.
It’s nothing personal, nor a judgement on his ability. If fit, Tele’a is the best wing in the country.
No, I wouldn’t pick Tele’a for the same reasons I wouldn’t have picked Sam Cane and TJ Perenara a year ago.
And there’s the rub.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson did pick Cane and Perenara in 2024, despite them both having signed deals to play in Japan.
Had it been a Rugby World Cup year, I wouldn’t have had a problem with that. A world cup swansong is an established part of the rugby cycle now.
But, at that stage of the road towards 2027, Cane and Perenara were – and should’ve been – surplus to requirements. Instead they were given an elongated farewell tour, which I believe was entirely unjustified.
I’ve opined that I believe players such as Tele’a leave New Zealand in the prime of their All Black careers because they don’t feel a great sense of belonging. They see the special treatment given to players such as Cane and Perenara and realise, rightly or wrongly, that it will never be extended to them.
No, they’re better to cash in while they can and leave the special ones in the All Black group to enjoy the favours that come with it.
Tele’a is eligible for the All Blacks in 2025, just as Cane and Perenara were last year, which creates an interesting predicament for Robertson.
On precedent alone, he would be a hypocrite not to pick Tele’a. If he doesn’t, then all that does is reinforce the view that the All Blacks are a team run for the benefit of a favoured few.
I’m not knocking Cane and Perenara as players. They had fine careers and served the All Blacks well over a long period of time.
But they were one-year rentals come 2024.
Cane must’ve been as surprised as anyone when Robertson came calling, given he effectively retired from test football following the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.
Honourable man that he is, Cane accepted that he was a symbol of the previous coaching regime. He’d done his time, captained and played as best he could and realised he had no future in the team.
Semi-retirement in Japan was the prudent option, given Cane’s status as a relic from the past.
No offence would’ve been caused had Robertson not selected him last year. In fact most people would’ve felt that was the natural order of things because when you build towards a World Cup, you don’t invest time in players who aren’t going to be there.
And yet Robertson picked him. And Perenara too, despite other halfbacks having gone past him in the pecking order.
It all would’ve been a much cleaner transition from the Ian Foster era into Robertson’s, if the latter didn’t opt to take some of the old guard along for the ride.
In doing so, he created a rod for his own back.
As I say, on ability alone Tele’a deserves a place in the All Black squad this year. And, for the team’s sake, I hope Robertson comes to the same conclusion.
But if he doesn’t, if he decides Tele’a is leaving and has given up any hold on the jersey then – on the strength of who got picked last year – I fear he risks losing the respect of some of the players.
By picking Cane and Perenara last time round, Robertson’s now damned if he picks Tele’a and damned if he doesn’t.
Unfortunately, that’s a bed of his own making.
