Make no mistake, rugby league’s loss is rugby union’s gain. It could also be a win for New Zealand Rugby – if they are willing to move away from a policy that is becoming more and more outdated with each passing year.

Currently only New Zealand, Ireland, England and France refuse to select players based outside their own country. On the other hand, South Africa has won the last two World Cups with players playing abroad.

In some ways, New Zealand Rugby’s position here is admirable. Opening selection borders would trigger a mass departure and see anyone who could secure an overseas contract leave Aotearoa for Japan, France, England etc, and effectively kill Super Rugby.

However, if they adopted an Australian model “Giteau law” type systemwhere players meeting certain criteria can still be selected abroad, there would be no cause for concern.

Although NZR should swallow its pride in copying Rugby Australia, it could greatly benefit the game as we know it.

Look no further than Joseph Sua’ali’i, Manu’s former teammate at the Roosters.

After first shining at rugby as a schoolboy in Sydney, the Roosters wasted no time in recruiting Sua’ali’i – as they do with promising youngsters on both sides of Tasmania – and had to get a waiver from the NRL to let him make his debut. at the age of 17.

Now, after signing with Rugby Australia and the Waratahs, Sua’ali’i hasn’t looked out of place in a Wallabies jersey. He was even voted man of the match on his Test debut against England.his first professional rugby match.

While admitting that there might have been enough residual rugby know-how in Sua’ali’i to see him swim instead of sink, Manu is easily a better player than his former teammate.

At 28, Manu has experienced more of the NRL – a tougher, more competitive competition – and has established himself as a player the Roosters did not want to lose. Their only comfort was that he was joining another code instead of an NRL rival.

Manu’s skills lend themselves to testing rugby, perhaps more so than Sua’ali’i’s. He can run, he can distribute, he can tackle, he can offload. He even showed in short spells at fullback and five-eighth that he could kick when asked. However, it would be at center where Manu would be best used by the All Blacks.

Rieko Ioane became Robertson’s first choice, but still seems to have the instincts of a winger – where he made his name. There have been many times where Ioane’s first desire seems to be to take on a defender, rather than looking to create space and free up a teammate.

Billy Proctor was the standout center in Super Rugby and also looked promising in tests against Fiji in Japan. However, Robertson and running backs coach Jason Holland observed Proctor at every training session and they still decided they hadn’t seen enough.

Likewise, Anton Lienert-Brown has also been impressive in his limited opportunities, but his ability to cover both midfield and potentially wing roles will likely see him occupy a utility spot on the bench for the time being.

Manu Toyota Verblitz’s director of rugby, Sir Steve Hansen, once compared him to former All Black Sonny Bill Williams.

“Joey and Sonny are great athletes, and there’s no reason he can’t have the same success,” Hansen told the Sydney Morning Herald in April.

“We want him to achieve his goals, and along the way he will help us achieve ours.”

In 2008, Williams left the NRL to play rugby in France for Toulon, before returning to New Zealand and becoming an All Black two years later.

Manu is five years older than Williams at the time of his switch, but that’s all the more reason to make the move now and give him time to get used to the demands of test rugby ahead of the World Cup in 2027.

Williams’ case meant he had to finish his time at Toulon before returning home, but in this day and age it would be unfair to ask Manu to do the same.

Manu only has a one-year contract in Japan, but he would find it hard to say no to what might be offered to him if and when the time comes to re-sign.

If he succeeds and therefore attracts the attention of the All Blacks selectors, NZ Rugby would not be able to offer the same offer if they wanted to.

However, as previously mentioned with the All Blacks playing overseas, allowing the current crop to be selected overseas would also mean they could benefit from sharing a dressing room with quality players around. ‘them.

In Manu’s hypothetical case, he would rub shoulders with All Blacks great Aaron Smith and current South African star Pieter-Steph du Toit, and be coached by Ian Foster. There is enough international know-how there for Manu to learn from, even if the level of Japan’s League One may not be what the All Blacks consider to be the highest level.

Look all the way to Ireland. The trio of Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki and James Lowe were far from up to Test standards when playing Super Rugby.

But being exposed to a new style and way of thinking made them world leaders. Manu is raw and far from a finished product – having yet to even play a professional 15-a-side match.

Certainly, reforming the Robertson-Mo’unga partnership in a black jersey would all but solve the All Blacks’ problems at number 10. But world football has already seen the good that can be done by wresting players from another code.

If Manu can have half the impact of SBW or Sua’ali’i, surely it’s worth playing three years from the next World Cup?