NEW ZEALAND RUGBY signed forward Sam Whitelock to a long-term deal on Wednesday, but only after the world champions relaxed their selection rules to let him remain an All Black while playing a season in Japan.
The All Blacks usually refuse to pick overseas-based players but such is Whitelock’s importance to the team that the rule has been tweaked for the first time to keep the 108-Test lock in the fold.
“We have to be flexible when it comes to renegotiating with our leading players and that’s what we have done with Sam,” NZR chief executive Steve Tew said.
Whitelock, 30, is seen as a future captain, replacing Kieran Read, who is among a number of senior players leaving after this year’s World Cup in Japan.
The two-time World Cup winner will be tasked with maintaining the All Blacks’ standards after this year’s tournament, much like Read did after the 2015 edition, when eight top players retired.
“His recommitment alongside a number of other key players gives us a strong foundation for the next four years,” Tew said.
Whitelock will skip the 2020 Super Rugby season to play with Panasonic Wild Knights in Japan’s Top League.
Such overseas sabbaticals have been granted before but only on the understanding that they will not be eligible for All Black selection.
However, Tew said Whitelock would still play with the team in 2020 “on the basis of his long-standing and outstanding service to New Zealand rugby and the fact he has signed a four-year deal”.
Whitelock said he was looking forward to playing in Japan, where he will be reunited with his former Canterbury Crusaders coach Robbie Deans.
“Ultimately, this decision allows me to take some time with my family to experience a new rugby environment in Japan, before coming back refreshed and ready for the remainder of 2020 and beyond,” he said.
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Outrageously misleading headline. Hodgson didn’t say what it suggests he said at all.
The journal is turning into a sun/star styled mashup. where did it all go wrong?
Suarez was brilliant in the last World Cup and in the Copa America. He should be alright in this one too.
Especially his fingertip save ….
headline misleasding, uruguay have a good squad though I disagree with woy there..cavani, gaston ramirez, godin and gimenez the two athletico defenders and christian rodriguez who have just won la liga and are in the champions league final and diego forlan is still a great finisher even with his age, they have quality in attack and defence.. personally i think england wont have the quality to beat them
You’re dead right Paddy. You didn’t even mention Walter Gargano or Edigo Arevalo Ríos in midfield or Maxi Peirera, Martín Cáceres or Alvaro Peirera on the flanks. Uruguay will be very difficult to beat and will play in a style very similar to Atletico. At 25/1 to win the World Cup they’re a decent outside bet.
Only RVP scored as many goals as Suarez in World Cup qualifiers, and there are no easy matches in South American qualifying.
Fancy Suarez to score against England.
He could have a point ! How will he cope with more then one game in a week ???
I’m guessing he ingested something psychedelic earlier in the day and followed up that observation with “….
and I think danny welbeck will win the golden boot”
Roy didnt preform well with any club wheather managing england or liverpool. So speaching against the talent of a player that could do serious damage to him and england is very wrong!
At least Roy can spell…….
silly comment willie
If anything id say Suarez will have England in his sights.
Roy on the other hand is a poor manager with a limited squad, especially up front.
Roy needs a copy of mind games for dummies. He should know Suarez is world class and that he won’t be affected by anything the england manager says. Might work with Ballotelli however
U fool roy, wud u say the same id it was messi r ronaldo, time will spell then end of u
Gobbledygook
I’d say Roy might struggle more than him at at the world cup