Christopher Raymond: Meet the Kiwi with a Netherlands World Cup dream

One of the happiest people in Paris last Sunday was Christopher Raymond, the New Zealander who was part of the Netherlands' forward power that clinically ground down Germany in the Rugby European Championship.

It was only a fifth-place play-off final, but the 45-0 scoreline was a fair reflection of a one-sided contest that turned out very differently from four weeks previous.

The February 18 pool result between the teams was 39-13 in Amsterdam but the Dutch, who now have former Wales international Lyn Jones in charge, had their homework done and their game plan was exquisitely executed.

Overall, they have learned a lot about themselves in 2024, absorbing the learning from 18-20 and 10-31 pool losses to eventual third-place Spain and champions Georgia to finish out the tournament with three successive wins.

It has fired up their optimism that they can be immensely competitive when it comes to the qualification race for the Rugby World Cup 2027.

For Raymond, a Sacred Heart College Auckland graduate, featuring across the Tasman in Australia in three years would be quite the reward for a career that has taken the 27-year-old No8 back to his family’s maternal roots.

“Mum and Oma grew up in the Netherlands during tough times and it means a lot to be able to represent the country of my heritage,” he told RugbyPass in the Stade Jean Bouin tunnel shortly after the delighted Dutch on-pitch celebrations had ended.

“I’m from New Zealand myself. I was living in Scotland for a little bit and one of the clubs in Holland asked me to come during covid when I wasn’t playing any rugby in Scotland, so I came right over.

“I had connected a few dots together already, they knew I was eligible. The coaches at the time saw me and gave me a chance, and now it’s just about trying to keep my spot in the team. It’s a valued position and I can’t take it for granted.”

It was November 2021 when Christopher made the trip across the Channel to link up with Haarlem and he was one of five players in the Netherlands starting XV to qualify under the parents' rule.

Three more were eligible under residency, with the remaining seven born and bred there. The recent creation of the Delta, who take part in the Rugby Europe Super Cup, has given Dutch players a new level below Test rugby to hone their craft.

They finished seventh in the 2023 tournament, Christopher captaining them to a playoff win over Bohemia Warriors from the Czech Republic. Jones headed up that operation as well and the Kiwi back-rower has nothing but the height of respect for what the Welshman has quickly achieved with club and country.

“He has made a huge difference. Just his tactical game plan, he knows players strengths and he works with them to give them the best game plan for the team. Long term it’s about definitely trying to get to the World Cup 2027 and just keep building sustainable rugby in the country.

“There is definitely some depth coming through, focusing more on the Delta in the Europe Super Cup, developing more boys playing rugby in the Netherlands at semi-pro/amateur level, getting them to that professional level so we that when they get into the Dutch team they will be firing.”

They definitely fired last Sunday. “It means a lot. For us, this year was about closing the gap and we felt like we did that. Last year, in another fifth-place final against Germany, we let them in the game a bit and it wasn’t quite as good.

“This year we left them with nil which means we are improving away from the bottom and getting closer to the top, which is exactly what we are looking for. I genuinely think next year we could be pushing for the top four.”