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Row erupts between Eddie Jones and New Zealand Rugby over Brad Shields
By Chris Jones
World Rugby will be asked to sort out a potentially damaging row between England and New Zealand over Eddie Jones’s request to include Hurricanes forward Brad Shields in the England squad for the three-Test tour of South Africa in June.
RugbyPass has been told that with New Zealand insisting they have the right to block Shields’ release and the Rugby Football Union adamant the player must be allowed to tour under Regulation Nine, it will be up to World Rugby to broker a peace deal. English rugby chiefs are convinced Shields will have a Regulation Nine release clause in his contract and are seeking clarification. Shields has signed a lucrative contract to join Wasps and is due to arrive after the Hurricanes' Super Rugby campaign and is qualified to play for England through his parents.
It is clear that with England dealing with back row injury problems which have ruled Northampton’s Courtney Lawes and Wasps Nathan Hughes out of the tour, they see Shields as the obvious replacement despite the forward still being involved with the Hurricanes.
It also raises the prospect of Shields being in the frame to play for England in the much-anticipated clash with the All Blacks at Twickenham in November.
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Last summer Piers Francis was released by the Blues to take part in England’s summer tour to Argentina but it is understood he only had a contract with his Super Rugby franchise, not the New Zealand RFU. Shields is different which means Steve Tew, the New Zealand chief executive, is making it clear the player will not be released for England.
World Rugby's Regulation Nine states that all players must be released from club commitments during the agreed June and November international windows. New Zealand Rugby don't want to let him go and believe they have the legal right to deny release. Tew said: "I don't think you should jump to the conclusion that he will be available from our point of view. He has signed to New Zealand and he is contracted to play for New Zealand teams until the end of Super Rugby.
"We have a New Zealand player who is contracted to be here until the end of that competition and that would be our expectation. We are obligated to release players who have signed to play for other countries so they have made themselves unavailable for New Zealand.
"We always make sure that occurs and that is of particular relevance to the Pacific countries. But in this instance, Brad has signed a contract that makes him available for New Zealand teams."
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Latest Comments
Ireland have every right to back themselves for a win. But the key variable has little to do with recent record etc.
The reality is that Ireland are a settled team with tons of continuity, an established style, and a good depth chart, whereas NZ are fundamentally rebuilding. The questions are all about what Razor is doing and how far along he is in that program.
NZ are very close to really clicking. Against England all of the chatter is about how England could have closed out a win, but failed to do so. This has obscured the observation that NZ were by far the more creative and effective in attack, beyond the 3-1 try differential and disallowed tries. They gave away a lot of unnecessary penalties, and made many simple errors (including knock-ons and loose kicks). Those things are very fixable, and when they do so we are once again going to be staring at a formidable NZ team.
Last week we heard the England fans talking confidently about their chances against NZ, but England did not end up looking like the better team on the field or the scoreboard. The England defense was impressive enough, but still could not stop the tries.
Ireland certainly has a better chance, of course, but NZ is improving fast, and I would not be surprised at a convincing All Black win this week. It may turn on whether NZ can cut out the simple mistakes.
Go to commentsFair to say that NZ have come to respect Ireland, as have all teams. But it's a bit click-baitey to say that the game is the premier show-down for NZ.
SA has beaten NZ four times in a row, including in the RWC final.
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