Kiwis great wants State of Origin rules relaxed as NZ bids to keep talent

By Alex Powell

As New Zealand Rugby League takes steps to ensure its best and brightest talent remains committed to representing Aotearoa, World Cup-winning captain Nathan Cayless says he believes representative eligibility laws need to be relaxed.

On September 13, a host of New Zealand’s greatest names in rugby league will hold a camp on the Gold Coast, known as the Taurahere programme. The camp, which runs for three days, will bring together the best and brightest Australian-based talent, who hold a link to New Zealand.

Cayless, World Cup-winning coach Stephen Kearney, Issac Luke, Brent Webb, Bronson Harrison and Matt Duffie will oversee the 42 participants, as a means of teaching them “the Kiwi way”.

Residing in Sydney, Cayless will oversee talent in New South Wales, while Brisbane-based Kearney will do the same for Queensland.

In terms of timing, New Zealand Rugby League can’t waste a second in securing the futures of up-and-coming talent. Australia holds an advantage that the Kiwis can’t match – in affording players the chance to represent either Queensland or New South Wales at State of Origin level.

Despite being billed as the game’s pinnacle, New Zealand did get the last laugh in 2023, as both the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns finished the year with victories over the Kangaroos and Jillaroos.

But as seen with the likes of James Tamou, who was born and raised in Palmerston North before moving to Sydney for a rugby league contract, the lure can be too great. In 2012, Tamou opted to represent New South Wales and Australia at representative level, rather than New Zealand.

For Cayless, who was born in Sydney to Kiwi parents and played 39 tests for the country of his heritage, flexibility is needed when players opt where their representative futures lie.

“If you look at State of Origin as a showcase, you probably want to look at the best players being available to play,” he said.

“There was a bit of that argument when Sonny Bill Williams was playing and unable to play State of Origin, missing out on one of the best players in the world playing.

“I’m sure that’s a decision the NRL might look at down the track. But as a showcase, if you can get the best 34 players in the world playing State of Origin, it’s only going to mean more commercial opportunities for the game, more commercial opportunities for New South Wales Rugby League [and] Queensland.

“That’s money they can put back into the grassroots, and then we can continue to grow our game.

“That’s just my opinion, but it would be great to see the best players in the world be able to be picked and able to play State of Origin.”

Currently, New Zealanders are barred from representing both the Kiwis and a State of Origin side, due to being a “tier one” nation.

However, the likes of Samoa and Tonga are both able to have their players turn out for the Blues and Maroons, due to falling outside that bracket.

In 2022, at the last Rugby League World Cup, Samoa reached the tournament final, ahead of tier one sides New Zealand and England.

At the end of the day, players will ultimately decide where their futures lie. Cayless himself could have chosen to play for Australia, but wanted to honour his family heritage instead.

As head coach of the Kiwis, part of Kearney’s job was convincing players that they should represent New Zealand.

And while he personally doesn’t want to see State of Origin open to anyone but those wanting to play for Australia, the grey area is all the more reason to see the Taurahere programme back for the first time since 2017.

“This is exactly why we’re looking to get this programme going,” said Kearney. “I remember having the discussion with Dallin [Watene-Zelezniak] and his parents all those years ago.

“The player of the year trophy for New Zealand is named after his grandfather [Steve Watene]. He was born in New South Wales and brought up in New South Wales, it was about reminding him where he was from.

“He had to make a decision, and he decided he wanted to play for the Kiwis. This exercise we’re doing is about giving boys an opportunity to connect with their heritage.

“In a couple of years’ time, they can make a decision that’s informed.”

Given the power structure of the NRL, there’s been no shortage of New Zealanders moving across the Tasman in order to chase professional contracts at an early age.

Melbourne Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes would have theoretically been eligible for Queensland after he moved from Wellington at a young age.

Cronulla Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo went closer, and was only denied the chance to play State of Origin when his eligibility was questioned at the last hour.

James Fisher-Harris relocated as a teenager to play for the Penrith Panthers, but chose to play for New Zealand instead, and captained the Kiwis in last year’s record win over the Kangaroos.

There are plenty more players who fall into that category, and even more who will do the same in the future.

For Cayless, making sure players understand who and what they’re able to represent is the most important part of what the Taurahere programme will do over the coming years.

“I know what it’s like to live in a country and want to connect with where your family is from,” he added.

“A lot of families are migrating from New Zealand to give their families an opportunity as well. You see a lot of Pacific Island players that have heritage back to New Zealand.

“It’s [about] providing an opportunity for these boys to be involved. At the end of the day, these players and their families will make a decision when the time is right for them.

“But it’s about providing an early opportunity for them, to give them a taste of what it’s like to be a Kiwi, what it feels like, how we connect them back to our country, back to our roots.

“It’s not so much about the game, it’s about what we do in those three days to make them feel connected, and want to play for New Zealand.”

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission