All Blacks wing Mark Tele’a dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when he announced on social media that he will be leaving the Blues to play his rugby in Japan.
As a result, Tele’a will be unavailable to play for the All Blacks as New Zealand Rugby has a policy in place that restricts selection for players who are contracted to clubs outside of the country.
The news comes as a shock as the winger was considered one of the key players for the All Blacks as Scott Robertson builds a team that could challenge the Springboks at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
If Tele’a doesn’t play any Test rugby for the All Blacks for three years, could he be available for the Springboks in 2027?
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According to World Rugby’s eligibility rules, Tele’a, who has a Johannesburg-born South African father and a Samoan mother, would tick all the boxes. That’s provided he does not play for the All Blacks for the next three years.
And, we’ve seen something similar happen before. Ahead of the 2023 World Cup in France, Springbok bosses Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber surprised everyone when they brought Jean Kleyn into the fold. The then 30-year-old had played for Ireland at the 2019 tournament in Japan, but since he hadn’t worn the green Ireland jersey for three years, he was allowed to switch to the green of South Africa.
In 2027, Tele’a could be in a similar boat as Kleyn was in three years ago.
When asked on the What A Lad podcast ahead of the 2023 World Cup if he’d consider accepting a Springbok call-up, Tele’a said: “If they asked me and the moment was right, yeah [I would]. If Samoa approached me, [I’d say the same]. But right now, my mind is set where I am right now.”
And, when speaking to the media ahead of last year's Rugby Championship Test against the Springboks, Tele'a expressed his interest in embracing his South African heritage.
“Every country has their own culture, so just embrace it. I’m a South African. I’m half South African. I haven’t really seen what it’s like here. So when I come back here, it’s just here to see the culture and embrace it."
Earning a spot in the Springbok squad could be a tough ask for Tele’a, however, as wing is not a position where South Africa is short of talent and options. But, Erasmus is known for his tendency to think outside of the box.
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