Winners & Losers: The All Black who has New Zealand rugby fans in a chokehold

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine, Lancaster doubled down on the organisation’s selection policy, noting Mo’unga would not be available for the July series or the tour to South Africa. The 31-year-old will return to New Zealand on an 18-month deal which begins in July, and he is not expected to be eligible for All Blacks selection until the Bledisloe Cup tests in October, after he has featured in the National Provincial Championship (NPC).

Mo’unga is an elite player, but is it a reflection on the rest of the country’s talent in his position – both established and rising – that the conversation keeps coming back to rushing him in to a black jersey?

“It’s a relevant thing for our board as governors of the game to regularly consider and reflect on,” Lancaster said of eligibility rules.

“We haven’t asked the board to relax that policy around Richie. We think the policy works for us. It keeps our best players in New Zealand playing in our competitions.

“We’ve got some world-class players in the same position, and a number of those have committed to stay in New Zealand and play on the basis of the policy. We’ve got to think about the implications of the policy and relaxing the policy at any point in time.”

Things could get very interesting in that position after next year’s World Cup, if not before.

Beauden Barrett (34 years old, 144 tests) remains the standard as far as test options among those still playing in Super Rugby Pacific go, with Damian McKenzie (31, 74 tests) struggling to have the same impact in the international game as he does for the Chiefs. Outside of those two veterans, Ruben Love (25) seems the most likely of the next generation to make a play for the No 10 jersey. He has shown his potential for the Hurricanes in that position this year in all facets of the game and has made five All Blacks appearances – three off the bench and two starting at fullback.

Looking at the other young talent coming through, Chiefs deputy Josh Jacomb (24) firms as a future first five-eighths contender as he eyes a move to the Highlanders in 2027 for more game time. Highlander Cameron Millar (23), the best goalkicking No 10 in the country, has surely won some admirers with his 85% success rate from 41 attempts, though his future beyond this season remains unclear with Jacomb moving south. Perhaps a move to the Blues, given Stephen Perofeta (29; 6 tests) set to take an offer in Japan?

Winner: The man of many positions

Crusaders everywhere-man Leicester Fainga’anuku continues to dominate the discourse around Super Rugby Pacific. Returning to the competition this year, most expected to see him feature in the midfield and add his name to an already packed palette of options for the All Blacks. Instead, he has done everything asked of him by coach Rob Penney and created a category in which he stands alone.

Seeing him close out a game covering No 8 and packing down at the back of a scrum was a novelty at first, but the shift to primarily deploying the 26-year-old as an openside flanker has spurred the best in him. He has now made three starts in the position, and has quickly grown into the role. He performance on Friday night against the Blues – in which he shifted into the midfield for the second half due to an injury to Dallas McLeod – showed every part of his value to a team as he had two try assists, 11 carries, 15 tackles and two turnovers won.

At this point, it seems a matter of how, not if, new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie will look to deploy the workhorse utility man.

Loser: The grandstand finish all football fans wanted

Okay, maybe not all football fans. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur fans likely let out sighs of relief when West Ham United’s equaliser against the Gunners was ruled out after a VAR check, due to interference on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya in the build-up. To be fair, if you’re grabbing the keeper’s arm or jersey at a corner, you’re asking for trouble. The contact didn’t prevent Raya from getting both gloves to the ball though.

The decision was called the “biggest moment in VAR history in the Premier League” by former Manchester United captain Gary Neville, given the ripple effect it has on the season.

Escaping with all three points, Arsenal go into their final two games of the season – against relegation-bound Burnley and mid-table battlers Crystal Palace – with a five-point lead at the top of the table.

While Manchester City have a game in hand on the Gunners, they would need Arsenal to slip up in one of those two games to have a chance of stealing the title at the death.

But it impacts the bottom of the ladder too. A point for West Ham could have been crucial in their fight against Tottenham to avoid the final relegation spot. A point would have put West Ham level with Spurs on 37, ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Leeds United tomorrow morning. Spurs don’t get an easy run home after that, with Chelsea and Everton – ninth and 10th respectively – their last assignments, while West Ham play Newcastle United (13th) and Leeds (16th).

How good would it have been to get to the final day of the season with both races still in the balance? Though it is a case of being crushed by momentary hope, and the game against West Ham was one Arsenal were expected to win anyway.

Winners: (W) Wellington Phoenix

Coming into their fifth season in the A-League Women, the Wellington Phoenix had high hopes. With the headline signing of Olympic gold medal-winning coach Bev Priestman and a revamped squad, the side set out looking for their first appearance in the post-season.

Now, they’re one win away from their first title.

The Phoenix overcame a 2-1 deficit in their two-legged semi-final series against the Brisbane Roar in Wellington on Sunday, winning the second leg 1-0 in normal time, before finding the series-winning goal in extra time.

With the win, they become the first New Zealand team to challenge for an A-League season championship.

It’ll be a clash of the top two regular-season sides in the main event, with the Phoenix visiting Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Saturday afternoon.

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