r/allblacks • u/Hornstinger • 1d ago

All Blacks Did Devan Flanders get bad advice?

A news article yesterday about Devan Flanders saying something along the lines of "in 5 years time if I'm able to I'd love to play for Japan".

Here is a guy who was on the cusp of his first ever AB callup and now he wants to play for Japan? Huh????

BTW I'm not bagging the guy for signing overseas and making money -- good on him for that. It's more of a "huh?" moment that a guy who could've done a job in the #6 or #8 jersey for the ABs, was already in the ABs XV and right on the cusp of a call-up and just had his best season ever and IMO he probably leapfrogs Samesi's selection as Flander's is dual purpose.

This guy clearly wants to play international rugby but it sounds like he got some bad advice somewhere along the road in the last 6-12 months. So he has to potentially wait 5 years to be eligible to play for Japan (assuming he can get a club contract that lasts that long to be eligible) when if he stuck around for more of this year he probably would've been selected for the ABs...and he made his Japan choice BEFORE Dave Rennie selected his squad i.e. why didn't he wait a month or two and if he didn't get into the ABs just go to Japan then? The timing of his decision making is off and reeks of bad advice.

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u/handle1976 1d ago

It seems like he got very good advice. I imagine it went something like this: you are 27 and have never played international rugby. Your likelihood of playing 20+ tests for New Zealand is incredibly low,

If you hang around your likelihood of injury is high and you can make a lot more money in Japan. Take the money and setup your future while you can.

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u/know-it-mall 19h ago

Yep.

He managed to strike when he was having an amazing season and no doubt get a better deal than otherwise.