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Do you remember The One With Ross’ Sandwich?
“Ross brings his leftover Thanksgiving sandwich to work, but someone eats it. He finds out that it was his boss, who puts him on sabbatical and sends him to a psychiatrist for anger management therapy.”
He has a little breakdown and because he works in academia, he’s put on sabbatical, which is traditionally something teachers get. For every seven years they work, they’re eligible for one year of paid leave. Pretty sweet right?
So, when we look at Rieko Ioane and his recent contract news, is sabbatical really the right word? Is he taking a year off? Is the New Zealand Rugby Union putting him on ice? Are they paying his salary for the seven months he plays abroad? No. So why are we calling it a sabbatical?
Take Jordie Barrett for example. He is the most recent All Black to utilise a clause in his contract to sit out a Super Rugby Pacific season in an effort to play abroad, experience a new culture, develop as a player and earn a boatload of money in the process. Does he look like he’s taking a year off? Absolutely not! Just don’t look at his Instagram account.
Sure, he’s only played nine games since December, out of a potential 14. Keep in mind, Rieko Ioane has played the same amount of games since February. So yes, Barrett is taking some time off, he’s enjoying break weeks when the Six Nations is on, but it’s clear for all to see, that when he’s on the field, he only cares about winning.
So why are we using the word “sabbatical” really? The fact is, that the landscape of professional rugby is constantly changing. Club competitions throughout the hemispheres are changing nearly on a yearly basis and the flow of money with it.
The New Zealand Rugby Union wanted to tie Rieko Ioane long-term but they didn’t have the means to do a straight-up deal. Ioane clearly wants to stay in New Zealand and cares enough about the All Black shirt to turn down long-term offers from abroad. But he also wants to strike while the iron is hot and cash in on the opportunities that are out there. Jordie Barrett is the first player from New Zealand to avail of this deal. He’s earned the right to leave and come back. So does Ioane. Barrett made his Hurricanes debut in 2017 and Ioane made his Blues debut a year earlier. They’ve put their blood, sweat and tears into their franchises and it’s time that the NZRU recognised their contributions and tailor their negotiating approach to be more befitting of the player sitting across the table.
By giving the likes of Ioane the option to go abroad and earn the same amount of money he would in a year, in seven months with Leinster, they keep a star player happy and committed to the union’s future in the long run. He also frees up a space in his franchise and will return from Leinster a better player.
I can’t understand people who think this weakens the New Zealand Rugby Union. I’ve seen it being described as short-sighted and weakening the domestic competition. I wonder what those people think of HIA protocols…
For me, deals like these show that the NZRU are tailoring their approach and recognising the power that players now have in forging their own careers. One thing no one can argue with, is that the All Blacks will be able to call on Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett and Damian McKenzie at the 2027 World Cup. By empowering their players to work abroad in the short term, they’ve basically taken a new approach to staff retention. The gesture and flexibility will go a long way to helping them the next time they sit down to work on an extension with the 2029 Lions tour on the cards.
Yes, I’m including Damian McKenzie in this bracket. Watch this space.