Legendary All Blacks flanker Michael Jones\u00a0believes that unions need to adopt eligibility rules\u00a0more akin to rugby league, dubbing World Rugby\u2019s current laws as archaic.<\/p>\n
The 1987 World Cup-winning back-rower says that union is losing the battle of \u2018hearts and minds\u2019 to league in New Zealand<\/a> and particularly among Pacific Islanders.<\/p>\n Michael Jones: League is overtaking union<\/p>\n The 61-year-old spoke to AFP before the announcement of Moana Pasifika\u2019s demise<\/a>, with the club set to disband at the end of the current Super Rugby Pacific<\/a> campaign.<\/p>\n According to Jones, league has become the \u2018game of the people right now\u2019 with the All Blacks losing their aura among the fans.<\/p>\n The 55 Test All Black told AFP that the positivity, innovation and creativity of rugby league\u2019s administrators was causing headaches for rugby union.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got to tip your hat to what rugby league is doing, but honestly if rugby keeps their heads in the clouds we\u2019ll all be playing league,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cRugby has such a heritage and legacy and the All Blacks is a powerful brand.<\/p>\n \u201cBut we\u2019re kidding ourselves if we think the All Blacks will always be the All Blacks, that they\u2019ll always be that to our nation and to the people of the Pacific.\u201d<\/p>\n Sir Graham Henry: Springboks are the best in the world by a \u2018considerable margin\u2019 as \u2018arrogance\u2019 holds All Blacks back<\/a><\/p>\n He believes that union needs to follow league\u2019s lead and make changes to their eligibility laws to really capture the Pacific public.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Pacific rugby is strong, New Zealand rugby is strong,\u201d he said, adding that it would be a \u201ctragedy\u201d if rugby union did not find a way to better cater for Pacific supporters.<\/p>\n Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for world-class coverage you can trust.<\/p>\n He says that the ability for players to easily chop and change who they represent at the international level is \u2018holding back the ability to really promote the game\u2019, slamming World Rugby\u2019s current regulations as \u2018archaic\u2019, and it is to the detriment of the Pacific nations.<\/p>\n \u201cSamoa and Tonga are really on the periphery of world rugby. That\u2019s not the case in league,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n