Writing in the New Zealand Herald, Chris Rattue lauds Jamie Joseph for ignoring the wishes of the All Blacks.
"Jamie Joseph lost a battle in Rotorua but he won an important war. The Wellington coach is the man of the hour, the saviour, especially for those of us old enough to remember when provincial rugby was vital because of the tribalism involved.
"Joseph is a hero because for once, someone within the regime has stood up to the big brother NZRU and put what he believes is his own cause first.
"In terms of what is immediately best for his Wellington team or the All Blacks, you could argue that Joseph may have been right or wrong in ignoring All Black demands to play test men Cory Jane and Neemia Tialata against Bay of Plenty.
"Bottom line, though, is that Wellington have rights in this, and a lot of us are sick of the overbearing NZRU controlling so many rugby lives. The game needs to breathe."
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