Israel Dagg doesn’t blame Harry Plummer for taking up a multi-year deal with ASM Clermont Auvergne in France’s prestigious Top 14, but that doesn’t mean the 2011 Rugby World Cup winner is happy to see the one-Test All Black leave New Zealand’s shores.
It had been reported earlier this week that Plummer visited Clermont’s facilities amid rumours of a potentially lucrative deal. The transfer was made public in the early hours of Thursday morning (NZST) by the club, with Plummer committing to a three-year deal.
After guiding the Blues to a famous Super Rugby Pacific title as the team’s chief playmaker for most of the campaign, Plummer was rewarded by All Blacks coach Scott Robertson with a spot in the national squad following an injury to utility Stephen Perofeta.
Plummer debuted for the All Blacks during their dramatic win over the Wallabies at Sydney’s Accor Stadium in September. The first five-eighth played about four minutes off the pine as the New Zealanders held off a valiant effort from their neighbouring rivals in the dying stages.
With the Aucklander impressing with the All Blacks XV during their win over Munster earlier this month, ‘Razor’ Robertson called Plummer back into the top squad once again ahead of the win over Ireland at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
But with Plummer set for a move to Clermont after the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, New Zealand will lose another one of their up-and-coming first five-eighths. Josh Ioane and Aidan Morgan are others who have made the move abroad, both committing to sides in Ireland.
“It absolutely guts me” Dagg said on Sport Nation’s Scotty & Izzy. “Knowing that a young 26-year-old is going to leave before we’ve seen the best of him. But I’m not surprised.
“When you hear rumours like Richie Mo’unga is coming back, Beauden Barrett’s playing at 10 at the moment, Damian McKenzie and Stephen Perofeta – I don’t blame him at all.
“With the money that France have on offer for him and New Zealand Rugby, just with those names we mentioned would not be able to keep him.
“I genuinely felt like he’s a bit part of the picture going forward. I’m gutted but I don’t blame him.”
When the Super Rugby Pacific season got underway, Plummer wasn’t the first-choice flyhalf for the eventual champions Blues. Perofeta had that responsibility, but an injury promoted a reshuffle and an opportunity for another to make their mark.
It’s not like that role was completely new to Plummer by any means, with the man himself able to cover 10, 12 or 15. But this was a chance that Plummer certainly made the most of, leading the Blues to Super Rugby glory which included a masterful 16-point haul in the Grand Final.
As a representative player, Plummer went on to learn from Beauden Barrett and Damain McKenzie within the All Blacks’ inner-sanctum, and then there was that golden opportunity to shine for the All Blacks XV which the flyhalf took with both hands.
Plummer scored a long-range intercept try against Munster and was otherwise among the standouts as a general for that star-studded side. But as co-host Scotty Stevenson explained, this is “great timing” for Clermont to sign the All Black.
“This is the moment for Harry Plummer to extract maximum value from any contact offer,” Stevenson added.
“With Beauden Barrett coming back next year, if Plummer suddenly goes from being key for the Blues to being a bit part player in the set-up next year, and I’m not suggesting that would happen but it could, then his value just plummets.
“You’ve got to say that’s great timing from Harry Plummer, not so much for New Zealand. It’s another tough pill to swallow for those developing the talent here.”
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