New Zealand Rugby remains a firm "no" on the matter, but changing All Blacks eligibility laws has been thrust back into the spotlight

All Blacks captain Sam Cane, fronting a media conference for his Suntory club in Japan while on a playing break there, suggests a conversation on player eligibility from offshore should be had.

NZR says the current criteria remains a key foundation of the side's legacy and success.

A statement says any significant change to the criteria is not foreseeable in the short term.

Kevin Putt, who played for the Springboks after leaving New Zealand in the 1990s, says it's something worthy of discussion for a number of reasons.