Friction over backdoor deals
SUPER RUGBY teams are manipulating the system to guarantee themselves the players they want in the draft, getting provinces to sign or loan players on one-day contracts.
The selection meeting for next year’s Super Rugby squads will take place on Tuesday, with the squad announcements happening the following morning.
The recruitment of Super Rugby players goes through three stages – there are up to 28 players each squad initially signs, then four more players are drafted, while there are five more places in an extended squad, who’ll all train through the week but are on less money.
An issue around those players to be picked up in the draft or in wider squads has developed.
The NZRU rules state that a franchise has first choice on draft players from inside its own region. For example, if the Chiefs and Blues both want a Northland player, the Blues will get him.
But these rules are being exploited and players are being signed or loaned to provinces inside the franchise that wants them, so they can be counted as a local player on draft day.
This recruiting of players via the backdoor highlights the current system isn’t working. The franchises could argue they should be able to pick players from wherever and they are being forced to exploit loopholes.
Agents claim that unless underhand means are used some players may lose out to others less talented than them. That’s because there may be a number of players ahead of them inside their franchise area, but a real lack of depth in their position at another franchise.
The Sunday Star-Times understands that this manipulating of the system is causing friction between franchises and provinces, as the unions are being asked to sign players who’ll never play for them. And it could be at the expense of one of their players getting a Super Rugby deal.
This manipulation was happening to a small degree last year, but has escalated this year as Super Rugby coaches become more competitive in their recruiting.
Super Rugby teams are continuing to fill up their rosters as D-day looms.
The Star-Times can reveal that Blues coach Sir John Kirwan has recruited Ronald Raaymakers and Frank Halai, both from Counties Manukau. Raaymakers is a lock/flanker who made a big impression for the New Zealand under-20s last year and was also part of the Chiefs’ wider training squad.
Halai has been a regular for the New Zealand sevens team, he was unwanted by Waikato this year and returned to Counties with the intention of securing a Super Rugby contract and moving away from the sevens game.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie de-listed Jackson Willison, thinking that no one would pick him up and he’d be able to get him back in the draft. But as a delisted player any rival side could grab him and Kirwan has snapped him up as his second- five replacement for Ma’a Nonu.
Also signed for the Blues next year is Taranaki halfback Jamison GibsonPark. Kirwan was looking at Northland’s Samisoni Fisilau earlier during the NPC, but was impressed with how Gibson-Park played over half of the campaign.
Another Counties player who’s secured a Super Rugby deal is flanker Jimmy Tupou, who is heading to the Crusaders.
Sherwin Stowers, who has interest from NRL clubs, may miss out on getting a new Super Rugby contract with his best chance of picking one up coming from the Highlanders.
Jamie Joseph is still looking for an outside back. He was hoping to pick up Sean Maitland, but the former Crusader has decided to move to Glasgow, in the hope of eventually playing for Scotland.
The Highlanders are also interested in Auckland’s Ben Lam and have signed Otago’s Buxton Popoali’i for next year’s squad.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs want to sign New Zealand under-20 hooker Rhys Marshall, who comes from Taranaki but played for Hawke’s Bay’s under-20 side this season.
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