Crazy deals don?t help rugby elitism

Crazy?absolutely crazy.
That's my initial reaction to at least one part of the new contracts awarded their players by the New Zealand Rugby Union.
I just can't get my head around that clause which says that once players salaries are fixed they will be payable for three years even if the individual concerned does not play for most, or any, of that period.
There wouldn't be many other jobs about where that would happen, would there?
So why rugby?
Yes, I do agree that in a sport where physical contact is unavoidable injuries will occur.
And I can see sense in ensuring that players who suffer in this regard are recompensed while they are in repair mode.
Not to the extent of receiving their full pay for more than just a few months but at least a fair proportion of it.
But to even suggest a player should not be penalised pay-wise when they are simply considered not good enough to play is ludicrous.
In that situation they should be like anyone else who is sacked from a job, out on the streets looking for new employment.
The NZRFU line that the three-year contracts will assist greatly in enticing top players to stay in New Zealand rather than link up with richer clubs in places like Japan and England because of greater financial security holds no water with me.
For two reasons.
Firstly, the idea that any player would give up the possibility an All Black jersey - or even, say, a Super 14 contract - purely for financial considerations rankles.
To those of us rugby fanatics never talented enough to play for our country the sheer thought of anybody putting money ahead of the ABs is impossible to fathom.
Hell we'd pay out of our own pockets for that privilege, wouldn't we?
Secondly, the vast majority of players who head overseas are on the downward spiral as far as their playing careers are concerned.
Sure, you do get the odd exception but most are in that late 20s-early 30's bracket which means their value for New Zealand from an international perspective is limited anyway.
So rather than lament their going we should welcome it as an opportunity to give the younger brigade an opportunity to strut their stuff.
And how about those so-called assembly fees for our ABs. Every time they get together they will receive $7500 a week, worth about an extra $120,000 next year to players if selected for every test..
Imagine that - big money just for turning up to work!
The view has been expressed in this column many times before that the worst aspect of professionalism in rugby has been the growth of elitism.
These latest contract negotiations have done nothing to ease those feelings, have they?