Julian Savea's future is in doubt. Photo / Getty Images
For lots of reasons, it will be best if Julian Savea sticks with the Hurricanes rather than shift to - it is believed - the Crusaders, who are chasing him hard.
There is an uneasiness that the player market here is about to change; the introduction of private equity and
third party deals will see money become a determining factor in where players end up.
To date, it has been rare in New Zealand for franchises to bid and counter-bid for established All Blacks. There has been a limit - $180,000 - on what franchises can spend and it is the New Zealand Rugby Union who top up the payments. The cynics will doubt it but players in New Zealand have made their decisions about their franchise based on the quality of the coaching available and their likelihood of game time.
That might be changing. Now there is private investment in some of the franchises, they have the capacity to go beyond the $180,000 limit. Players will still be largely driven by coaching and game time but money may become the factor that tips the balance.
It's inevitable that the deal Savea has been offered to leave is better than the one he has to stay, in straight financial terms. That's the danger; money hasn't been a factor until now because it couldn't be. Because of that, there has almost been a gentleman's agreement in place about stealing big-name players off each other. The player market has been predominantly stable here in terms of big-name talent. To understand why New Zealand should keep it that way, take a look at Australia, where the culture is the antithesis of the market here.
