Editorial: Players wise to avoid restrictive contracts

Michael Harris has been offered a long-term deal with the Reds that would prevent him returning for the provincial competition. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Opinion

It is unsurprising that Australian franchises are increasingly eyeing up this country's rugby talent.

Their performance in the Super 14 has highlighted the limited stock of high-class players in Australia, a situation that will be re-emphasised when the Melbourne-based Rebels enter the expanded competition next year. Already, Daniel Braid and Sosene Anesi have been enticed across the Tasman.

The threat now is that franchises appear to want to tie promising New Zealand players to contracts that bar their participation in the Air New Zealand Cup.

Two North Harbour players, Michael Harris and James Parsons, have been offered long-term deals with the Reds and the Western Force, respectively, that would prevent them returning for the provincial competition.

Presumably, the Australian Rugby Union sees this as a means of ushering the players towards eligibility for the Wallabies.

The lure of such contracts is obvious. It offers entry to the big money on offer in the Super 14 to players who are being denied the opportunity in this country and who may not hold out great hopes of All Black honours.

As such, it represents a threat at the other end of the scale to Europe and Japan, which are more intent on dipping into the ranks of former All Blacks.

The extent of the danger is a moot point, however. Many younger players will probably not want their careers circumscribed in a manner that may not be problematic to those nearing the end of their playing days.

Pointedly, one of the two North Harbour players has turned down the approach. Others surely will as well, given the restrictive nature of the contracts.

In a professional era, many players will want to protect their right to mobility. Loyalty to this country aside, they have good reason to have reservations about such contracts.