Coaches treat departing players with disdain

A growing trend to bench or ignore departing players has left New Zealand's top coaches nursing accusations of pettiness and immaturity.

Agents and players say coaches are in the dark ages if they believe it is professional practice to cold shoulder those who opt to transfer provinces.

Otago's Danny Lee said he dropped down the pecking order after announcing he would transfer to Hawke's Bay next season and there is speculation Mils Muliaina may be on the outer at Auckland having signed up for Waikato in 2006.

Lee and Muliaina have been loyal servants of their respective provinces and both men say they remain committed to their current employers.

Otago have opted, though, to keep Lee on the bench for most of this NPC, preferring to start with the promising Chris Smylie.

Smylie has impressed but it's debatable whether he would have been given so many starts if Lee, a former All Black halfback who played a key role for the Highlanders this season, hadn't declared his intention to quit Otago.

"It's been disappointing and very frustrating," said Lee. "I need to be playing to get a Super 14 contract and that has been at the back of my mind. I am getting nervous about that.

"Maybe I should have said nothing about my move to Hawke's Bay."

With Muliaina joining Waikato next season, Auckland coach Pat Lam has hinted he might persevere with his back three of Isa Nacewa, Brent Ward and Anthony Koonwaiyou. He also has returning All Blacks Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett at his disposal.

Muliaina's agent Bruce Sharrock said: "Mils will front, he will train exceptionally hard, he will be enthusiastic and will give his all for the Auckland. If they choose not to mirror that, then that is their business.

"Mils is at the top of his game, the top of the international tree, but at the end of the day the loyalty goes out the window. It is a sad, harsh fact of professional sport. There needs to be an improved level of professionalism in all areas - players, administrators, everybody has to appreciate the style of game and what it really means. The fact Mils has declared he is moving elsewhere is just life. You need to get on with it and get over it.

"If a coach doesn't make a final or win a championship because he had two or three outstanding players available and he doesn't use them, then that coach will come under a lot of fire."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY