KEY POINTS:
Marty Holah, rated by many good judges as still the second best openside in New Zealand, is expected to sign for Welsh club Ospreys this week.
The 36-times capped Holah is off-contract at the end of this year and had been hoping to stay.
But the New Zealand Rugby Union is thought to have only maintained, rather than enhanced his salary, pushing the 30-year-old towards his move to Wales.
Having played almost 40 times for the All Blacks - and so brilliantly for the Maori team against the Lions in 2005 - Holah has been on the radar of many European clubs for some time now.
His low-to-the-ground game and ability to snaffle turnover ball - which is arguably better than even Richie McCaw's - are skills for which clubs in the north are willing to pay a premium.
With the NZRU under pressure to trim their own finances, they were unwilling to lift Holah's remuneration from its current level.
It is thought he will earn between £150,000 ($390,000) and £180,000 ($470,000) a year at Ospreys.
Holah will be available for Waikato during the Air New Zealand Cup.
