Retainer keeps top players happy at home

New Zealand can claim a minor victory in the battle to retain talent with overseas defections in 2006 believed to be the lowest in the professional era.

This year, so far, only eight of the country's top 140 players have signed contracts to play overseas in 2007. Last year 22 of the 140 contracted Super 12 players left New Zealand.

What makes 2006 remarkable is that, historically, the year before a World Cup has been a time of heightened player activity.

The European market, in particular, chases New Zealand talent at that time. Most clubs in England and France know they will be without their international players for the duration of the World Cup and look to recruit replacements a year before the tournament.

New Zealanders are prime targets because if they are overseas, they are no longer eligible to be All Blacks.

The fact that only Neil Brew, David Hill, Seilala Mapusua, Ben Blair, Aleki Lutui, Mark Ranby, Deacon Manu and Sean Hohneck will leave at the end of the season, has surprised many observers.

Generous financial packages have been put in front of a number of other players such as Jono Gibbes and Craig Newby, both of whom have opted to stay put.

While Gibbes and Newby, as well as Justin Collins who re-signed last year, have committed to New Zealand for a number of reasons, the new player collective agreement has been a major factor in capturing their signatures.

Under the new agreement, players are guaranteed retainers. Previously, remuneration was dependent on selection for Super 14 then the All Blacks. If a player missed out on Super 14 he would not be paid. Now, he could miss selection and be paid the guaranteed amount until the end of his contract.

Rob Nichol, the architect of the player collective and head of the Professional Players Association, said: "There is massive demand for non-All Blacks the year before a World Cup and I would have expected this year to have lost a big number of players.

"We can't ever be complacent but I guess the important thing now is that players have a choice and it's a choice that some of them find hard to make.

"There have been some examples in the past where it has been a no-brainer for the player to go. The deal they have been offered would set them up for life and we couldn't get past that. Now they have to weigh up the issues and give serious consideration to what they want to do.

"We have a situation where there are genuine opportunities in New Zealand and a lot of work has been put into getting the environment right. It is really satisfying to see guys like Gibbes and Newby stay here."

The retention of Gibbes and Reuben Thorne, in particular, is a major triumph for New Zealand rugby. Thorne was head-hunted by the big-spending Cardiff club at a time when his All Black career appeared to be over. In the past most players in Thorne's position and age had no hesitation in signing.

Gibbes had a seriously attractive offer from the Ospreys club and unclear signals about whether he still featured in the test picture. Again it was assumed he would be lured north.

But, with a more certain and therefore, comfortable, financial future guaranteed in New Zealand, both Gibbes and Thorne opted to stay as they felt the competitions, the facilities, the lifestyle and the management of players was better in New Zealand.

"I would love to know whether it [the collective agreement] would have made a difference to players like Kees Meeuws and Carl Hoeft. Would Meeuws have stayed if he had a guaranteed income? I think he was just coming into his prime and the same with Hoeft," said Nichol.

"We'll never know, but I think what is really encouraging at the moment is that I know players here are e-mailing New Zealand players overseas and telling them to come back because things are pretty good."

The Departure Lounge

2005 departees
Justin Marshall, Andrew Mehrtens, Carlos Spencer, Xavier Rush, Sam Harding, Tom Harding, Taufa'ao Filise, Adrian Cashmore, Michael Collins, Keith Lowen, Grant McQuoid, Wayne Ormond, Sam Broomhall, Dave Hewett, Norm Maxwell, Carl Hoeft, Paul Miller, Grant Webb, Riki Flutey, Joe Ward, Isaac Boss, Sailosi Tagicakibau.

2006 departees
Ben Blair, Neil Brew, David Hill, Aleki Lutui, Sean Hohneck, Seilala Mapusua, Mark Ranby, Deacon Manu.