06/06/2007
All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen knows the player drain is hurting New Zealand but he believes it's also affecting the development of French and English players and threatening the bigger picture of test rugby.With France touring here, the big-money contracts being offered and taken up by All Blacks there and across the English Channel is a hot topic.
Already Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Aaron Mauger, Sam Tuitupou and Greg Rawlinson have agreed to English deals after the World Cup while Byron Kelleher and Anton Oliver will play in France.
That's a key group of All Blacks to lose and it seems Rico Gear, Ali Williams and Doug Howlett may be set to join the exodus if they succumb to the massive offers that are being thrown about. Young test star Luke McAlister is also weighing his options in this area.
When quizzed about this issue, Hansen tried to deflect the problem away from New Zealand and focus it on Europe and the bigger picture.
He said that apart from the negative tactics in the game that were highlighted by All Blacks coach Graham Henry, the player movement was "the other big challenge to rugby".
"Because if we continually have players playing in France and UK, neither one of those teams - the English or the French - are going to develop their own players. Their standards are going to slip and the international game is going to drop off," reasoned Hansen.
"If I was a Frenchman or Englishman at the moment I would be pushing to have less foreigners playing in their competitions so they can develop some players."
He said the effects were already being seen with international results aroud the world over the past few weeks where weak northern hemisphere teams were being beaten down south.
"Currently England have had two thumpings from South Africa and we have had one test here. The game is not going to be in good health in two or three years in either of those countries if you don't start developing people.
"Keep spending the money but spend it on your own players," urged Hansen
But Europe's - and subsequently New Zealand's - problems are again highlighted by the balance of power up north.
The big money is coming from private club owners trying to push the cause of their own investments, leaving the national unions to fight for the services of their stars.
And Hansen is right in the way the influx of overseas stars is hitting the home talent. Just three first fives in the English Premiership are eligible for England while France is struggling in two areas of previous strength - props and wings - because of a preoccupation to employ Argentinian front-rowers and Fijian outside backs.
*Disclaimer - Views expressed within this story are not necessarily the views of this Blog
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