Henry Paul in talks with Waikato

By CHRIS RATTUE

Kiwi league standoff Henry Paul has been negotiating with the Waikato Rugby Union, but his New Zealand representative says the player is a long way from deciding where his future lies.

The 27-year-old Paul, who plays his 24th test for the Kiwis against Australia tonight, has held discussions with Waikato and the New Zealand Rugby Football Union over the past month.

There are suggestions he wants about $250,000 a season, which is four times the base Super 12 contract rate, and would put him up with some All Blacks' salaries.

But Paul has also been negotiating with four Australian rugby league clubs and two in England, including his club Bradford, where his contract expires this year.

His Raglan-based agent, Jim Rowe, said Paul had not been involved in any talks since linking up with the Kiwi squad.

"He is here to play a rugby league test," Rowe said. "Waikato rugby is one of many options he has and there have only been discussions at this stage, which is a long way from signing a contract.

"He has also had a very significant offer from the English rugby union. Waikato is the team he would want to play for in New Zealand."

Rowe said Aucklander Paul's preference would be to play at first five-eighths in rugby, and he believed Waikato had a very good administration and coaching staff who would best assist his transition.

"Ian Foster [Waikato's assistant coach] was one of the best first five-eighths New Zealand has had and he would be a big help to Henry," Rowe said.

"But I don't want to put words in Henry's mouth, and he is basically off limits about this until after the league test."

Paul would undoubtedly have his sights set on the All Blacks if he played rugby in New Zealand, but Waikato stressed he would have to prove himself in the NPC before thinking about the Chiefs.

However, Waikato are unlikely to be able to offer a tempting enough contract to Paul on their own, so would need the major assistance of the NZRFU through their Super 12 contract system - a type of Catch-22 situation which means he is likely to return home only if the top brass already have him unofficially earmarked for a Super 12 place.

Waikato and Chiefs chief executive Gary Dawson said Paul could play at first five-eighths or fullback, and was also a fine goalkicker.

Waikato have only just signed first five-eighths David Hill, who shared Chiefs' game time this season with Glen Jackson, who was offloaded by Waikato to Bay of Plenty.

Waikato's No 1 fullback is former All Black Todd Miller, but his career has been severely interrupted by a series of injuries and because he does not play on Sundays.

Dawson did not believe Paul was using clubs around the world to lever up his contract price.

"We are interested in him. We believe he is genuine and I don't believe he is playing one off against the other," Dawson said. "The big hurdle is the contract [price], and the New Zealand union would have to play a big part in that."

Paul's Australian agent, Simon Burgess, has said he is "very frustrated" by Paul's reluctance to commit himself. The Bulldogs have already withdrawn their offer, saying Paul was using them to boost his price with New Zealand rugby.