Key Points:

Northampton's Kiwi connection has come under fire from former players who don't believe the New Zealanders are giving their all for the club.

The east Midlands rugby side has been knocked out in the semifinals of Europe's Heineken Cup with a 30-13 loss to Wasps and are on the verge of relegation from the English Premiership.

UK correspondent Martin Gillingham said former Northampton players Steve Thompson and Matt Dawson are blaming the clubs' plight on employing too many unmotivated former All Blacks.

Gillingham said Thompson and Dawson are claiming the Kiwis, Carlos Spencer and Bruce Reihana, are only in England for their pension benefit.

Last week website Planet Rugby reported Thompson saying the imports believed they were bigger than the club.

"The bottom line is that we did away with our academy a few seasons back and started signing a number of so-called big-name foreign stars," he said on the website.

"As soon as you sign players who think they're bigger than the club, you've got problems. We've got players who were built up to be much bigger than they ever were. They never really bought into the club ethos. If you don't do that, then the club's got a major headache.

- NEWSTALK ZB, NZ HERALD STAFF