Hayden Taylor's rugby future is at spaghetti junction.
The Northland fullback is now having second thoughts about picking up an Italian contract while considering offers from two different Super 12 bases.
Taylor's New Zealand rugby future now hinges on his ability to negotiate his way out of the Italian club contract.
If successful,
Taylor might yet be added to the Blues instead.
Taylor signed with Italian club Roma earlier this year and was due to head to Italy at the end of the NPC to start a two-year contract. His departure has been stalled as he tried to sort out work visas.
At the time, Taylor said the only reason he had opted to head overseas was two years of frustration at not being offered a chance for a fulltime Super 12 position.
Now he is on the brace of joining the Blues, is being head-hunted by the Highlanders for Super 12 and the Otago NPC team as well, and is having second thoughts about heading to Italy as a result.
But if he is successful at finding a way out of his contract with Roma, Taylor is likely to turn down the offer from the Highlanders, stick with Northland and play a full season with the Blues.
That could boost the Northland contribution to the Blues to an incredible eight players, with seven confirmed in the 26-man squad named today.
It seems that Blues coach Peter Sloane is keen to sign Taylor on, having left two spots open in his squad today and named just one fullback, Malili Muliaina of Auckland.
North Harbour's former All Black fullback Glen Osborne made himself unavailable for selection.
Taylor was not keen to comment on his status today, saying only that his future was undecided and confirming he had offers on the table.
His NPC coach Bryce Woodward though, confirmed Taylor would be in the Blues if he could find a way out of his contract with Roma.
"That's the latest I know, he has a contractual issue to sort out and as I understand it if he can do that he will be playing for the Blues," Woodward said.
Taylor is not the only one having second thoughts about his future with the Blues either.
The ongoing on-again off-again saga between halfbacks Mark Robinson and Byron Kelleher has now been resolved.
Kelleher has signed with Auckland for next years NPC, but has got a release to play Super 12 for the Highlanders. So Robinson, the North Harbour captain now on tour alongside Kelleher with the All Blacks in Ireland, has been named in the Blues.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
