KEY POINTS:
When rugby went pro in a headlong rush in 1995, New Zealand officials got a robust financial deal for their players.
Much has been made since of the benefits of NZRU central control of the purse-strings and player contracts.
However, the growing list of departing All Blacks and
senior players combined with the NZRU's loss of $4.8 million last year and gloomy forecasts indicates the need for some relaxation of that central control.
League was the great menace 12 years ago but rugby is now the greatest threat to its own sport. Now, even with the collective contract negotiated by the players for better salaries, the NZRU cannot hold their men. The commercial clout and chequebook reserves of European clubs are too powerful. And that's without the natural inclination to indulge in a change of scenery and lifestyle.
The Super 14 franchises in New Zealand cannot retain their players because they have little financial control over them and are limited in making private arrangements. The five squads are dictated to by the central NZRU policy.
It was not long ago that the NZRU were all gung-ho about renegotiating the Sanzar deal but grim financial predictions (note Sanzar partners Australia announced a $463,000 profit this week) suggest it will have to cede some power to the franchises to help spread player payments.
You can see the shudders surging through NZRU corridors in Wellington about the way this imitates the fight between clubs and northern hemisphere nations.
But if franchises are unable to influence their own destiny they will continue to shed players. If they cannot have the freedom to stitch up the sort of deal which allowed the Force to sign Matt Giteau or the Waratahs to retain Lote Tuqiri, they will suffer.
There are some like Dan Carter whose sponsorship deal is probably worth more than his salary but franchises need to be able to protect the rest of their players. Ultimately franchises will need to be more responsible for their own survival; they will seek private investment, special offshore games, local broadcasting packages, reciprocal arrangements with overseas clubs.
The central system which served New Zealand well for the first decade of professional rugby is too inflexible.
Meanwhile, News Corp will be wanting value for money after the crowd, television and reconditioning kerfuffles this season. They might deal directly with franchises when or before the current deal ends in 2010.
The game below international level has the potential to grow because of the way tests have been downgraded and News may see that global chance of a clean slate. Once the World Cup is done, the opportunity for revolution is far greater.
