KEY POINTS:
New Zealand rugby's chances of keeping superstar Daniel Carter appear to befading as huge money offers for his services roll in from Europe.
French club Toulouse is the latest to be linked with the chase for Carter, with Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reporting the club is lining up a world record 750,000 ($1.9 million) one-season offer.
That figure is over five times what Carter earns from his All Blacks contract. It dwarfs the estimated 330,000 ($850,000) a season Newcastle forked out for former All Blacks prop Carl Hayman.
Finding ways to retain the All Blacks' star playmaker and other highly rated talents such as Nick Evans was now the priority for the NZRU, chief executive Steve Tew said.
"It's the number one focus of this organisation right now. The player market has got so intense it is putting pressure on us to find some ways to try and fight back. But it is not simple when you see the money in the United Kingdom and the model they are following, which is basically the soccer model.
"At some point in time, bigger questions have to be asked in wider audiences."
One of those questions would seem to be whether it is finally time for the union to drop its cherished policy of selecting only All Blacks who play their rugby in New Zealand.
The lure of the black jersey has long been touted as the only way of stemming the overseas player drain. The policy's effectiveness, however, is appearing more and more questionable, with All Black selection often just another stepping stone on the way to big bucks in Europe.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry said the loss of key players just as they gained enough experience to make them effective at test level was a major concern.
He was still hoping Carter and Evans would re-sign with the NZRU when their contracts expire at the end of this year.
"It is not confirmed yet, they might not go overseas and we are hopeful of that," he said.
But, with the likes of Hayman and Aaron Mauger already gone and Jerry Collins among those tipped to depart, Henry knows the situation is looking increasingly grim.
"There is a real issue, a definite issue because I don't think you can quicken up the process [of developing players]. It is time playing the game at that level that will add to their ability to make correct decisions and to lead themselves and others."
Welsh club Ospreys and the Tana Umaga-coached French second division club Toulon are on the growing list of clubs that are believed to be wooing Carter.
The NZRU is considering several options in a bid to retain his services through to the 2011 World Cup, one of which is allowing him to take a sabbatical in Europe while still remaining contracted to the union. Other measures will include helping Carter to maximise his marketing and endorsement potential in New Zealand.
The union has shown an increasing willingness to step outside its salary structure in bids to retain key players, such as the rejected offer to buy a farm for Hayman.
Its financial clout is limited, however, with a significant chunk of its $77 million in reserves likely to have been swallowed by currency fluctuations.
The exact state of the union's finances will be revealed when it publishes its annual report on Wednesday.
Former All Blacks first five-eighths Andrew Mehrtens is hoping to extend his career for at least one more season. The 34-year-old is in discussions with Toulon over an extension to his contract.
"I have always said I would stop playing if I felt I was no longer capable of playing at a high standard. I think I am still playing at that level.
"I had just finished two difficult seasons in England because of recurrent injuries in training which meant I missed a lot of matches and lost my rhythm and speed.
"But at Toulon I am playing regularly and I am very happy because at my age I need to play."
