Rugby: McCaw close to re-signing with All Blacks

Steve Tew with Richie McCaw. Photo / Getty Images

The NZRU is close to getting one of their men.

Large deals on the table for both Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter to stick with New Zealand rugby, beyond the World Cup.

CEO Steve Tew says they expect a decision from McCaw soon and is close to confirming he'll stay.

"Richie's very close to confirming that he'll stay," Tew told Radio Sport today.

"We're giving him the space and time, and I think (we're) giving Dan the same courtesy. We will certainly be looking for a decision from them sooner rather than later."

Last month the Herald on Sunday reported that the duo have been offered four-year contracts to stay in New Zealand with unprecedented levels of flexibility and payment.

According to the paper both players will be able to take sabbaticals, either playing or non-playing, will be allowed to leave New Zealand at any stage of the contract and will pick up around $850,000 a season.

Tew told Radio Sport the flexibility offered in the contracts shows how important the two players are to New Zealand rugby.

"We've done really what we can. We've been incredibly flexible. We think we've done the right thing in doing that and certainly that's the feedback we've had from both of them," he said.

"They've appreciated that a different approach has been taken and it signals just how important they are to us and our desire to keep them.

"But ultimately they've asked for time so we've been giving it to them. The clock is starting to tick and we're keeping the pressure on."

Tew said the NZRU make no apologies for the flexible contracts which have also been offered to other players wanting time off from the game.

"Richie and Dan are world class players probably the best that have worn that jersey for the All Blacks if not very close to it. We think they're very important to the future of the team and they are very important to our player retention strategy.

"We make no apologies for being flexible. We've got one rule though that we won't break though - you've got to be in this county to wear the black jersey. We think that's a very important policy that's been tested on a number of occasions and we hold to it. That will apply for them as well.

"But if we can build something in for them, and other players. It's just not these two that we are now taking a flexible approach to either, we got young guys that are looking for a bit more time so they could do some travelling. All that sort of stuff is being factored in.

"We treat every negotiation as a separate process and where we can without breaking any of the key rules, we'll do what it takes to keep our guys playing in this country because the French, the Irish, the Welsh, the English, frankly they're a pain in the arse."

- HERALD ONLINE/NEWSTALK ZB