Counties facing threat of player exodus

By CHRIS RATTUE

The Counties Manukau rugby team face disintegration, with six key players yet to confirm their futures with the relegation-threatened team.

Super 12 forwards Koula Tukino and Kristian Ormsby are among core players who can quit the Steelers.

Otago will announce today the signing of Steelers first five-eighths Blair Feeney and have targeted lock Ramon Lindsay.

Chiefs and Counties backs Danny Lee and Loki Crichton have yet to re-sign with the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, while Tukino and Ormsby have second-division escape clauses.

A 20-34 loss to Bay of Plenty in Tauranga on Saturday cast further doubt over a team who were title contenders three seasons ago.

The reality of second-division football and its effect on careers was summed up when captain Lee declined media interviews after the loss to a Bay of Plenty team reduced to 14 men when lock Paul Tupai was sent off on halftime.

Counties Manukau coach Andrew Talaimanu, a former Counties wing and assistant coach to Mac McCallion in the 1990s glory days, also struggled for words.

"It's a very upset dressing room," he said. "There isn't much I can say. You guys write the story."

From 1994 to 1998, Counties Manukau finished fifth or higher, were semifinalists once and grand finalists twice.

But they have won just four games since and finished second-to-last in the last two seasons. If they come last this year they face automatic relegation.

To avoid remaining last, Counties this weekend have to beat Auckland and hope Bay of Plenty lose to Northland. Two competition points in a final-round loss to Auckland would not be enough to overhaul Bay of Plenty after the Tauranga result.

The Steelers can still overhaul third-last Southland, who play North Harbour in Invercargill on Saturday.

If their sporting miracle fails, Counties Manukau face a reduction in sponsorship and players worried about their futures.

Player manager Phil Kingsley-Jones, a former Steelers official who represents Tukino and Ormsby, said he never thought it would come to relegation.

"Counties are my passion ... but the players have to deal with reality," he said. "There are no second-division players in the Super 12 any more."

An added complication for Tukino and Ormsby is that Super 12 players may need to decide by tomorrow which province they will play for.

If Tukino were signed by a non-Chiefs province later than that, the Chiefs would still have first call on him. That would make him a less attractive proposition to provinces which insist their players are eligible for their local Super 12 team.