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It's funny how such seemingly innocuous events have the potential to be far more important than anyone realises.
The Guinness Premiership clash between Bristol and Newcastle last Friday was one of those games that could have had meaning far beyond being a relegation tussle.
The result was going
to have a major bearing on which of the two clubs went down a division at the end of the season. Defeat for Newcastle was not going to mire them in panic but it would have put them in serious trouble, which would have been no bad thing for New Zealand.
Playing at tight-head prop for Newcastle was of course Carl Hayman, the man everyone would like to see back in an All Black jersey. There has been some informal dialogue between the Hurricanes and Hayman's advisors, confirming the speculation that the big prop is exploring the possibility of cutting short his stint in England.
The problem is, of course, his current contract runs through until June 2010. Everyone in New Zealand would prefer to see him playing in the 2010 Super 14 which will not be possible if he's still with Newcastle.
Hayman, too, would by all accounts be happier if he was playing in the 2010 Super 14. Things haven't been great at Newcastle since he arrived after the World Cup.
The clubs main sponsor, Northern Rock, had to be nationalised after seeing its share price collapse and, as a consequence of that, some of Hayman's near $1m-a-year salary has not been paid.
The club has also been put on the market but hasn't so far managed to find a buyer and the behind-the-scenes disruptions have come through in performances with Newcastle only clinging on to their current ninth place by virtue of the fact they have games in hand on those clubs below them.
The situation is messy and would be cleared up rather neatly should Newcastle be relegated this season. That would be the best outcome for Hayman and the All Blacks.
There is an escape clause that will allow Hayman to leave Newcastle should they go down. And if they go down, Newcastle would probably be quite happy to see such a high earner come off the wage bill.
The financial ramifications of being relegated are massive. So would be the ramifications to Hayman's career of playing in a semi-professional competition that would rarely test him
Dropping down into National Division One would give both club and player a chance to part amicably and for both to mutually benefit from the split.
Unfortunately, Newcastle produced one of their best displays of the season and won 35-3, leaving Bristol nine points behind Worcester.
If Newcastle carry on in this vein they are going to make life awkward for Hayman.
He'll have to see if he can break his contract early if he is to play in the 2010 Super 14 or he will have to just put up with another year in the North-East of England and hope that he can force his way back into All Black contention when he returns in June 2010.
The All Black coaches would certainly prefer to have Hayman back by next season.
For all the talk of the Premiership being a brutal environment, there is little evidence of anyone being much chop in the scrum.
There would also be concerns about the mental state of a player effectively forced to stay at a club where he hasn't settled and life could yet become tougher next season with Racing
Metro determined to lure Newcastle's Jonny Wilkinson to Paris.
There are probably few New Zealanders who have much affinity with Bristol, but for the next three months it would pay to lend them heavy support.