Steinmetz to play in Dunedin and Wellington

Paul Steinmetz has won his battle to play Super 12 for the Highlanders next year, but is happy to return to Wellington for the rest of his contract.

The Wellington midfield back has been cleared to play in Dunedin after meetings between the player, his lawyer Colin Carruthers, Wellington Rugby Union chief executive Malcolm Holmes, Hurricanes coach Graham Mourie and New Zealand Rugby Football Union representatives Steve Tew and Steve Cottrell.

But he must return to Wellington for the NPC and play out the following season with the Hurricanes and Wellington.

Steinmetz initially resigned from his contract with the WRFU which he signed last year. It does not expire until the end of 2003.

He sought the release after All Black second five-eighth Pita Alatini announced he was moving to Wellington from Dunedin.

Steinmetz approached Otago and Auckland, seeking a spot in Super 12 sides.

Wellington initially said no, then offered Steinmetz a compromise which would have allowed him to play Super 12 for another franchise in 2003 if he was not happy with what happened next year with the Hurricanes. He would then have returned to Wellington for the NPC season.

In essence, the agreement is much the same other than a change of years with the Highlanders.

"I haven't been given any promises of a start with the Highlanders, just like I wouldn't have had any with the Hurricanes.

"The way I look at it was that there is probably going to be more opportunity there than what there will be in Wellington.

"So I'm happy with what's been organised. At no stage did I want to burn my bridges with Wellington. The key ingredient for me was to be playing Super 12 rugby next year. It had to be then.

"I've seen the improvements I've made over the past year with consistent rugby, so it was imperative to me that [I play the] next Super 12 season, and I'm grateful Wellington has come to the party and helped me to do what I wanted to do."

Steinmetz and Alatini will come together in the Wellington side for the next NPC season, but Steinmetz says he can live with that.

"I would much rather strike him in the NPC than the Super 12, because the Super 12's the really big competition in New Zealand rugby."

Hurricanes coach Graham Mourie said both sides had worked hard to avoid a situation where Steinmetz would not have been able to play rugby at all.

- NZPA