Rugby: Blues chase more stars

Sonny Bill Williams. Photo / Getty Images

The Blues still have cash to spend on topline players, even after signing Ma'a Nonu.

They had been hopeful of luring Sonny Bill Williams to Auckland to play alongside Nonu but reports suggest he's heading to the Chiefs.

They have also been in discussions with first five-eighths Aaron Cruden but the smart money is on him remaining in Wellington or teaming up with former Manawatu coach Dave Rennie at the Chiefs.

The Blues have a number of top earners, including Keven Mealamu, Ali Williams, Jerome Kaino, Isaia Toeava, Alby Mathewson, Benson Stanley and now Nonu, but they still have room to move with the departures of Luke McAlister, Stephen Brett, Joe Rokocoko, John Afoa and Jared Payne.

Top players earn the maximum $180,000 a season from the franchise and this can be topped up by the NZRU.

Blues chief executive Andy Dalton refused to discuss who they were targetting but said their budget had some wriggle room.

"Each franchise has a budget to work with and that's what we are contending with," Dalton said. "There are a number of players we would love to have and we are talking to a number of these.

"We are still in the market for a few of them and we are pretty happy with where we are at. There are a number of guys still playing and we are keeping right away from them and not talking contracts with them."

The Chiefs have targetted Williams aggressively, especially as Dwayne Sweeney is heading to Japan and doubts exist over whether Tana Umaga can recover from his serious Achilles tendon injury.

The prospect of playing alongside Richard Kahui would be tempting but even more so would be the prospect of teaming up with All Blacks backs coach Wayne Smith, who has signed with the Chiefs for two years.

Smith helped convince him to join the Crusaders in the first place and has played a major role in his development as a player. He said earlier in the week he hadn't been in touch with Williams about joining the Chiefs.

Nonu's signing with the Blues on a two-year deal has given some clarity to the midfield situation. He will have a sabbatical in Japan at the end of the year and will join up with the team in 2012.

The Blues would love to pair Nonu with Williams but signing the two provides complications. Both are similar players and prefer second five-eighths.

Williams made his test debut at centre outside Nonu against England last year but has played the rest of his career at 12.

But signing with the Chiefs doesn't really fit in with his vision of being the world's greatest athlete and the Blues are a better side. The Chiefs are a long-term project under new coach Rennie and there will be a number of changes to the playing personnel.

For purely rugby reasons, it makes sense for him to stay in Christchurch because the Crusaders are still the benchmark in Super Rugby.

But Williams has acknowledged he's tiring of the regular earthquakes that have jaded the nerves of many Christchurch citizens and he also wants to be closer to his mother, who lives in Auckland. He has admitted he has offers from the Blues, Chiefs and France.

Williams has rarely done anything quickly - except scarper from the Bulldogs - and is guided by manager Khoder Nasser.

His movements are never certain until he has officially signed and Nasser has said a deal with the Chiefs is "completely inaccurate".

Nasser said they wouldn't do a deal until after the Super Rugby competition.

Williams is also high maintenance and history suggests he will spend portions of time on the sidelines injured.

"We are talking to him but he clearly has options," Crusaders chief executive Hamish Riach said. "He's made a massive impact and a massive contribution to the Crusaders and we would love to keep him.

"We would be delighted to be able to announce at some stage in the future he was staying with us but clearly we are not at that point."

The Blues are also in the market for Cruden to replace the departing Brett and McAlister but will face stiff opposition from the Chiefs and Hurricanes.

There are compelling reasons for Cruden to sign with all three - joining Rennie at the Chiefs, leading the Hurricanes' backline and the strength of the Blues.

But the Blues have options at first five-eighths with the steady rise of Gareth Anscombe, and Beauden Barrett is also on their radar.