Rugby: Foreign legion on hold for now

Auckland captain Daniel Braid had a stint with the Queensland Reds in 2009/2010 as their 'foreign player'. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The dream of foreign players spicing up next year's Super 15 will not come true. Nor is 2012 likely to see much in the way of a foreign invasion.

Maybe things will change in 2013, or maybe sooner, but it is going to take a major shift in mindset from New Zealand franchise coaches.

Permission has been granted to recruit two foreign players per franchise but, so far at least, no one has taken the plunge. No one has even looked offshore with any real intent.

The foreign market is anathema to the current coaches, partly because New Zealand teams have never previously been encouraged to recruit offshore.

But more because the attitude exists that signing a non-Kiwi is some kind of indictment on the domestic talent pool.

That's not surprising. Prior to this year, any Super 14 team wishing to recruit a foreigner (other than a Pacific Islander) had to seek permission from the New Zealand Rugby Union.

Any signing had to be justified on the grounds there was no local option - which is why Christian Califano was able to play for the Blues in 2002 but Australian first five Brock James was denied a place in the Hurricanes in 2005.

The new rules for Super 15 allow each franchise to recruit two foreign players. The change was agreed in conjunction with a decision to increase the squads from 28 to a maximum of 32 with improved wider training contracts meaning there are effectively going to be 40 players available for each team.

The concept of foreign recruitment is to add an element of glamour to the local scene. The New Zealand Rugby Players Association pushed for the change in the collective contract negotiations because it felt it would boost fan interest and introduce a fresh element.

Australian and South African teams are also able to recruit foreign players and with New Zealand following suit, the Sanzar partners have shown a rare solidarity and unification of thinking in terms of how they can work together to collectively enhance Super Rugby.

But the South Africans and Australians appear to have a better grasp on what advantages can be gained from foreign recruitment and have embraced the opportunity they have been granted.

In 2008 Queensland snapped up Daniel Braid, who has proved to be critical for them this year. The Western Force snared former All Black David Hill on a short-term deal and he became the hero of the hour when he landed a last-minute dropped goal to defeat the Stormers.

The Lions signed Carlos Spencer, who showed touches of his old magic, and if injury hadn't intervened the Sharks were hoping Argentina's first five Juan Martin Hernandez was going to steer their campaign.

Rob Nichol, head of the NZRPA, is confident that in time, New Zealand's franchises will come to understand and appreciate the value of the foreign market.

"Right now, though," he says, "Everyone has had to get their heads around the other massive changes that have taken place this year [the shift to direct contracting].

"That has been a major transition working through all that and because the franchises are now making longer-term commitments to players, they are putting them under a greater level of scrutiny than before.

"Under the old system you could sign a player one year and it didn't work out, then you didn't have to select him the next. Teams now have responsibility for their rosters in a way they previously never have.

"It will take time for franchises and coaches to consider foreign players."

Views on the foreign market could be fast-tracked next year if the Melbourne Rebels are able to make any kind of impact. They have been able to contract up to 10 foreign players and have so far picked up Danny Cipriani, Gareth Delve, Greg Sommerville, Tom Chamberlain, Hoani Macdonald, JP de Plessis and Kevin O'Neill.

There is, seemingly, a prevalent attitude within New Zealand rugby circles that there is little to be gained from investing in foreign players - that they wouldn't be able to bring anything that is not already available domestically.

It's easy to see why that thinking exists. The All Blacks are, and have been for some time, the best team in the world and so many players revered in Europe wilt or prove to be grossly inferior when they encounter the New Zealand national side.

But just as a number of Kiwi rejects have re-invented themselves at major European clubs, the same could happen here. Cipriani could be gold at this level on the hard grounds. Delve, a Welsh international flanker, could prove to be the best ball-carrying loose forward in the competition.

There is an opportunity here for New Zealand teams - they need to embrace it.

Five Kiwis re invented in Europe

Campbell Johnstone (Biarritz)

Remember him? - bloke with the "strongest right shoulder in New Zealand", according to All Blacks forwards coach Steve Hansen.

Only problem was that while Johnstone may have been a rugged scrummager, the All Blacks decided he didn't have the mobility to fit their style. So he won test caps in the early part of 2005 and was then dumped.

He pottered on with the Crusaders and Canterbury but his career took a dramatic turn for the better in 2008 when he signed for Biarritz.

The French love scrummaging and they especially love props who are good at it. Johnstone has become a cult hero on the French Atlantic coast and was voted second best prop in France last season by influential paper Midi Olympique.

Joe Maddock (Treviso)

After leaving the Crusaders at the end of 2003, Maddock joined Bath in England and became a must-pick for the West Country club. An agile but slight wing, he never really had a fair go in New Zealand, where he couldn't find a way past the likes of Caleb Ralph and Marika Vunibaka.

But once he joined Bath he started scoring tries, showed great pace and a range of skills no one knew he had. Bath were keen to retain him this season but Treviso, made a massive offer as the Italians were in full recruitment mode after gaining entry to the Celtic League.

Chris Masoe (Castres)It's not that Masoe had a bad career in New Zealand. But when he left, everyone felt he was a spent force. Turns out they were wrong.

He found a new lease of life at Castres and was their player of the season last year and just about got them to the semifinals - they led the table for much of the season but fell one point short of the last four.

Masoe's form was so impressive the club offered him an extension, which he took.

Kevin Senio (Clermont)

There was a time when Kevin Senio was hot property. He'd been around for a while without ever nailing a permanent place until 2004. Then, as part of the Bay of Plenty's Ranfurly Shield winning side, he enjoyed a huge campaign which led to an All Black cap in 2005 and a move to the Crusaders.

He quickly lost his place in both squads and left for France in 2007. Since shifting to Clermont, he's been reborn.

He starts virtually every week and has made a big contribution in taking Clermont to three successive Top 14 finals - finally winning this year.

Clarke Dermody (London Irish)

The quietly spoken Southland prop, who scored a try on test debut is now the captain of London Irish. The London club believe he is one of the best scrummagers they have signed in the professional age and love the fact he can get around the field and be involved elsewhere.

His promotion to captain is evidence of how highly regarded he is.