Rugby: Getting bretter and bretter

Stephen Brett. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It's to be hoped Friday night's loss to the Reds does not firm Blues first five Stephen Brett's decision to leave. Brett, in spite of an improved overall performance this year which sees the Blues desperate to retain him, will still be targeted by his critics after a crucial chargedown helped the Queenslanders win the top-of-thetable clash.

An All Black jersey is what Brett, still only 25, craves. However, if criticism of errors like the kick that led to the Reds' victory fuels his belief that it is still some way off, Brett will likely leave for overseas. That will leave the Blues denuded in a key position.

With at least 10 clubs in Europe looking for first fives, Brett is understood to have a good offshore offer. He is apparently determined to take it.

That conviction is being challenged by a growing number of influential voices who believe Brett would be better advised to give New Zealand and the Blues at least another year, if not two. Age is on his side and, if money is his motivation, he'll almost certainly find he's able to command a better package in two years, when his ability and value will be undisputed.

He is becoming the player so many thought he could be when he made such an impressive Super Rugby debut at Eden Park four years ago. His decision making has improved out of sight. There were signs in 2010 that he was maturing and this year, it is has been almost a surprise if he makes an error.

The random brain explosions that so blighted his work in the past have largely disappeared. His kicking out of hand has improved, his tactical command is better and he is the navigator the Blues wanted him to be.

"We are very keen for him to stay," says Blues chief executive Andy Dalton.

"He has fitted in so well to our culture, he's maturing as a player, as a person, and I think he has really enjoyed Auckland.

"I have been down to a few of the strategy sessions and he's very much a senior part of the set-up. He's a real driver of how the team plays and he reads the game so well now."

Brett desperately wants to be an All Black and feels if it doesn't happen this year, it probably never will. That thinking has to be challenged. It takes time to become a test first five - Brett is moving steadily towards being good enough and he's in danger of throwing it all away just as a test jersey is possibly within his reach.

It probably won't come in 2011 but what if Daniel Carter, Luke McAlister and Stephen Donald all leave this year - joining Mike Delany and Matt Berquist offshore? Brett and Colin Slade will be at the front of the queue along with Aaron Cruden.

He could also win titles with the Blues, be part of a special period. It's an increasingly common complaint of Kiwis who rush offshore when still young that they reach the end of their careers without ever having won anything. Titles mean plenty. Being part of a Blues team that wins a championship will also impress the European head hunters.

The hard, fast grounds of the Southern Hemisphere and the way rugby is played here suit his game. He's instinctive, at his best when he challenges the line and finds his runners. Club rugby in Europe is not as dominated by kick and chase as some would believe but it still does not seem the right place for Brett to fulfil his potential.

Money can set up a player for life but it won't provide happiness if they end up roaming the halls of their mansion later in life - full of regret that they never showed the world just how good they could be.