Rugby: Kahn do deal helps Pacific

Pacific players like Kahn Fotuali'i can now extend their New Zealand careers. Photo / Getty Images

Kahn Fotuali'i has thrown his lot in with Samoa and taken advantage of a kinder contracting regime to stay with the Crusaders.

The ultra-talented halfback/first five was one of the few Hawke's Bay players to perform consistently well during the ITM Cup and showed staggering versatility switching between the two playmaking roles.

The 28-year-old was an outside tip to make the All Black squad earlier in the year on the back of a superb campaign with the Crusaders where he ousted Andy Ellis from the starting halfback role.

When he missed out, Samoa came calling but Fotuali'i turned them down, choosing instead to have one last crack at forcing his way into the All Blacks.

That dream came up short as, despite the All Black panel's appetite for versatile players and the late injury to Piri Weepu [the only other man in New Zealand who can flit effortlessly between numbers nine and 10], Ellis and Alby Mathewson were chosen alongside Jimmy Cowan.

With no prospect of the All Black call-up coming, Fotuali'i made himself available for Samoa's northern hemisphere tour and has been selected. The Samoans played Japan last night and will also take on England, Ireland and Scotland as well as games against Connacht and the Combined Services.

In previous years, Fotuali'i's decision to play for Samoa would have carried financial implications. The New Zealand Rugby Union capped the salaries of those players not eligible for the All Blacks at unrealistically low levels.

The key driver to Rupeni Caucaunibuca leaving was that, despite being a superstar of the world game, he was being paid just $75,000 at the Blues. If he had been eligible to play for the All Blacks rather than Fiji, then his total earnings in New Zealand would have shot up to at least $300,000 a year if not higher.

The NZRU has a self-imposed charter to help develop the game in the Pacific Islands and sees contracting Fijian, Tongan and Samoan players to Super 15 teams as a means of delivering on that. But because these players are potentially denying potential All Blacks a contract, the NZRU has historically valued them at well below true market value.

That has all changed this year with the advent of direct contracting where Super 15 franchises have an unprecedented level of financial autonomy. While franchises will continue to consult with the NZRU and provide details on which players they are buying, they no longer have to gain the national body's approval to sign individuals who are being paid less than $180,000.

Fotuali'i is believed to have extended his contract with the Crusaders on similar, if not improved terms. His decision to play for Samoa will not impact on his earnings and opens the possibility of him staying in New Zealand beyond 2011.

Under the old regime, New Zealand-contracted players who chose to play for a Pacific Island side after failing to crack the All Blacks, would also move offshore to avoid a massive drop in income.

This created other problems as gaining release from the northern hemisphere clubs is never easy - particularly when much of Samoa's test programme is played when European domestic competitions are in full swing.

Ideally, if Pacific Island players are going to be based offshore, the coaches of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga would prefer they were in New Zealand or Australia where release is less of an issue and travel costs less to bring people into camp.

With New Zealand now able to offer players a better standard of pay, there is hope that more players will join Fotuali'i in declaring their allegiance to the Pacific Island nations.