ARU to announce window for Super signings
The Australian Rugby Union is set to announce a specific window for Super rugby signings outside the competition in order to avoid the disruptions of previous years.
Mindful of the situation in 2005 when the Western Force announced their first batch of player signings before the Super season finished, the ARU wants to avoid similar disruptions this year before Melbourne's debut in the 2011 competition.
With ownership of the fifth Australian Super franchise in Melbourne finally settled on today, the ARU is poised to reveal details of their new signings window.
ARU Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, John O'Neill, said there wasn't currently a clear-cut window for Super signings and his organisation wanted to tighten it up.
"We will be introducing a protocol as to when signings can and can't happen," O'Neill said.
"We don't want a repetition of when the Western Force was established.
"It's not good, in the middle of a Super rugby competition halfway through the season (when) you've got a Waratah player standing up, pulling on a Melbourne jersey.
"We'd like to get Super rugby over with before there are any announcements on players being signed."
O'Neill acknowledged the ARU would not be able to stop players and their management negotiating with other franchises before the end of the season.
"It's hard to be entirely prescriptive, people will still negotiate," O'Neill said.
"But they can't announce or they can't then clinically sign players until after the end of Super rugby.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...0105-lrx0.html
