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Open up player market: Deans
By Bret Harris
February 04, 2008
AUSTRALIA and Crusaders coach Robbie Deans has called for the lifting of player restrictions between the Wallabies, New Zealand and South Africa in the Super 14.
And Deans has supported ARU chief executive John O'Neill's view that the Super 14 should be increased to two rounds.
Deans said players should be free to play for whichever team they choose in the Super 14.
In other words, Wallabies inside back Matt Giteau could play for the Crusaders, while All Blacks five-eighth Dan Carter could play for the Western Force.
Foreign players are allowed to play for New Zealand and South African teams, with French Test five-eighth Frederic Michalak playing for the Sharks this year and the Kiwi teams including Pacific island internationals.
But the NZRU will not select New Zealand players for the All Blacks if they play offshore.
Australia is the most restricted player market in the world. Only those eligible to play for the Wallabies can play in local Super 14 teams.
There has been speculation about introducing marquee foreign players and Pacific island imports to the Australian teams, but Deans, who has been involved in Super rugby for 12 years, believes the borders between the three southern hemisphere powers should be opened.
"John O'Neill, I understand, has indicated that they open access to foreign players here," Deans said. "I would suggest in time, just crystal ball-gazing, Australia and New Zealand may open up selection offshore, but only if they are playing in the same competition.
"You could select Australians to play Super 14 in Africa and New Zealand and vice versa.
"It would create interest. In terms of selection, it is the same task. You are looking at footage from the same competition. It's neither here nor there."
Deans also agreed with O'Neill that the Super 14 had to be expanded.
"It's inevitable. It has to happen," Deans said. "Our market is not as big and we don't have the same ability to generate revenue as they have in the northern hemisphere and we are suffering at the hands of the northern hemisphere, in terms of player drain. We have to find a way of catering for the players' professional needs in the southern hemisphere.
"The only way to do that is to expand the professional window, that's the only way we can compete in the global market."
At present, the two third-tier competitions, the National Provincial Championship and Currie Cup in South Africa, prohibits the expansion of Super rugby.
The ARU recently axed its third-tier competition, the Australian Rugby Championship, but the NZRU expanded its provincial championship from 10 to 14 teams two years ago.
However, the format of the competition is up for review again this year.
New Zealand may yet come to the same conclusion that the ARU did, that supporting two professional tiers of rugby below Test football is commercially unsustainable.
In the past, New Zealand's rugby structure was based on club, provincial and international football. But the advent of Super 12 rugby in 1996 changed the dynamics of the game.
The five New Zealand Super rugby teams usurped the provincial teams in the NPC in terms of broadcast, spectator and sponsor interest.
The NPC has become more like a super club competition. While it provides players with a taste of professional rugby, it cannot offer enough to sustain them.
A large number of NPC players do not secure Super 14 contracts. Critics in New Zealand say the standard between NPC and Super rugby is widening, bringing into question the value of the competition as a development league.
The NZRU, which is in a worse financial situation than the ARU, will have to decide whether to maintain tradition or adopt a more modern model, which would involve expanding the revenue-generating Super 14.
The Australian
"Remember lads, rugby is a team game; all 14 of you make sure you pass the ball to Giteau." 
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