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Wayne Smith | June 05, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THE Australian Rugby Union has rejected Hugh McMeniman's plea for dispensation to play one last season of Super 14 for the Reds before moving to Japan.
Under ARU rules, only players eligible to represent the Wallabies are permitted to play Super rugby and by opting to take up a minimum three-year contract in Japan, McMeniman, 25, has forfeited his eligibility.
The utility Test forward had been hoping for that rule to be waived, even offering to play next season for no more than his mortgage payments.
Certainly the Reds, who finished second-last in this year's Super 14 and have not recruited a single player of note for next season, were desperate for him to be granted an exemption.
Failing that, they had hoped the rule allowing each province to have one foreign international on their books not eligible to play for Australia might have been stretched to cover a home-grown but nonetheless ineligible international player.
But ARU boss John O'Neill has ruled it will create a dangerous precedent if the regulations are relaxed for McMeniman.
"I understand the arguments, but it's like a crack in the dam if you just start to loosen up the rules on this," O'Neill said.
Nor will the ARU be softening its stance on refusing to select overseas-based Australians, much as it would like to make use next year of players such as McMeniman and Dan Vickerman, who is with Northampton.
Had it been prepared to do so, almost certainly Waratahs pair Phil Waugh and Al Baxter and the Brumbies' George Smith would have accepted overseas offers. McMeniman was disappointed but not overly surprised by the ARU's decision.
"I was expecting something like this," McMeniman said.
"It's their policy and good on them for enforcing it. I understand why they have got to stay strong on enforcing it."
It has been a tough couple of weeks for the Reds, first with McMeniman's announcement and then with confirmation from Rocky Elsom that he had broken off negotiations with Queensland to sign with the Brumbies.
The Reds had hoped Elsom's decision to join the ACT would prise loose Mitchell Chapman who, disenchanted with the Reds, quit Queensland in 2007. But the news that flanker Julian Salvi almost certainly intends to head overseas, means there is a Brumbies contract open to Chapman.
* ARU director Bob Dalziel will stand down at today's board meeting after completing his second term. It is belieced a former Wallaby prominent in business circles is in line to fill the vacancy.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
Rules are rules should have thought it all out before chasing the $$$$$$$$$$$$$
Yeah but still I mean considering the shortage of depth in Australian rugby at the moment it wouldn't really hurt. Seems a bit spiteful from the ARU.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
not really when it has been the rule for how long?
Yeah but the talk is of McMeniman fulfilling the role of one of the two import slots. One for a marquee- non Australian eligible player. The second for a development player who could potentially play for Australia in the future. For what reason could McMeniman not be the second of those? He will be 30 or 31 for the next RWC after three years in Japan (or seemingly two if he plays for the Reds). He may still play for Australia in the future.
I think there is a strong argument for keeping the Wallabies Australian based players only. But I don't see the point in keeping the Super 14 teams Wallaby eligible as long as those non-Wallaby eligible were still Australian.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I'd rather have a genuine foreigner than a non-Wallaby-eligible Australian to be honest.
To be honest McMeniman is made of paper... and he knows it... He is not likely to have a long career in professional rugby at S14 level as he is always injured... He taking a good cash up contract now...If he extends his playing future in Japan he may return after 2011.... Furthermore Rocky Elsom is back in the Wallabies ranks until 2011....
Why would he not sign a contract for this year? Japanese season starts in September does it not?
That's a little confusing actually. What is the exact situation I wonder - is he hoping to play the Japanese season and then come here for the Super 14?
I can sympathise with what James is saying but I reckon it's too much of a risk to start allowing that (if indeed that's what Hugh's proposing).
i dont see how this is any different to Staniforth or Gerrard this year, or Elsom in 08..
the situation is rather different, generally the players are wanting to play for the wallabies and not S14, in this situation however Hugh wants to play in the S14 and not the wallabies.
I think the ARU is cutting off there nose to spite the face, yeah you dont want to set precedents but i dont see this specific situation as a common issue, however i think a stronger Reds side outweighs any negatives from this situation.
Last edited by TOCC; 17-06-09 at 13:40.
I guess, where he went wrong was getting the order of signing wrong.
If he had tucked away his Reds contract first for the next season he would have then been able to announce it being his last and then after a cooling off period make public he was going to Japan.
I think the ARU have got it right though and I hope they can stop the leak potentially caused by the Elsom adventure. It was a very "dangerous" precident to allow to happen. NZ are certainly sorry they did.
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Yeah Burgs just what i said earlier?
at the end of the day, its going to be a rediculous situation having McMenimen running around in club rugby and someone not so good playing for the Reds..
rules are rules, but really professional sport is a evolving creature and you cant keep things set in stone... It was a rule that Rugby was amateur up until 13 years ago