Manawatu fuming over player losses

WARWICK SMITH/Manawatu Standard

EXIT: With the loss of Kurt Baker to Taranaki, Turbos bosses say the gloves are off when it comes to future player deals.

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Manawatu won't be abiding by any more gentlemen's agreements with Taranaki after losing two of the Turbos to the amber and blacks for next season.

Chairman Tony Murphy said neither he nor John Knowles was informed by Taranaki that they were negotiating with Turbos fullback Kurt Baker.

Turbos wing Andre Taylor, who also had designs on playing fullback at Taranaki, has, like Baker, also signed with Colin Cooper's Taranaki team for two years.

"We have a protocol that we inform each other when we are talking to each other's players," Murphy said. "We won't be respecting protocols going forward for anyone."

Murphy also pointed the finger at player agents.

"They tout these guys all over the place."

Murphy was disappointed the players didn't tell Manawatu they were looking elsewhere.

"We probably should have been more aggressive," Murphy said.

But in the climate of uncertainty about the future of the 14-team Air New Zealand Cup competition, Manawatu was reluctant to step in.

There is widespread annoyance by Manawatu fans that the two have chosen to elope to Taranaki after the great community effort in helping to save the Turbos' premier place.

Murphy said he was disappointed after all the work put in to the two players. Baker has gone through the Manawatu system into the New Zealand Sevens side and Taylor into the Hurricanes.

"We must question how much development a lot of these unions are doing," he said.

It seems likely Manawatu will look overseas for replacement players to fill the gaps.

The Manawatu Turbos must stay within the new salary cap of 36 per cent of last year's revenue. That will probably fall between $1.15 million and $1.18m.

Baker has said he would still like to play Sevens for Manawatu at the nationals at Queenstown next month and Murphy said the union could block him playing.

He said he wouldn't be prepared to make such a call before he had discussed it with Sevens coach Paul Claridge. Manawatu has a stronger Sevens team than Taranaki's.

But Murphy would also like Manawatu do well at the Sevens and Baker has been one of the key players.

Baker trained with Claridge's team on Wednesday night and unless told otherwise, Claridge intends to use him in his side.

Claridge said Baker was still classified as a Manawatu player and when he signed with Taranaki, he indicated he wanted to play sevens for Manawatu.

"It will come down to the [Manawatu Rugby Union] board and what they want to do," Claridge said.

"He's a Manawatu boy, he's contracted for two years and he will be back."

Claridge suggested Baker was a victim of circumstances, of the fallout from the New Zealand Rugby Union's delay in resolving the competition debate.

The union's partnership manager John Sullivan slaved away throughout the year raising much of the finances and sponsorship to help save the Turbos. He said he would take a hard line and close the door.

Sullivan was angry the cross-border conventions weren't adhered to by Taranaki.

"We're flat out promoting our home talent and Taranaki come in and poach them."

- © Fairfax NZ News