Franchises scramble to sign up squads

Franchise contracting has changed the rugby landscape, muddling Super rugby's boundaries and confusing many fans.

A flurry of player signings have seen the Highlanders take the lead in announcing their Super 15 squad, with new coach Jamie Joseph cherry-picking top talent like Lions second-five Shaun Treeby from their provinces.

Taranaki's Scott Waldrom is already a Chief, Canterbury first-five Stephen Brett with the Blues and Hawke's Bay fullback Israel Dagg is a Crusader.

Franchises are now free to contract players directly and can approach anybody not already signed up to a Super 15 team, regardless of their provincial links.

So who is playing for spots during the ITM Cup and who is already contracted?

Lists aren't public knowledge yet with franchises free to make announcements at their discretion, but many top players have already been snapped up.

Larger squads, up from 28 to 30-32, mean 160 players will eventually be signed up by New Zealand's five franchises.

As of yesterday, most of the squads had roughly 20 players on the books meaning there are about 50 spots still to be filled – not counting eight-strong wider training groups.

So can a franchise throw whatever they like at their desired player?

No. The New Zealand Rugby Union handles all the contract negotiations and under the collective bargaining agreement the five teams are restricted to spending a total of $55.6 million over the term of 2010 to 2012 with a maximum salary offer of $180,000 per annum per player.

All Blacks receive "top up" contracts, which are negotiated with the NZRU, but do not come out of their franchises' budgets.

The new model was designed to curb the escalating provincial salaries being paid to capture players within their franchise boundaries.

So if Super coaches can approach anybody, has the new model rendered those boundaries meaningless?

Arguably less relevant, but not meaningless.

The Hurricanes are a case in point.

Coach Mark Hammett has already inked 25 players for the 2011 season and has yet to go outside the region's four ITM Cup squads.

Teams also get first dibs on players within their boundaries when they sit down to negotiate the draft.

Franchises believe it is cheaper and more efficient to develop talent from within. In other words it costs a lot more to buy in a star first-five, than to promote one from the provincial squad.

Players are also unlikely to want to relocate every six months, so will naturally remain loyal where possible to their `home' franchise.

The catch is, the more promising the player, the more the province has to spend to keep the circling vultures at bay.

Direct contracting allows coaches more certainty to plan seasons ahead.

So what next?

Whereas before teams could protect 24 players from the draft, they can now contract up to 28 by October 26.

The draft will now be used to, firstly fill out the squads to 28 each, then to decide spots 29-32 with the squads to be announced on November 10.

Competition rules state each squad must contain three halfbacks and three hookers, while an eight-strong wider training group must complete the 40-strong rosters.

- © Fairfax NZ News