Luke McAlister turns his back on NZRU after being sidelined from Tri-Nations – Rugby
Luke McAlister, who was not included in the All Blacks’ Tri-Nations squad, has geared up to end his ties with New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).
McAlister has pleaded with the union for an early release from a New Zealand Rugby Union contract because he wants to join French club Toulon. Meanwhile, NZRU has linked his release from the union with the payment of $60,000 to the board. Neil Sorensen,
the NZRU general manager of professional rugby, told the media on July14 that McAlister will not be given a NOC to play offshore unless he pays the penalty.
The current row between NZRU and Luke McAlister came to head after All Blacks selectors left him out of the upcoming Tri-Nations Cup 2011. The All Blacks coach Graham Henry and other selectors were not satisfied with his performance in Super Rugby championship
2011.
Following the All Blacks decision of not including him in the Tri-Nations squad, McAlister decided to give up the domestic tournament, ITM Cup. He did not participate in the practice session last Sunday with his provincial team, North Harbour. The team officials
took notice of his absence from training camp and dropped him from the opening match of the ITM Cup, to be played against Otago on July 14.
Neil Sorensen cleared NZRU’s stance over McAlister’s possible exit for offshore rugby and said that, “We'll be looking for a release payment if Toulouse gets him. If we don't get it from Toulouse, we want it from the player. As far as we're concerned he's
contracted until the end of the year to New Zealand and North Harbour. We'll contemplate an early release but only after we've agreed terms. We're in negotiations.”
The general manager of NZRU further said that, “This is not the first time he's gone to seek his fortune offshore. We went to a lot of time, effort and expense to bring him back because we thought he could add some value and that's what they (Charlie and
Luke) wanted.”
This is the second time Luke McAlister is leaving for Northern Hemisphere rugby, earlier he had played for English club Sales Sharks after RWC 2007.
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