Early exit for Parry
In brief
IF anyone needed any reminding about the sort of regard Ben Smith is held in globally, look no further than the dollar signs.
Highlanders fullback and All Blacks vicecaptain Smith has some serious decisions to ponder over the new year, with revelations the 30-year-old is being offered similar money to the $2.4 million per-season Dan Carter is banking with French club Racing Metro, making him the world’s highest paid player.
New Zealand Rugby this week trumpeted a $70 million boost in funding for the players in the new collective agreement over the next three years, rising from $121m to $191m.
Almost $25 million of that has been set aside specifically to top up the country’s best 40-odd players – another increase of nearly $9m on the last deal.
Even then, though, it remains a struggle to compete with such consistent offers flowing out of Europe.
Smith, who is being courted by Munster and French clubs, Aaron Cruden and Israel Dagg are all off contract at the end of next year and NZ Rugby contracts manager Chris Lendrum admits they simply cannot keep everyone.
‘‘These are big decisions for them, particularly if you look at Ben’s case – there’s a lot of interest in him. Ben is top of the marketplace and so the offers for him offshore are very, very strong so it takes a while to work through all of that.
‘‘As I understand it the range that was in the public domain for Dan Carter at Racing Metro is about right and I don’t think Ben Smith would be too shy of that.
‘‘He could be high six or early seven figures in Euros and then there’s tax breaks and advantages that come with that so the actual earnings in hand are different from how they might be in New Zealand.
‘‘That’s why you see $9 million more in All Blacks retainers because we have to do everything we can to keep players like that.’’
NZ Rugby’s pitch is multi-layered when it comes to player retention.
It has committed $10m to a new savings scheme aimed at making the transition to retirement easier, with players able to withdraw half at age 34 and the remainder at 40.
‘‘We won’t match those European figures but Ben can earn handsomely in New Zealand and still prepare adequately for retirement and life after rugby,’’ Lendrum said.
‘‘The benefit of him staying is being remembered as a great, long-term All Black who retired here and there aren’t that many of the Richie McCaw-type figures.’’
Dagg is likely to wait until Smith makes a decision to firm up his future plans but none of the three key targets are expected to make any announcements prior to Christmas.
It is understood, however, 90-test tighthead prop Owen Franks has recommitted through to the 2019 World Cup.
All Blacks captain Kieran Read and Sam Whitelock are expected to eventually follow suit. Darts: New Zealand’s Warren Parry has been knocked out of the world darts championship in London after losing 2-0 to Dutchman Jerry Hendriks in the opening match yesterday. The 52-year-old Kiwi qualified for the event in his home city Invercargill in July. Parry missed a double 12 for a 141 finish to claim the first set and although he quickly regrouped to take a 2-0 lead in the second set, Hendriks reeled off the following three legs to book his place in the first round.