Deal ‘must be best for players and future’

Senior All Black and players’ association board member Aaron Smith has rejected claims players are ‘‘just thinking of ourselves’’ in the standoff with New Zealand Rugby over the proposed $465 million Silver Lake deal.

The future of the Silver Lake deal depends on the blessing of New Zealand’s players, who have voiced their concerns about elements of the deal through NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol.

That has led to mediation between the two parties as they try to find some common ground on areas such as the potential risks involved in the investment.

The provincial unions and the community game desperately need an injection of cash, but Smith said the players were simply asking to be in full possession of all the facts before giving the deal the green light.

‘‘There’s a lot of info, there’s a lot of what-ifs and there are lot of things being thrown around,’’ Smith said yesterday.

‘‘We’re just trying to make sure we’re aligned about what we need to know and we’re clear about that, and then we try and make a decision that’s best for the players and the future.

‘‘I think that’s something that’s getting misconstrued, and that we might be just thinking our ourselves, which is false.’’

The detail in a deal such as a Silver Lake investment would be enormous, and it appears that the NZRPA’S willingness to take what looks like a hard negotiating line is, in part, due to its determination to get everything nailed down before a final signoff.