Guildford says no to Waratahs offer
THE Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union hope former All Blacks wing Zac Guildford gets a chance to secure a New Zealand Super Rugby offer after turning his back on a move to the Waratahs.
However, the Crusaders have ruled out re-signing him and the Blues are also unlikely to be in the market for another wing.
Guildford, who has returned from French club Clermont to play NPC rugby for Hawke’s Bay, confirmed his change of heart yesterday after earlier indicating he might join former Crusaders backs coach Daryl Gibson at the Waratahs – where he’s now head coach.
‘‘I’ve had a rethink and I’ve decided it might be better to stay closer to home and family and friends. There could be a bit of interest from New Zealand Super teams too,’’ Guildford told Hawke’s Bay Today.
Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union chief executive Mike Bishop said Guildford had been headed to the Waratahs, but had had ‘‘an 11thhour change of heart for a number of reasons, some of which have been alluded to in the media’’.
‘‘He’s been keeping us in touch with his plans and when he did make the decision [not to go to Sydney], he immediately informed us. We were aware of it as soon as he made the call.’’
Bishop said Guildford was focused on playing well for Ranfurly Shield holders Hawke’s Bay in the NPC. The former All Black would be striving for a Super Rugby contract.
‘‘Zac’s got a pretty strong pedigree in the game at Super Rugby level in the not-too-distant past, and he’s only 26. We’d like to think he’d be on the radar.’’ But Bishop said it was ‘‘not for us to speculate’’ on a likely Super Rugby destination for the Hawke’s Bay-born wing.
Guildford played 18 games for the Hurricanes in 2008 and 2009 before moving to the Crusaders in 2014. He played 61 times for Todd Blackadder’s team until 2014 and won 11 All Blacks caps before welldocumented issues with alcohol blighted his New Zealand career.