Michael Cheika believes creative contracts can keep rugby superstars in Australia

AUSTRALIAN rugby is “under siege” from cashed-up European clubs targeting the country’s superstars but Michael Cheika has a trick up his sleeve to combat them.

AUSTRALIAN rugby is “under siege” from cashed-up European clubs and creatively bespoke contracts are the key to keeping superstars like David Pocock on home soil, according to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.

Cheika’s verdict came after Pocock ended months of negotiation on Monday by agreeing to a new three-year deal with the ARU and the Brumbies.

Securing Pocock through to the next World Cup is a major coup for Australian rugby but it required an unprecedented concession from the ARU: the 27-year-old will take a sabbatical season in 2017 to pursue study and personal development, as revealed by the Daily Telegraph last month.

Michael Cheika congratulates David Pocock after Australia’s semi-final win over Argentina.

It is understood the backrower is still eyeing off at least one stint in Japanese rugby during his time away from Australia.

Pocock’s manager Brian Levine said his client had turned down bigger money offshore to re-sign with the ARU and Brumbies but Cheika said he’d never feared losing him, given Pocock’s preference was to stay and play in Australia.

The Wallabies coach is infamous for his ability to help players change their mind but Cheika joked Pocock had come well-prepared in their discussions.

“He is pretty clever. He knows how to present himself well,” Cheika said.

“There were a lot of compelling arguments there for him to do that for himself, personally. Like I have always said, I am all for the characters in the team.”

Though his deal differs somewhat, Pocock is the latest in an expanding list of players who have signed flexible deals to stay in Australia. Bernard Foley, Israel Folau, Ben McCalman and Christian Lealiifano all have flexible deals that see then play in Japan as well, and Liam Gill was offered one to stay.

Asked if there should be concern that Australian rugby now has to lose top players for a period to be able to keep them, Cheika said: “I don’t think we should be concerned, no.”

“I don’t think there is anything at all wrong with being creative in the way we contract. It is obvious that the bigger money is in Europe,” he continued.

“That’s pretty clear. You only have to look at the amount of coverage and the amount of people that are there.

“There is a lot of money there and it is only getting bigger, it is going to put us under pressure. But I think we are doing our best and we are keeping a lot of good players in Australia through being creative.

“We have to be creative on the field, and we have to be creative off it.

David Pocock will re-join the Wallabies and Brumbies in 2018.

“Australia and New Zealand are pretty much under siege really, around players going. The private clubs are getting funded by the federations for the use of their players and they are taking our players to fill those other spaces, which it makes it harder for us to keep our national teams at the top level. But that’s what is in front of us, and we have to be creative and find different solutions to keep moving forward to stay ahead of the game. I suppose this falls into this category.”

It is likely the ARU have pitched a flexible contract to Kurtley Beale as well but with a $1.35 million a season offer from Wasps in the UK, even Cheika’s optimistic outlook appears to dip. Asked if he was confident he could talk Beale into staying, Cheika said: “I am doing my best.”

“At the end of the day, there is no forcing. To get the best out of people, you have got to have them on that same target,” Cheika said.

“There are probably a few hoops to jump through for that whole thing to happen. It will come down to his state of mind, and what he wants to get out of his footy over the next few years, and he will make a decision from there. I will be doing what I need to do in the background. It is all about that he is the one making the decisions.”

Originally published as Michael Cheika believes creative contracts can keep rugby superstars in Australia