Kiwis set the precedent, so should let Samu be a Wallaby

Rugby Australia is refusing to pay New Zealand a ransom to have Crusaders backrower Pete Samu released to the Wallabies.

Pete Samu packs down on the side of the Crusaders’ scrum against the Waratahs last month.

Rugby Australia is refusing to pay New Zealand a ransom to have Crusaders backrower Pete Samu released to the Wallabies for this month’s Irish series and has ­approached World Rugby to intervene.

Australian-born Samu, who played all his junior and first senior rugby in this country before taking a contract with Tasman and eventually the Crusaders, would have been selected in the Wallabies squad for this month’s three-Test series had New Zealand not played hardball about his release.

The Kiwis claimed that, in ­accepting his Crusaders’ contract, he signed the so-called Schedule Three agreement to play only for NZ national teams and that in order for him to go to Australia he now needs NZ Rugby to sanction his temporary release from the Super Rugby franchise.

“We put a proposal to Rugby Australia early today that would allow Pete Samu to be available for selection in June and for the Rugby Championships,” NZR head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum said in a statement. “Rugby Australia is currently contemplating this proposal.”

Rugby Australia is understood to be fundamentally opposed to paying a ransom for the release of a player they are entitled to select without cost.

It is believed Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has spoken ­directly with Samu, who has said he is desperate to join the Wallabies but does not want to fall foul of NZR or the Crusaders.

All indications are that Schedule Three agreements are in ­direct contravention of World Rugby’s Regulation 9, which compels clubs to release players for approved internationals.

The approach to World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont yesterday indicates Australia has reached the end of the line with NZ.

Not only is NZ in breach of Regulation 9, it is also contravening the stated spirit of the law.

“In the best interests of the sport at all levels, Regulation 9 must be implemented by all stakeholders properly and in good faith,” says the preamble to the World Rugby statute.

“Compliance with not only the letter of the regulation but also its spirit is integral to achieving its objectives in the best interests of the sport.”

Clearly NZ intends drawing a line in the sand to stop countries raiding their stock of players but it already is too late to prevent a precedent.

It granted a release to Blues’ five-eighth Piers Francis for the England tour of Argentina last year and another to Hurricanes loose forward Brad Shields to play for England on its upcoming tour of South Africa.

And when Tyrel Lomax wanted a release from the Melbourne Rebels to join the Highlanders a year ahead of schedule last year, RA played ball, despite Lomax’s dual eligibility.

Meanwhile, on the Super Rugby front, the Brumbies are showing no signs of agreeing to stand down three Wallabies players — Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa and David Pocock — from Sunday afternoon’s match against the Sunwolves.

If they play, they will have only a six-day turnaround before the first Test against Ireland, which Cheika believes is too short.

The Brumbies are almost certain to name the three in their squad at lunchtime today.

They say Rugby Australia had eight months to sort out any conflict, yet contacted them only last Thursday.

At a time when the club is fighting for its existence, it says it needs all the drawcards it can muster.

RA appears to have decided the Brumbies are now out of the race for the Australian conference title but the Brumbies have not given up and hope results will go their way this weekend and the Rebels and Waratahs will both lose.

If the Brumbies can secure a bonus point win over the Sunwolves, they will be just six points behind the Waratahs, who they play in the final round of the ­season. The Brumbies will be watching all matches with interest this weekend and so too will Cheika, who says he has not yet finalised his starting Test side.

“I think we want to have a look at this weekend’s footy, as well,” said Cheika.

“Some of the positions are very tight. The front-row is extremely tight, the back three and the backrow, are very competitive.

“The locks … I know that (Rory) Arnold won’t be available but (Rob) Simmons has been in a rich vein of form these last few weeks and (Izack) Rodda has been playing excellent footy and Adam (Coleman) has been leading well down in Melbourne, so it’s going to be a really good contest for the first 15 spots.”