Toulouse Break the bank on Carter

[Canadian_Rugger]

Taken from http://planetrugby.com/Story/0,18259,3551_3439231,00.html



Toulouse, rarely ones to blink at upping the financial stakes, are ready to smash the world-record pay cheque to land Dan Carter for the coming Top 14 season.

The Daily Mail reports that the French giants have put £750,000 ($1.48m) on a cheque for just one season for Carter's services, and even then Carter could only come when his All Black commitments were done and dusted: September at the earliest, December at the latest.

The bid far outweighs any made by British clubs, with the Premiership clubs restricted by a salary cap and the Welsh regions simply not in the same financial league.

Toulouse are bank-rolled by EADS, who own Airbus and run the European space programme among other projects. Their offer more than doubles anything likely to come from the NZRU.

"The only question is whether the 26-year-old signs for Toulouse or Toulon, the second division promotion contenders run by ex-All Black captain Tana Umaga," the newspaper reported.

"Money has been no object to them under the presidency of Mourad Boudjellal."

Any New Zealander playing overseas automatically forfeits his eligibility for the All Blacks but Carter can exploit his fame in Europe for 18 months and still be back in ample time for the 2011 World Cup.

With Jerry Collins and Nick Evans also out of contract and said to be considering options, the panic in the NZRU is palpable, and is not being helped by Robbie Deans, who urged Carter to be selfish rather than sentimental.

"It doesn't really matter how I feel. All I want for blokes like Dan is that they do what is in their best interests and enjoy what they do," he said to Rugby Heaven.

"They are the only ones who can make those decisions. You can play devil's advocate and look at pros and cons, but at the end of the day it will be about what excites them.

"If they are chasing money for money's sake, it won't be a good scene. If they are staying for the wrong reasons it won't be a good scene either. That pertains to the individual. That's dependent on what individuals seek from their time. It's not for anyone to dictate or own the answers."

The sticking point is that players based overseas are not eligible to play for New Zealand under NZRU policy. But there is little to stop the players going overseas for a learning process - as Luke McAlister appears to have done by going to Sale - and then returning for the year prior to the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

It is this process that the NZRU appear resigned to accepting, but there is little precedent to gauge the possible disruption to long-term RWC preparations.

[/b]

Well it has begun the great monetary push from the North and my fair southerners its only going to get worse from here on out 1.48 million for not even one season of rugby that is a heck of a lot of cash.

 

[Cymro]

Cardiff Blues are also set to offer Dan Carter a deal!

 

[therock67]

Not many teams will be able to compete with that. Think he'll definitely end up in France anyway.

 

[Riot]

i say go DC, only one year, Stephen Brett, Nick Evans are already good replacements

 

[Gay-Guy]

Yeah if Nick Evens goes too then there will be the Stephen Brett = Stephen Donald rivarly for the number ten jersey.

However I think all S14 players should do a season or two in the NH to get more of feel for what rugby is like elsewhere....it will make them rounded players.....then they could come back and try out for the AB team when it is 24 months before the RWC. A good time to go would be straight after the RWC.

 

[woosaah]

Brett will be a better replacement than donald

This is big money, Toulouse contract only for a year so its not too bad. The NZRFU are looking at ways of keepign the all blacks over here, but money like that they cannot contend with. Maybe offering him something else after that year to come back to might be good, give him a break from the all blacks for a year or so then he might come back fresher. though he might like it so much and decide he doesnt want to come back to new zealand rugby.

 

[C A Iversen]

If Carter and Evans go within 12 months, how long before Donald and Brett are lined up?

After that who then? Will the cheque-books seriously be taken out for someone like Gopperth?

 

[woosaah]

Hope so, i hate Gopperth.

If this really happens and it starts to devalue the international game i feel that the NZRU has to do something about it. What they can do is a bit difficult. Maybe the NZ Government has to come in and give our sportsmen some tax benifits. Thats another reason why the players go over there, They dont pay as much tax or anything over there. There was a big article over the weekend about that. I didnt think it was worth posting.

Maybe the NZRU has to look at letting players play overseas and still be eligible for the ABs, but I dont like that idea as it devalues the Super 14. Maybe its not just about the money that they are going, but i am sure thats a big motivator and makes them seriously think about it.

If anyone has read the All Blacks report on the world cup you would see they are thinking about keeping the players here, but its still quite hard as they dont really have the resources that some of the European clubs have.

Hopefully the IRB can step in and do something as well, maybe make up a seperate competition that will bring in some extra money like the IPL or something, set up a special window just for international tests alternating from year to year, end of year for southern hemisphere to go to northern hemispher, mid year next year for you guys to come down south. keep the tri nations super 14. Maybe have a world club knockout tornament every couple of years or something.

I am bored at work.

 

[HarryPeters]

i say go DC, only one year, Stephen Brett, Nick Evans are already good replacements
[/b]

And Donald.

 

[gaslight]

A magnificent day to be that man's wallet. Top stuff.

 

[Prestwick]

Take away their passports, duh!

 

[jawmalawm24]

There was a story that said Carter has made a verbal confirmation to play for Toulon for 1.4mil for 1 year but would get $200,000 for endorsements.