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THE ARU's foreign import policy is akin to throwing a party and nobody coming.
After several years of imposing the most protectionist eligibility rules in world rugby, the ARU has reversed its stance on foreign players in the Super 14 series.
Under the ARU policy, each of the four Australian teams _ Brumbies, Force, Reds and Waratahs _ are allowed to recruit two foreign players.
But there are conditions attached.
One import is a “marquee” player, which means he has played Test rugby and is ineligible to play for the Wallabies.
The other import is an emerging player, who has the potential to play for the Wallabies once he has completed three years residency in Australia.
Yet, of the eight import vacancies on the team rosters, only two have been filled for this Super 14 series with former All Blacks openside flanker Daniel Braid playing for the Reds and ex-Chiefs prop Ben Castle signing up with the Force.
One of the problems was it took the ARU so long to make a decision that players in Europe were already committed to the 2008-09 season by the time the Australian teams went out to the market-place.
The ARU is hopeful this situation will change in 2010 when more European players come off contract, but it remains to be seen whether players, especially marquee players, cross the equator.
South Africa has always had an open door policy, but they have struggled to attract quality foreign players. Scottish five-eighth Gregor Townsend played for the Sharks a few years ago when he was well past his prime, while French flyhalf Frederic Michalak had an uninspiring stint in Durban last year.
Like South Africa, the Australian teams must still compete with the power of the British pound and the euro, which is why so many Australian, New Zealand and South African players are leaving to play in the northern hemisphere, not the other way around.
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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015652,00.html
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