Tew weighs in on Shields release request
NZ Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew has revealed that Hurricanes captain Brad Shields has asked for a release to play for England.
Shields - who qualifies for England through his parents - is set to join English Premiership club Wasps at the conclusion of the Super Rugby season, and if granted a release, could be made available for England as early as June.
"We've only just this morning got a formal request to consider releasing Brad," Tew said Friday. "He's contracted to New Zealand until the end of Super Rugby and so the World Rugby regulations don't apply per se because he's committed himself to New Zealand, but he is a long-standing and loyal servant of the game and has put a request in.
"We're looking at that and are considering the ramifications of releasing him to England in the middle of a competition he is committed to. We haven't made a final decision yet."
Tew said that NZ Rugby wouldn't waste time on making a final decision.
"We're not going to muck around. There's no point in taking weeks when he and England need a decision faster than that."
Tew acknowledged Shields' status as a long-standing figure in New Zealand rugby, and said that would be taken into account when making a final decision.
"We would treat any request from our employees on its merits, and will take in account all sorts of factors. There is no point not acknowledging that Brad has been a very very good servant of the game for a long period of time.
"If he had been picked for the All Blacks we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'm picking he would have committed to New Zealand for a lot longer. But he hasn't that cut and has now taken a different direction. He has asked for a dispensation and we will give it some serious consideration."
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Forget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
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