ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
REGISTER
LOGIN
ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
Wednesday Jul 8, 2020

Beauden Barrett's millionaire Japan deal could mark a change in professional rugby contracts

Beauden Barrett signing with Tokyo-based franchise Suntory Sungoliath is currently the talk of New Zealand and world rugby and it raises a few questions about how player contracts need to be handled in future if national unions are to keep their star names closer to home.

ADVERTISEMENT

Barrett is reportedly set to earn $1.5 million for his one-year contract with the Japanese side – a team which has current England head coach Eddie Jones as a key consultant and Director of Rugby – before returning to the Blues, with whom he joined from the Crusaders at the start of the new season.

It has sparked a debate in New Zealand. Barrett clearly isn’t the first big Kiwi name to up and leave, with the likes of Julian Savea, Ben Smith, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Aaron Cruden, Lima Sopoaga and Charles Piutau moving to French and English clubs respectively, with All Black second-row Brodie Retallick the latest to take a sabbatical to Japan.

For those still perhaps unaware, rugby is a business in the professional age and no more so than in Japan. Big multi-national companies not only invest huge sums of money into clubs, but their names are all over them as well and this is at the heart of the national project of building the sport even more in the country.

That means that lucrative contracts which pay really well are becoming increasingly hard to turn down for the professional player. In contrast, the unions from which the player comes are faced with an inevitable exodus unless player contracts are revisited.

Barrett’s situation is a little different of course. Much like Retallick, the aim is to return to New Zealand for the next World Cup, so the damage is largely limited by the one-year deal. But as the panel on Sky New Zealand’s The Breakdown discuss, Barrett is perhaps the exception, not the norm when it comes to star players looking elsewhere.

ADVERTISEMENT

Possible solutions range from transfer fees like in football, where the “purchasing” club is required to pay a certain sum to release the player from their existing contract, presumably paid to the franchise or union the player belongs to.

Or, a dual contract type agreement which seems to be the way Barrett has negotiated his sabbatical in Japan and new-for-2020 deal with the Blues, whereby the player can leave for another club while committing to returning to their home country within two years.

And it doesn’t stop at New Zealand either: South Africa’s top players such as Jesse Kriel, Willie Le Roux, Gio Aplon and Handré Pollard have all left for Japanese clubs – Pollard returned to the Bulls but then joined Montpellier in France’s Top 14 for 2019. English players like George Kruis, Freddie Burns and Alex Goode have recently signed for Japanese clubs as well.

That’s not to say that players like Burns, Kruis, Aplon or even the Dan Carters, Fourie du Preezs and Adam Ashley-Coopers are wrong to take big-money deals elsewhere, particularly when their chances of representing their countries are becoming slimmer. It’s the young, in-form players that are being picked for World Cups and Six Nations/Rugby Championships that unions are looking to retain.

ADVERTISEMENT

How that will unfold is the next big question in professional rugby.

Comments




Related Articles

  • 86 WEEKS AGO

    Jeff Wilson Blast Scott Robertson

  • 87 WEEKS AGO

    Steve Hansen defends Ian Foster

  • 88 WEEKS AGO

    All Blacks make coaching changes



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 8 WEEKS AGO

    The dummy that sold the whole of Perth - including the cameraman

  • 9 WEEKS AGO

    Bayonne score 'one of the best tries you'll ever see' in latest match against Exeter

  • 10 WEEKS AGO

    Baloucoune shows Andy Farrell what he's missing as the winger tears through Harlequins defence

  • 22 WEEKS AGO

    Seriously impressive Courtney Lawes compilation released after England player calls time on international career

  • 23 WEEKS AGO

    Fiji number eight Viliame 'Bill' Mata scores audacious try

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 8 WEEKS AGO

    The sending off that rocked the Six Nations opener

  • 8 WEEKS AGO

    Wrecking ball beats 10 players to score full length of the pitch try

  • 18 WEEKS AGO

    Streaker causes major bust up as he tackles player

  • 18 WEEKS AGO

    Monster hit from Perrin leaves Bristol Bears player stunned

  • 20 WEEKS AGO

    Posolo Tuilagi's massive tackle lights up Top 14

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Christian Wade proves he still has the X-factor with 50 metre mazy finish for Racing 92

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Magical sevens try leaves defender stuck in the mud

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    The fan reaction to Georgia calling out Wales this Autumn

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    England player ratings: England wake Twickenham up with huge victory

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible scenes as Italy shock Scotland in Rome

View All

Funnies

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Awesome scenes as Blitzbok fan throws down at the HSBC SVNS

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Mike Philips recounts crazy night Shane Williams tried to fight Warren Gatland

  • 9 WEEKS AGO

    Shaun Edwards leaves room silent in new Six Nations documentary with French to English transition

  • 18 WEEKS AGO

    Streaker causes major bust up as he tackles player

  • 22 WEEKS AGO

    Luke Cowan-Dickie left red faced after losing very costly bet

View All

Amateur

  • 63 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 63 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 86 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 86 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 87 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 3 HOURS AGO

    Danny Care to return to Twickenham for Barbarians match this summer

  • 22 HOURS AGO

    Northampton Saints brothers retire a day apart

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Christian Wade proves he still has the X-factor with 50 metre mazy finish for Racing 92

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Tributes paid as World Cup referee looks to hang up boots

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    Statement: Danny Care calls time on international career

View All