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All Blacks flanker Braid joins Queensland

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-05 11:00

MELBOURNE - All Blacks flanker Daniel Braid has become the first non-Australian qualified player to join an Australian Super 14 side under new eligibility rules.

New Zealand rugby union players John Afoa (L), Daniel Braid (R front) and Brad Thorn play with a ball during the Captain's run at the Olympic stadium in Sydney July 25, 2008. [Agencies]

Openside flanker Braid, who played for the All Blacks earlier this year in the Bledisloe Cup in Sydney, would join the Queensland Reds from the Auckland Blues as a replacement for the retired David Croft, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said.

The ARU relaxed their rules on player eligibility for Super 14 teams last month, allowing each of the four franchises to sign two non-Australian qualified players to play in the competition.

"This case highlights just how important the decision was to allow the states to contract overseas players," ARU high performance manager and former Blues coach David Nucifora said in a statement.

"The quality of Daniel as a player and a person will be invaluable to the Reds, who needed to fix a problem in terms of depth and experience at openside flanker."

Under the new rules, a second foreign-born player can also be signed as long as they become eligible for the Wallabies after they meet three-year residency requirements.

Having already played for the All Blacks at senior level, Braid cannot represent the Wallabies.

"This has been the toughest decision I've had to make in my rugby career," Braid said.

"However, I also wanted to experience something new in rugby and to me this is the best of both worlds. I still get to play in this competition but in a different environment with some fresh new challenges."

Player Drain

The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) have struggled to hold on to their top-tier internationals in recent years with 12 of last year's World Cup squad moving overseas.

NZRU general manager of professional rugby Neil Sorensen said it was disappointing to lose the 27-year-old Braid.

"He is a valued player and we put a lot of work into what we thought was an attractive and flexible package for Daniel but he has opted to head to Australia so we are disappointed to see him go," he said in a statement.

New Zealand does not allow players contracted to offshore teams to be eligible for national selection, though it has introduced a sabbatical clause for players on a case-by-case basis to allow them to spend a short time overseas.

Flyhalf Daniel Carter has joined French side Perpignan on a six-month contract. He will link with the club after the All Blacks' European tour in November before returning to New Zealand for their domestic internationals next year.