Rugby-Australia to allow Wallabies overseas stints

SYDNEY, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Australia is to allow centrally contracted players to move overseas temporarily from 2016 and still retain their test eligibility for at least part of the season, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said on Thursday. Australia, like many other rugby nations, have increasingly become embroiled in a battle to retain their best players in the face of lucrative contracts on offer from Japanese and European clubs. Wallabies Ben Mowen, Nick Cummins, Kane Douglas and Hugh McMeniman have all elected to leave Australia to play overseas this year, depleting the talent pool available to Australia coach Ewen McKenzie. Overseas contracts became even more attractive to Australian players after the ARU introduced pay cuts last year and some feared a wholesale exodus of top talent after the 2015 World Cup in England. "None of the changes will alter Australian rugby's policy that only players who are playing in Australia will be eligible to play for the Wallabies," read an ARU media release. "It does however provide greater flexibility in the contracting process by allowing select players the opportunity to become eligible for test representation at different points of the year." Previously, players had to be registered with one of Australia's five Super Rugby teams at the start of the season to qualify to play for the Wallabies in that year. Under the new rules, a player might play for Australia in the June series then play a season in Japan before returning halfway through the next Super Rugby campaign and becoming eligible for the Wallabies again. A player on a central ARU contract could also move to play for a season in France and then be able to return to represent Australia in the following Rugby Championship and November tour of Europe. "We've recognised that in the context of an increasingly global market for rugby players that we need to take a more flexible approach to player contracting," ARU chief Bill Pulver said. "We're confident this flexibility will encourage players to make significant long-term commitments to Australian rugby and help us to minimise the number of players who permanently re-locate to foreign leagues." The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), which faces similar pressures, have in the past allowed All Blacks flyhalf Dan Carter and centre Ma'a Nonu to have stints in France and Japan respectively while still on central contracts. South Africa have adopted a relaxed policy regarding the selection of Springboks based overseas, which some have suggested is behind the poor showing of the country's Super Rugby franchises this season. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Greg Stutchbury)