O'Neill open to overseas sabbaticals

Australian rugby bosses are prepared to adopt a flexible attitude towards top players taking overseas sabbaticals rather than risk losing them to cashed-up European clubs altogether.

Australian rugby bosses are prepared to adopt a flexible attitude towards top players taking overseas sabbaticals rather than risk losing them to cashed-up European clubs altogether.

The issue has become a hot topic in Southern Hemisphere rugby, with All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter linked to a short stint in France between seasons in New Zealand.

Australian Rugby Union (ARU) chief executive officer John O'Neill said he had yet to speak at length on the issue with new coach Robbie Deans, who only started his new position as Wallabies mentor earlier this week.

However, he noted there had been a precedent with former Brumbies back Joe Roff permitted to spend a season with French club Biarritz before resuming his Australian commitments.

“He (Roff) came back and continued his career refreshed and played outstanding rugby, I think it's a case-by-case circumstance,” O'Neill told AAP.

“We are conscious the English and French clubs are capable of paying a lot of money and, in some cases, well beyond our affordability, so I think we will be flexible.

“I haven't had a long discussion with Robbie about this. I think we can look to be flexible if a player genuinely would like a break.

“We've got to be careful about the use of the word sabbatical, I suppose.

“But if the choice is between losing a player forever and perhaps simply giving a player a taste of Europe and the UK for a season and a commitment to come back, well, we wouldn't exclude that.”

Deans said it was common sense to give the idea consideration as rugby was a dynamic industry and changing all the time.

“It would be foolhardy to have an inflexible protocol that catered for the past, but not necessarily the future,” Deans said.

“To that end, we are only limited by our thinking.

“We've got to make sure that we act in the best interest of the game here and the people here.”