Reds pick up Braid as marquee import
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All Black Daniel Braid will fill the hole left by David Croft at the Reds. (Getty Images: Marty Melville)
The Queensland Reds are the first Australian side to dip into the imported player ranks, signing All Black flanker Daniel Braid for the 2009 season.
Braid joins the Reds under "marquee" player status, the first since the ARU relaxed restrictions on international players to one foreign player and another developing foreign talent.
The 27-year-old Braid made his debut for New Zealand in 2002 but has been kept out of the fray by fellow flanker and All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.
Braid was given the call up for the Test against the Wallabies when the New Zealand skipper was out injured. He has four Test caps in total and 59 Super 14 appearances for the Auckland Blues.
QRU performance rugby manager Ben Whitaker said Braid's signing will fill a place left by the unexpected retirement of David Croft.
"We have some very talented flankers like Poutasi Luafutu recently come into the squad and others on the development pathway, but Daniel will give us the depth and experience we need in that position and help promote competition within the squad," Whitaker said in a statement.
"Open side flankers with Daniel's outstanding skill and professional experience simply aren't currently available in Australia, so this allows us to fill the gap left by Crofty's unexpected departure until our development program catches up."
Braid said he was looking forward to the opportunity presented by the move across the Tasman.
"I am excited about the opportunity of playing Super 14 out of Queensland, the timing, the place and the team all contributed to my decision," he said.
"It is exciting to be the first to take advantage of the new regulations in Australia. It is also exciting to see the opportunities for professional rugby players growing as the game evolves globally."
"This has been the toughest decision I've had to make in my rugby career."
Each of the Reds, Waratahs, Brumbies and Force is permitted to sign only one "marquee" foreigner - an international who can never qualify for Australian selection because he has already represented another country at Test, A-team or sevens level.
The provinces are also able to contract a second "developing" foreign player who has yet to represent another country and could qualify for the Qantas Wallabies after three years of consecutive residency.
The Reds have also secured the services of Otago Highlanders backrower Ezra Taylor on a two-year deal.
However Taylor is Australian-born and has yet to represent any country at international level.
Kiwi 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.
Fly-half 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.
- ABC/Reuters
