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NZ Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew has revealed that Hurricanes captain Brad Shields has asked for a release to play for England.
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Shields – who qualifies for England through his parents – is set to join English Premiership club Wasps at the conclusion of the Super Rugby season, and if granted a release, could be made available for England as early as June.
“We’ve only just this morning got a formal request to consider releasing Brad,” Tew said Friday. “He’s contracted to New Zealand until the end of Super Rugby and so the World Rugby regulations don’t apply per se because he’s committed himself to New Zealand, but he is a long-standing and loyal servant of the game and has put a request in.
“We’re looking at that and are considering the ramifications of releasing him to England in the middle of a competition he is committed to. We haven’t made a final decision yet.”
Tew said that NZ Rugby wouldn’t waste time on making a final decision.
“We’re not going to muck around. There’s no point in taking weeks when he and England need a decision faster than that.”
Tew acknowledged Shields’ status as a long-standing figure in New Zealand rugby, and said that would be taken into account when making a final decision.
“We would treat any request from our employees on its merits, and will take in account all sorts of factors. There is no point not acknowledging that Brad has been a very very good servant of the game for a long period of time.
“If he had been picked for the All Blacks we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I’m picking he would have committed to New Zealand for a lot longer. But he hasn’t that cut and has now taken a different direction. He has asked for a dispensation and we will give it some serious consideration.”
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