Staniforth staying in Perth
Former Wallaby Scott Staniforth revealed he considered making the switch to the Waratahs before re-signing with the Western Force for the 2011 Super 15 season.
Staniforth, who returned to the Force early last season after a short stint in Japan, started his Super Rugby career at the Waratahs and said he was tempted to return to the Sydney-based franchise after receiving an offer from his old club.
"Definitely with family back in Sydney and the coaching structure there (at the Waratahs) was where I started out in my club football so there was a strong pull there," Staniforth said.
"But we decided to stay.
"There was a lot of factors actually (in deciding to stay in Perth).
"There was football, family and life after rugby.
"You can't get rid of me. I tried to leave a couple of times but no, I'm having one more run around."
Staniforth's decision to stay is a major boost for the Force, who have already lost outside centre Ryan Cross to the Waratahs.
Thom Evans forced to retire
Scotland flyer Thom Evans will sadly not be able to make a fairy-tale comeback from the spinal injury suffered playing for Scotland last season.
Evans crashed into Lee Byrne during the Six Nations clash with Wales, damaging two vertebrae.
The 25-year-old was stretchered off the field in a neck brace and as the severity of his condition emerged it was reported that the on-field care by physios and Dr James Robson, the experienced Scottish medic, had played a significant role in ensuring he did not suffer permanent paralysis.
Emergency surgery in the immediate aftermath of the injury stabilised his spine and he was given the option of further surgery, which would have left his chances of a comeback minimal.
In the four months since the injury, he has been working hard on getting back to full mobility, but according to the Scotsman nerwspaper, he has informed close friends and family that he will not fly in the face of medical opinion.
"It is devastating for Thom because all you want to do is play top-class rugby for as long as you can, and there is no doubt he would have contributed a lot to Scottish rugby in the years to come," said Roger Baird, a Scotland winger of the 1980s and a mentor to Evans through the 'Winning Scotland' programme, to the newspaper.
"It is also a huge blow for the Scottish game and the Glasgow and Scotland teams because we just don't have players with his searing out-and-out pace.
"Although he was quite late to rugby we spoke a lot about his defence, positioning and other things and he took them all on and didn't make the same mistake twice.
He is genuinely brave and strong, with good intelligence for the game, and I could only see him getting better.
"But you also have to get things into perspective. The great thing is that Thom is able to walk.
"I have a good friend David Millar, who recently hand-cycled around New Zealand to raise money for spinal research after spending the last 20 years in a wheelchair, on account of him suffering a spinal injury in a rugby match when he was just a bit younger than Thom.
"Thom knows that very well. He and a lot of the Glasgow and Scotland players were very good friends with Nick Watt, the Merchiston Castle pupil who suffered a spinal injury, going to visit him and offering their support, so Thom knows what could have happened too.
"But he is a very personable lad and he will do well in whatever he does. Scottish rugby will be the worse for his decision, but he didn't have a choice at the end of the day. I wish him well."
All Blacks chase six figures
That clause of a part of the NZRU's new collective employer agreement negotiated with the NZ Rugby Players Association (NZRPA) on Thursday.
The agreement runs two years to the end of 2012, and includes a new player contracting and payment models which mean Super Rugby franchises can now contract players directly, regardless of which province they represent.
That also includes two overseas players per franchise in a final squad of between 30 and 32 players, but those overseas signings will be subject to NZRU approval on a number of criteria.
Players will be employed on an NZ Rugby contract, rather than the existing NZRU contract, which can include a Super Rugby retainer (with an annual minimum of $70,000 (US$27,000) and maximum of $180,000 (US$122,000) and an NZRU retainer which will have no upper limit.
All Blacks required to attend a photographic, filming or recording session for promotional purposes will be paid $1000 per day under the new agreement.
The All Blacks will also get NZ$35,000 (US$24,000) per man if they make the World Cup Final and another NZ$65,000 (US$34,000) on top of that for winning it.
In the ITM Cup national provincial competition, each union must contract at least 26 players (excluding players named in the initial Tri-Nations All Blacks squad) on a minimum annual retainer of $15,000.
Loyalty is rewarded, with any one player able to add 50 per cent to his ITM maximum salary if he stays beyond eight seasons, while unions will also receive $35,000 (US$24,000) for having an All Blacks Tri-Nations squad member in their squad.
The provincial salary cap will no longer include notional values but the discounts for All Blacks, former All Blacks and veteran players will continue.
The new salary cap for each union will be set at the lesser of $1.35m or 36 percent of a union's commercial revenue, based on audited accounts from the previous two years.
The agreement also confirmed the previously discussed changes to the ITM Cup from next year, with two divisions of seven teams and a promotion-relegation system.
NZRU general manager professional rugby, Neil Sorensen, welcomed the new agreement as a significant milestone.
Together with the new broadcasting arrangements and the extension of the adidas contract through to 2019, it would provide significant certainty about the future of the professional game.
"It has taken significant work to get here but there has been tremendous goodwill and effort by all those involved. Today marks the culmination of that work from players, the NZRPA, provincial unions, franchises and the NZRU," he said in a statement.
