All Blacks out of Brisbane Tens: report

The Brisbane Global Tens rugby event will be lacking the star power of current All Blacks players, with the New Zealand Test representatives reportedly being ruled out of the tournament.

The pre-Super Rugby tournament, which boasts All Blacks fullback Israel Dagg as an ambassador alongside Wallabies star Israel Folau, will be held at Suncorp Stadium on February 11-12.

NZ Rugby is bound by the players’ collective bargaining agreement which enshrines a 12-week break from the game.

The Tens tournament is set to fall too soon since the All Blacks’ last European tour match against France on November 27 and franchises have been instructed not to make players available, the New Zealand Herald reports.

The move would rule out stars such as Dagg, Beauden Barrett, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea, TJ Perenara and Jerome Kaino.

The New Zealand Rugby Union Players Association said there were never any promises about All Blacks’ availability.

“It was known right from the outset that All Blacks that were on the end of year tour … there’d be no obligation on them to play,” NZRUPA chief executive Rob Nichols told the NZ Herald.

“They’d only play if everyone agreed, i.e. New Zealand Rugby, the players, the franchises.

“That 12 weeks a year is very, very important and that overrides everything.”

The Brisbane Tens is backed by Duco Events, the creators of the NRL’s successful Auckland Nines, which had secured strong Queensland government support.

All 10 Australian and NZ Super Rugby franchises – plus French glamour club Toulon, Japanese powerhouse Panasonic Wild Knights, South Africa’s Blue Bulls and the Samoan national team – are locked in for the two-day tournament.

Duco Events have been contacted for comment.

Stay up to date with the latest sports news
Follow our social accounts to get exclusive content and all the latest sporting news!