McAlister sells out to Sale
Luke McAlister is joining the player exodus north, signing a two-year deal with glamour English club Sale but saying he hopes to return to New Zealand to play in the 2011 World Cup here.
The 23-year-old North Harbour utility confirmed the deal on Monday evening. He will take up his new job after the Rugby World Cup in France, needing to be with his new employer by December.
McAlister said that at this stage of his life he believed he could head offshore for a couple of years to experience something different and then hopefully return to New Zealand.
McAlister's position has been the subject of much speculation for the past few months and he confirmed that he also had offers from French club Toulouse and Irish club Munster in front of him. Sale had entered the race late and come up with the winning offer.
McAlister praised the New Zealand Rugby Union for their efforts during the process. He was hopeful of having something worked out with the national body to help ensure his return to New Zealand.
"I'm definitely not turning my back on New Zealand rugby. I'll be back," he vowed.
"This is something I have thought about long and hard. It was a difficult decision. I can't tell the future but I want to come back and play for North Harbour again and push my cause again in New Zealand. My goal is to play in the next World Cup here (in 2011)."
McAlister capped off his New Zealand season last weekend by playing a solid role in the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup clinching win over the Wallabies at Eden Park.
He was named in New Zealand's World Cup squad on Sunday and said that was his immediate focus.
"You never take your selection for granted," he said of making the cup squad. "It's really exciting. This is a special team to be involved in and we have a huge challenge ahead."
The All Blacks will also have a challenge filling the No 12 jersey with McAlister's move north following in the footsteps of the other premier second five-eighths, Aaron Mauger.
Anton Oliver, Chris Jack, Byron Kelleher, Rico Gear, Greg Rawlinson, Sam Tuitupou and Carl Hayman are other All Blacks heading to Europe to further their careers at the end of the year.
- Sourced from Rugby Heaven
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