New Zealand announce Harlequins partnership

Harlequins have signed a ground-breaking deal with New Zealand Rugby that could eventually lead to top All Blacks joining the Premiership club when they take sabbaticals from Test rugby.

However, the NZR chief of strategy Nigel Cass made it clear it is unlikely to involve All Black-level players at this stage and the No1-ranked nation will guard against exposing too many secrets of their success. Cass said there were no current plans for All Blacks to be playing for Harlequins in their off-season but there will be lower-level co-operation.

Former All Black fly-half Nick Evans, now Quins attack coach, is set to gain experience in the New Zealand system. Quins have close links with New Zealand, with Sean Fitzpatrick, the former All Blacks captain, on the board. The All Blacks will carry out promotional activities at Harlequins during their European tour in November, which includes a Test against England.

The Rugby Football Union are happy with the deal, which will be seen as New Zealand Rugby trying to cash in on the lucrative European rugby market while also attempting to regain some control over their player drain.

Cass said: “We’ve got really tight controls in terms of confidentiality and we are very careful about what we share. We don’t want to overstate what this is — it is just an agreement to recognise that they are strategically placed in London and we share a major commercial partner in adidas.”