The Achilles tendon rupture which will sideline All Black sensation Daniel Carter is set to strengthen the NZRU's resolve for an end to off-shore playing sabbaticals.
Carter faces a minimum six months on the sidelines after suffering the rupture in the dying minutes of Perpignan's 13-13 draw with Stade Francais in Paris.
It was his first match back for Perpignan after missing their final two Heineken Cup pool-play encounters with an Achilles strain.
Questions will now be asked of the wisdom of rushing Carter back into action, with Perpignan understandably keen to get the most out of him after shelling out $1.8 million for his services on a six-month stay.
The injury has also given more ammunition to doubters of the historic sabbatical which allowed Carter to skip his New Zealand rugby commitments for six months.
Carter's signing with Perpignan meant he was scratched from the Crusaders' 2009 Rebel Sport Super 14 campaign.
However, he would have been available for the All Blacks immediately on his return to New Zealand in June.
Following the injury, Carter is now doubtful for at least the early stages of the 2009 Tri Nations.
The New Zealand Rugby Union granted Carter the sabbatical as part of the contract negotiations which saw him re-sign through to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
However, since then the NZRU has become gun-shy on future playing sabbaticals.
NZRU chief executive Steve Tew told Yahoo!Xtra in December that while the national body was keen to offer senior All Blacks breaks from their playing commitments in New Zealand, they were reluctant on a repeat of the Carter case.
The chance of breaks, but not playing sabbaticals, are set to be tabled to the senior All Blacks Mils Muliaina and Rodney So'oialo when the NZRU tries to re-sign them through to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Both are off-contract at the end of next season.
"We are actually not keen on that word sabbatical, to be fair," Tew said.
"One thing we would look at for senior players, but I must stress on a case-by-case basis, is actually giving them a break from playing.
"We think it will be highly-unlikely that we will repeat, but not impossible, what Dan is doing.
"If you look at someone like Rodney for example, I think he has played in every campaign since he was about 19, back in 2000.
"If he is going to be any use for us in 2011, and he might not (take a rest) because he is a warrior and just keeps going, he might actually benefit from having a campaign off.
"It is not for every contract, not for every player. And it will be very carefully thought through before it is confirmed.
"It will be a matter of sitting down with the player and coaches involved and confirming when the best time for that opportunity might be. But it might not be a full campaign."
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/rugby/news/article/-/5294592/case-strengthened-end-sabbaticals