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Wellington - The long-term injury suffered by All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter has prompted the New Zealand Rugby Union to bend its own rules and fast-track England-based Luke McAlister back into international rugby.
The union changed its eligibility regulations during its annual meeting on Thursday to enable McAlister, now playing for Sale in England, to be selected for the All Blacks as early as June's Test series against France and Italy.
Existing regulations prohibit an overseas-based New Zealand player from being considered for selection for any national team until he has played a full season in the Super 14 tournament or New Zealand's National Provincial Championship.
McAlister, who will return to New Zealand in May after two seasons in England, has been granted an exemption which will allow him to be selected for the Tri-Nations series against Australia and South Africa in July.
Carter will be sidelined for most of the year with a partially ruptured Achilles tendon and may be limited for a longer period by what is likely to be a slow recuperation.
With few flyhalf options in Carter's absence, the New Zealand union agreed to allow McAlister to make a staged return to international rugby. He is expected to play for the Junior All Blacks in the midyear Pacific Nations Cup tournament but could respond to an earlier call-up, depending on the availability of other players.
The New Zealand Rugby Union imposed restrictions on overseas-based players in an effort to stem an exodus of top talent to Britain, Europe and Japan. The union fears making it possible for players to return quickly to the All Blacks after playing overseas would encourage more and younger players to take up lucrative contracts offshore.
Union chairman Jock Hobbs said the decision to exempt McAlister from the need to play a full Super 14 or NPC season before returning to the All Blacks was not a blanket relaxation of the eligibility policy.
"But we have felt after listening to the All Blacks coaches, having regard to the injuries that we have currently in the No. 10 and 12 shirts and the depth of talent, that it is an appropriate time to exercise that discretion (for McAlister)," Hobbs said.
Hobbs said McAlister would play for the British Barbarians against England at Twickenham on May 17 and Australia in Sydney on June 6 before being considered for the Junior All Blacks.
He will only be eligible to play for the All Blacks against France and Italy if other current contenders are injured.
Chief executive Steve Tew said the All Blacks coaches had strongly pressed for an exemption on McAlister's behalf.
"The coaches were of the view that while there was some young talent coming through, to put that young talent into the white-hot arena of Bloemfontein versus South Africa, if we were to have an injury, wouldn't do them any good either," Tew said.
