Part Two of Scott Robertson's reign as Crusaders coach begins when he names his Super Rugby squad tomorrow.
Because he will be in London to help Robbie Deans prepare the Barbarians to play the All Blacks at Twickenham on Sunday morning, Robertson won't be in Christchurch for the unveiling of the squad.
Given 13 All Blacks form a vital plank of his squad, along with the yet‑to‑be capped Jack Goodhue, and that he also has secured other key contributors in Jordan Taufua and Richie Mo'unga, Robertson had several powerful bargaining chips to present when searching for recruits to fill the remaining vacancies in his squad.
Because NZ Rugby allow Super Rugby teams to spend around $4 million on players, much of the budget would be spent on the big‑ticket players.
The maximum retainer for a Super Rugby player is capped at $NZ195,000, the minimum is $NZ75,000.
Robertson might not be able to wave a fat cheque when luring a young prospect to Christchurch, but he can tell them straight‑up they will be training alongside some of the best players in the world, and in an organisation that knows how to win a title.
The five New Zealand coaches are given licence to contract up to 38 players, although that number could be inflated to allow for any long‑term replacement player exemptions.
Last year Robertson included 38 players in his original squad, prior to drawing upon wider training group or, in the case of Whetu Douglas who provided cover for Kieran Read when he was recovering from wrist surgery, a long‑term replacement player.
