Super Rugby
SANZAR to review signing procedures
ESPNscrum Staff
July 3, 2011
The Stormers' Schalk Brits exploits a gap, Stormers v Crusaders, Super Rugby Semi-Final, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa, July 2, 2011
The Stormers' loan signing Schalk Brits was unable to prevent his side slipping to a semi-final defeat to the Crusaders on Saturday © Getty Images
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SANZAR chief executive Greg Peters has revealed that the recruitment of overseas players will be reviewed at the end of the year in the wake of criticism of the existing policy.

The Sharks and the Stormers hit the headlines in recent weeks with the signing of former French international fly-half Frederic Michalak and Saracens hooker Schalk Brits respectively in a bid to combat their injury woes and to boost their push for Super Rugby honours.

Peters said they had been satisfied with Michalak return to Durban, following a stint in 2008, as scrum-half cover although he went on to feature strongly at fly-half. Meanwhile, the Stormers successfully argued that Brits, who signed a short-term loan deal, was needed because of injuries to loose forwards Pieter Louw, Duane Vermuelen and Siya Kolisi.

The Sharks were sent packing in the first round of the new-look play-offs by the Crusaders who also accounted for the Stormers in yesterday's semi-final clash but the recruitment of the high-profile duo at such a crucial stage of the season has still forced SANZAR to accept that there may be reason to tighten regulations.

"We will have a look at this at the end of the season," said Peters. "We review a lot of things and maybe we could look at players being in the round robin for a minimum number of games.

"Or we could insist that a player has to be registered with a franchise by a certain date - say, May 1, just as we do in the ITM Cup. I'm not saying that is what SANZAR will do But it is the sort of thing we could look at."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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