Five players have transferred to new provinces ahead of the Rebel Sport Super 14 selections, the New Zealand Rugby Union confirmed today.

The players are James Afoa, who has transferred from Bay of Plenty to North Harbour, Aaron Bancroft (from Canterbury to Otago), George Naoupu (from Canterbury to Hawke’s Bay), Rua Tipoki (from North Harbour to Canterbury) and Bernie Upton (from Bay of Plenty to Wellington).

NZRU Deputy Chief Executive Steve Tew said that as part of the new Players’ Collective Agreement and introduction of the salary cap, changes had been made to the NZRU rules governing player transfers.

“The new rules now mean that there is more freedom for players to move around the country. We have done away with transfer fees between Air New Zealand Cup Provincial Unions and there are no restrictions on the number of players transferring to a new province,” Mr Tew said.

“There is also a considerably longer transfer period, which now runs through until the end of the Rebel Sport Super 14 and gives players more flexibility when deciding on where they want to play in the Air New Zealand Cup,” Mr Tew added.

Mr Tew explained that players had to transfer by 13 October this year to be eligible to be selected for a new Franchise in next year’s Rebel Sport Super 14, as well as their new province in the 2007 Air New Zealand Cup.

Meanwhile, the New Zealand Rebel Sport Super 14 squads for 2007 will be announced on Friday 27 October.