Former All Black Ant Strachan has praised the NRL for its proposal to alleviate pressure on juniors coming through the system. In the new proposal from the NRL, clubs will be prevented from signing kids too young, grading them prior to turning 19 and agents not allowed to sign players before the age of 17.

“It’s a good move by the NRL,” Strachan told NZ Herald.

“One of the biggest concerns we’ve got is agents heading into schools and contracting 12, 13, 14 and 15-year-old’s and really setting expectations far too young, and obviously the families are affected by that.

“So the move to contract players later to restrict the pressure in that youth area is a good move. I applaud what they’ve done.

“This will set a little bit of a precedent in terms of what league is doing. As a competitor [rugby union] we’re going to have to have a good look at it and take the good things out of it and potentially adapt some of the things they’re doing, so it’s got to be a win-win for the athlete.”