New Zealand Rugby hopes troubled winger Zac Guildford has a future playing rugby in New Zealand.
Zac Guildford Photo: PHOTOSPORT
He has been linked with a Super Rugby contract with the New South Wales Waratahs for next year and has said he wants to play in the Super Rugby competition next season.
Guildford played 11 Tests for the All Blacks and was a part of the 2011 World Cup-winning squad.
However the wing fell out of favour with the All Blacks coaches and quit New Zealand rugby after being dogged by alcohol-related, off-field incidents.
Guildford then joined French club Clermont Auvrgene in the middle of last year.
The 26-year-old was granted an early release from the French Top 14 club in May, citing personal reasons and a desire to be closer to his family and support networks.
He returned home to New Zealand and is currently playing for Hawke's Bay, making his first start and scoring twice in their recent Ranfurly Shield defence against Wairarapa Bush.
NZR general manager of rugby Neil Sorenson said he's not contracted to them, and so it's up to local Super Rugby franchises to decide if they want him.
"Look if Zac ends up playing rugby in Sydney, look it's a good thing. The good thing for him is it's not too far away from home, he's still a young man with a lot of football ahead of him and he's also very close to New Zealand and not on the other side of the world so we're pleased to have Zac back in New Zealand and wish him a fanstastic season."
