Veteran Brumbies and Wallabies centre Tevita Kuridrani has earned the right to an overseas sabbatical but admitted there were risks in allowing short-term stints abroad.
Kuridrani, who is currently contracted with the Brumbies until the end of 2020, is one of six Australian players who will have the option to take up an overseas sabbatical to recoup the salary losses he will incur under a new short-term pay deal.
The Wallabies centre said last week that he had not considered yet whether he would entertain the option of a sabbatical as part of the player pay deal but said he had spoken to his manager about it briefly.
“Haven't really thought about it - (I’ve been) chatting with my manager now and then, seeing what the options are.
“Haven't really thought about it to be honest but when it comes to a point I'll have to think about it.”
Rebels player Matt To’omua is another player who will have the option open to him, along with four other high-profile players believed to include Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, Kurtley Beale and Dane Haylett-Petty.
To’omua, who has been linked to English club Bath, said he felt the overseas option was simply a “just in case” insurance.
McKellar said he hadn’t spoken to Kuridrani about his future in the wake of the pay deal but after eight seasons with the club, he had earned the opportunity to look at different options.
“Haven’t discussed it in detail, “ he said.
“I've had a lot of chats with Tev over the last couple of weeks.
“He's a smart bloke, Tev, and the conversations haven't really been around him going to Japan or anything like that. He loves the Brumbies, he loves playing for Australia.
“Whilst he's been around for forever and a day, it feels like, he's only just turned 29, I think the skills and the development he's brought to his own game over the last couple of years, he's really come ahead in leaps and bounds.
“I think playing for someone like Dave Rennie and Wisey (attack coach Scott Wisemantel) would excite him at national level.
“It's an option there that's in his contract (to go overseas). Tev doesn't go rushing into any decisions around his future, he's very comfortable here in Canberra at the moment, it's an option for him down the track and one that he's probably earned to be honest.
“He's given incredible service to our club and to Australian rugby over a long period of time but I don't think he'll be rushing into that at the moment.”
The Brumbies have had mixed results when it comes to allowing players to head overseas.
Former Wallabies flanker David Pocock took a sabbatical in 2017 and missed the start of the 2018 season with injury after his stint with Top League side Panasonic.
On the flipside, former captains Christian Lealiifano and speedster Henry Speight both spent time in Europe during off-seasons and returned to Super Rugby with little hindrance.
McKellar said there was always a bit of a risk in allowing players to take time to explore overseas opportunities but the pros and cons depended on the particular player.
“Whenever anyone leaves your program and goes to another program, there's always a concern they'll come back injured or they won't come back in the same shape or they're playing a different style,” he said.
“There’s always those concerns but I think it's what works for one individual won't necessarily work for another individual.
“That's just the way you've got to look at it.
“If ever someone's leaving and going to another program for six months in another part of the world as a coach you're always, there's always a little bit of concern there and you'd be lying if you said any different.”
