French champions Toulouse rejected on Friday claims by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) that they should pay a release fee to sign former All Black Luke McAlister.
The 27-year-old flyhalf is under contract with the NZRU until the end of the year, but he has signed a three-year contract to play for Toulouse.
The NZRU have demanded NZ,000 (€35,000) in compensation but Toulouse are unwilling to pay up.
"We will not spend another cent," the club's general manager Guy Noves told AFP. "Toulouse is not a cow to be milked."
McAlister, who has been capped 30 times, was due to start at Toulouse after the World Cup - which ends on October 23 - but having been overlooked by All Blacks coach Graham Henry for the forthcoming Tri-Nations tournament, he is now hoping to move to France in the next two weeks.
"We are in no hurry," said Noves. "If he cannot come until the end of August then we will wait."
Although McAlister was not wanted for the Tri-Nations, he remains in contention for the World Cup squad, especially if one of the incumbents is injured.
Earlier this week, NZRU General Manager of Professional Rugby Neil Sorensen said it was disappointing he did not want to stay.
"It's not as if this guy hasn't been given chances in New Zealand rugby," Sorensen said.
"This is not the first time he's gone to seek his fortune offshore. We went to a lot of time, effort and expense to bring him back because we thought he could add some value."
The current row has been heightened by McAlister being dropped from his provincial North Harbour side after failing to turn up for training.
McAlister was a central figure in the All Blacks’ quarterfinal loss to France in the last World Cup, when he was sin-binned early in the second half and France scored 10 points while he was off the field.
He then took up a lucrative contract to play for Sale in England but was wooed back two years later when first-choice fly-half Dan Carter was injured.
New Zealand even changed their eligibility rules so McAlister could then play international rugby despite having not played domestic rugby that season.
AFP
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