Andrew Mehrtens has strongly refuted claims he has been touting for a

ntract overseas.

Mehrtens, who has played 70 Tests for New Zealand, insists speculation he

has been chasing a deal with a number of English clubs is way off the mark

and he has no intention of quitting New Zealand rugby in the near future.

"I have always said I would look to go overseas as an option when I had

given everything to New Zealand rugby here - which hasn't happened," the

31-year-old told The Press newspaper.

"I saw those reports last week which were just completely out of nothing. I

have had no dealings with anyone in England and I have had no dealings with

any clubs and certainly haven't instructed anyone to go asking around to ask

if they will take me."

Mehrtens, who was rested along with Crusaders team-mate Justin Marshall from

the All Blacks tour of Europe at the end of last year, is contracted to the

New Zealand and Canterbury unions until the end of this season and is

putting all his energies into a year that will see him play in his 10th

season of Super 12 for Canterbury and hopefully for the All Blacks against

the British and Irish Lions.

However, he has not ruled out a move overseas at some stage further down the

track.

"I am committed here and I want to do well here and give my best here. As I

say, I'm certainly not ruling it out because there will be a time when I

want a different challenge and feel I've given everything I can here.

"But at the moment it's not even in the pipeline."