Cardiff Blues boss Dai Young has warned they may not be able to afford to hold on to New Zealanders Xavier Rush and Ben Blair beyond this season.

Young says ex-All Blacks Rush and Blair have received big money offers from rival teams.

The ex- Blues captain says they will do all they can to hold on to the duo.

"We are doing everything within our power to try and keep hold of them. But I suppose at some stage you've got to be sensible as well," said Young.

Ex-Cardiff Blues captain Rush, 32, is in his fifth season at the region and Blair, 30, in his fourth.

The duo's futures could also be influenced by the fact Young must cut his squad's quota of non-Welsh qualified players by one for next season.

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Scotland fly-half Dan Parks' summer arrival from Glasgow will take their total to seven foreigners.

Young added: "It's very difficult. We've got to be sensible. It's a business at the end of the day and you can't pay more than you can afford.

"Obviously we are in negotiation with Rushie and Ben, but... there are a lot of players out of contract and our focus is the same year on year - we want to keep our best players.

"By the very nature of the quality of their performances they've [Rush and Blair] attracted a lot of interest and a lot of big money offers so it's a big task at the minute to try and keep all the players we've got."

Young hopes to bring in some fresh blood to help rejuvenate a side that has struggled to reach the heights of last season when the won the EDF Energy Cup (now the LV= Cup) and reached the Heineken Cup semi-finals.

The Blues have won four of their five European games, but find themselves with only a faint chance of reaching this season's quarter-finals and have won only four from 11 Magners League games.

However, Young admits he will seek to ensure those players who have come up to scratch this season will remain.

He added: "Once we've done that, then obviously we look back to see where we are with the money situation.

"But what we'd like to do is we like to bring fresh blood in. I think that's important to freshen things up.

"We'd also like to bring in a lot of energy and a bit of desire as well. So we need, I think, some fresh blood to really push our more recognised first team players."

Young says the region's back-up players have not met expectations in the Magners League and that their front-line players cannot be expected to play week-in, week-out.

He added: "This season we've struggled to put them on the field and when they haven't been on the field we haven't picked up the points, really."

Rush won eight All Black caps and captained Auckland Blues to the Super 12 title in 2003.

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