Rugby battler Matt Brandon scores four-week contract with Western Force
Rugby battler Matt Brandon scores four-week contract with Western Force
Jim Tucker From: The Courier-Mail March 11, 2011 12:01AM
SCORING a four-week contract with the Western Force is not only a win for flyhalf Matt Brandon but for rugby's battler brigade who still have a place in professional rugby.
Brandon had lived his life on the lesser tier of Premier Rugby in Brisbane, club rugby in Ireland and Japan, and the recent Reds second XV program before this week's big break.
He's on the Force bench for tomorrow night's clash against Auckland's Blues in Perth where the Super Rugby debut he's always aimed at is likely to come true.
"It has all happened really quickly but I like to think it's a good reward for some hard work and always believing I could play Super Rugby," Brandon, 25, said from Perth.
His case bears a striking similarity to that of Andrew Scotney, another Easts flyhalf who had to bide his time for years until his shot with the 2002 Reds.
Scotney has been in Brandon's corner all the way. He was coaching when Brandon piloted Easts to their 2008 title and his advice, now as the Force A team coach, helped snare him the break in the west.
"There's definitely a pathway there if you want it enough," said Brandon, who was a slick distributor and sure goalkicker for the Reds second XV in Canberra last Saturday.
"Those seasons in Ireland and Japan taught me how to conduct myself as a professional player and about handling pressures and different conditions."
Three weeks ago, Brandon was on the bench for the Reds second XV and only won time to impress against Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and the Brumby Runners when first-choice flyhalf Dallan Murphy (shoulder) was injured.
"I hope to press my case for a longer contract at the Force and will be doing all I can to help the club," Brandon said.
That chance is there because the Force are dealing with a string of backline injuries.
The backrow battle will be a beauty in Perth with the all-Wallaby trio of Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson and Richard Brown up against All Blacks Jerome Kaino and Daniel Braid.
