ARU rejects Force bid for Staniforth

[KenyaQuin]

Just seen this, not sure of the quoted time of the article

NICK TAYLOR,
The West Australian February 17, 2010, 4:34 pm


The Australian Rugby Union has blocked the Western Force re-signing former player Scott Staniforth on a short-term contract to help the club through its massive injury problem.

Staniforth, the club's 2006 player of the year, has just finished a season with Japanese club Yokogawa and has one more year on contract with that club.

He is not needed back in Japan until pre-season training in August but it is understood the ARU does not want players jumping between overseas contracts and back into Super 14 rugby.

The move has angered Force head coach John Mitchell who said "roadblocks" had been put in their way.

"I just think it's unfair on the team and players at Super 14 level to be experiencing this sort of situation," Mitchell said.

The injury problem has opened the door to 21-year-old back rower and 2009 Australian 7s player Ben McCalman who is expected to start against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.

The Force have lost marquee signing Andre Pretorius for the season, back rowers David Pocock and Richard Brown and winger Cameron Shepherd for six weeks and winger Nick Cummins and pivot Mark Bartholomeusz for a couple more weeks.

"It's wretched in a lot of ways. I feel sad for the players," Mitchell said.

[Burgs]

I'm building up to swear words...

It is surely only a problem for the ARU if they still consider him an option for the Wallabies, otherwise it is a short term contract and shouldn't matter how much Rugby a player plays elsewhere. There would have to be all sorts of limitation of trade implications there wouldn't there, if their only reason is they don't want players playing?

I can understand them not wanting to set precidents however, they have given permission for a replacement player, not a newly found player to repeat each season. Perhaps he can qualify as a marquee player then?

[Happy]

but it is understood the ARU does not want players jumping between overseas contracts and back into Super 14 rugby.

no.. that might result in an australian side actually winning the super 14, but we an't have that - the ARU has a principle to uphold!!!

[AndyS]

I can understand the principle and the desire to avoid a precedent, but it seems a bit pedantic. It surely wouldn't be that hard to simply say that anyone with a current overseas contract is not eligible for the Wallabies, as that is really the principle they are trying to protect. Why should they care about the provincial level alone, when they are currently opening it up to overseas, non-eligible players?

[mudskipper]

I don't get that... If he wants to play let me play ARU... Or is it they wont give him a ARU top up?

[blueandblack]

...

"It's wretched in a lot of ways. I feel sad for the players," Mitchell said.

"and the Western Force Supporters." - blueandblack.

[Darren]

Maybe Yokogawa can "release" (nudge nudge ) him ...

[PerthGirl]

I guess that means we won't be able to sign Hilgy either

[tic]

The ARU took the same position with McMeniman and the Reds. They set the stupid precedent are stuck with it.

[GIGS20]

Yep, you're right tic....I think I remember being against it then as well!

Surely covering injuries is different to signing a player to a long term FIFO contract.

Whilst we're on the precedent bandwagon, didn't Chrisso replace Henjak direct from Glasgow?

[Hoolly Doolly]

The ARU took the same position with McMeniman and the Reds. They set the stupid precedent are stuck with it.

ARU also took the same stance with toutai kefu when he wanted back in to help the reds out in between the jap season.

---------- Post added at 13:03 ---------- Previous post was at 13:02 ----------

just would like to add that this really sucks.

[.X.]

Didnt Lee Grant mention in one of his excellent posts that this was the reason why Spanner went to Japan in the first place, his original plan was to go between Japan and the Force for the last couple of the years of his playing days and the Force were all for it. ARU blocked it.

[zimeric]

Ive got a feeling the Force were aware of this before they spoke to him about the possibility.. Media latched onto it and embellished it and now theyre latching onto the fact that its not going to happen...

[Thequeerone]

James Parsons would have signed had he been allowed to play for North Harbour but the ARU contract prevented that too

[AndyS]

I guess that means we won't be able to sign Hilgy either

Depends whether Hilgendorf has a japanese contract next year. He may not, with Pretorius joining Kobe next year.

James Parsons would have signed had he been allowed to play for North Harbour but the ARU contract prevented that too

In fairness, I thought it was the North Harbour management and the player that scuppered that, not the ARU.