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Article from: PerthNow
Nick Taylor
June 13, 2009 06:30pm
THE Western Force expect to hear on Monday that Springbok playmaker Andre Pretorius has signed for the Super 14 club.
Snaring the 30-Test veteran is also expected to seal the future at the Force of teenage star James O'Connor, who has been waiting to see who replaces Matt Giteau in the No.10 jumper before making a decision on his future.
Pretorius' manager Peet van Zyl yesterday said he expected his client to 'put pen to paper' on Monday.
"Andre will make a call on Monday, he is very, very keen on the offer," he said from Johannesburg.
"He is considering the offer very seriously.
"He will be speaking to the (Super 14) Lions to give them first choice of refusal but as I said he is taking the Force offer very seriously."
Pretorius, 31, missed out on the South Africa squad for this month's series against the British and Irish Lions and has been unhappy at the Lions.
Force coach John Mitchell also gave strong hints that both Pretorius and O'Connor will be lining up together next season.
"I spoke to Andre personally on Wednesday night. I spoke to James this week by text.
"I think things will work out pretty well for us. We're not far away from filling these positions."
O'Connor is reportedly expected to re-sign with the Australian Rugby Union in the next fortnight.
The Force put no deadline on its negotiations as O'Connor made it quite clear he wanted to see who who would be in the playmakers role next season.
The Brumbies, who are also chasing the teenager, are unlikely to be able to match any offer from the Force or third party sponsors rumoured to be at least $150,000 a season.
O'Connor's father has said the final decision will not be based solely on money.
Mitchell also said there were at least two other spots still open.
"We haven't got too many areas to fill but we've still got space for another outside back and another lock forward," he said.
Meanwhile prop Tim Fairbrother the Force's latest signing who is eligible to play for Australia flew into Perth this week.
Fairbrother, a specialist tighthead and said to be the best uncapped prop in New Zealand, is also eligible to play for England - which is where he could have gone if he was only been chasing money.
Mitchell said: "Tim is clearly motivated by a new challenge and inspiration to play for us and the Wallabies.
"He's a very good team man. He will fit into the player group very well."
But international honours are far from Fairbrother's thoughts at the moment. He wants to establish himself in the Force pack.
"I want to earn respect at the Force before I think of anything else.
"There is a good young pack here, that's one of the reasons I came to Perth."
The expected announcement that Waratahs and Wallabies 43-Test veteran prop Matt Dunning will join the Force next season will further strengthen the front row.
Dunning's arrival could also persuade another Force target, hooker Damien Fitzpatrick to head West.
A teammate of Dunning's at the 'Tahs, Fitzpatrick is a Wallaby star of the future and will make his decision when he returns from Australian duty at the Junior World Cup in Japan.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005403,00.html
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