0
Monday, 22 June 2009 11:39am
By Chris Pike
Emirates Western Force coach John Mitchell likes how his 2010 Investec Super 14 squad is shaping up after the signing of Andre Pretorius and he is confident of keeping James O'Connor.
While much of the focus at the end of the 2009 season was on the players departing the Force, the squad for next year already is shaping up as one that is more than capable of being a power in the competition.
With props Matt Dunning and Tim Fairbrother, and scrumhalf Brett Sheehan already joining the Force, the addition of South African flyhalf Pretorius is a massive boost.
The 30-year-old played 69 Super rugby games with the Johannesburg-based Lions since 2002, earned 31 caps for the Springboks including being part of the 2007 World Cup winning team and Mitchell is delighted to have him on board for 2010.
"It's important to focus on the strengths that he brings to our team and to the mix that we are trying to create. It will be all revealed eventually that the team's strength will be huge by his presence," Pretorius said.
"He's enormously experienced, is a very good attacking footballer, has had experience at international level, has closed out games by kick and possesses an all-round game that will suit us really well."
Mitchell certainly won't be comparing Pretorius to Matt Giteau and what he did, with the two very different No. 10s.
"Him replacing Matt hasn’t been discussed and that would be really unfair to compare both players," he said.
"It would be unfair to compare what Matt did here to what he does going forward, and more important is what Andre brings to us and the strength of the group."
As for the potential re-signing of utility teenage back O'Connor, Mitchell and the Force won't be pressuring him into making any decision and will let him focus on continuing to perform for the Wallabies. Mitchell has no doubt the Force is a good place for him to stay and develop though.
"We are pretty positive that we will get James, and it's just a matter of time and negotiating, which is down to the individual. I am pretty confident though," he said.
"It's a very difficult times for individuals to be juggling contracting when playing for their country, and at his age he needs to be focusing all his time on playing for his country. We need to allow him to do that.
"This program has been pretty good at developing people of his ability and that has been reflected in about nine boys that have made Wallabies since inception, and we've resurrected a few careers too."
The plans of putting together a significantly different group ahead of the 2010 season have so far gone to plan for the Force.
Mitchell likes the balance of the experience coming in from Pretorius, Dunning, Fairbrother and Sheehan, with the youngsters still in the team and likely signing of young hooker Damien Fitzpatrick.
"It's clear now to everyone that we have an international frontrow and also that we've gained a certain strength at halfback in terms of first phase defence and now we bring in Andre's experience at flyhalf, it's looking good," he said.
"The team mix is going to have great versatility, and very good experience amongst some pretty enthusiastic youth. We're still looking at an outside back, another inside back and naturally we want to look at a person that can succeed Pretorius in time.
"Damien Fitzpatrick is right on our radar and is currently finishing off as the Australian under-20s captain, so we'll wait until he gets back into the country and see where that heads."
http://www.westernforce.com.au/news/.../section/50753
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by travelling_gerry
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
