Elsom battling to land ARU contract

[travelling_gerry]

Elsom battling to land ARU contract

April 23, 2008
NEW South Wales star Rocky Elsom says he is struggling to renew his contract with the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) as they attempt to downsize player salaries.

The flanker is negotiating for an extension with NSW but says talks with the ARU are not going well.

"You generally do your deal with the ARU first and then the provincial one will just sort itself out, but yeah, it's not going great," Elsom said.

"It's very tricky at the moment and there's a lot of pressures on the ARU.

"I don't think they're doing the best and they're trying to take steps to make sure that they get back on top and they're not overpaying players."

Elsom, who is contracted until the end of 2008, has also received an offer from the Western Force.

He said he had no time-line for his negotiations with the ARU.

Currently sidelined with a quadriceps injury, Elsom said he would not play in this weekend's clash against the Sharks in Sydney.

"It's just up to Link (coach Ewen McKenzie), he's been pretty happy with this side as it is and I think he's probably reluctant to change it," he said.

Elsom believes the Waratahs have lifted since the announcement of McKenzie's end-of-season departure because it took the pressure off both players and coaches.

"It was putting a lot of pressure on the team and probably the coaching staff, so since that has happened the boys have really felt the difference and they've just been able to do what they do and they've done it really well," he said.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html

[force addict]

so he's re-signing with the tahs? just can't get ARU?

[James]

He'll probably stay in Australia. He probably just wants more cash but its a bad time for anyone who isn't a 12 or a front rower to be asking for more cash. In the Backrow particularly there are at least 3 players in each position who are in good enough form to take them to the Wallabies.