Brumbies seek aid from Japan

[mudskipper]

Wayne Smith | April 20, 2009 The Australian

THE Brumbies plan to tap into their old-boy network to determine if one of three Japan-based former Wallabies is able to return to Canberra on a short-term contract to help avert a looming second-row crisis.

Lineout mainstay Ben Hand will undergo an MRI scan today to determine the full extent of the apparent hamstring injury that forced the Brumbies to play the entire second half of the Bulls match without him on Friday night.

Early indications were that he faced at least a two-match lay-off and if the scan validates those fears, then the Brumbies' heroic drive towards the Super 14 finals could falter for want of a reliable lineout.

"And, of course, this would have been an ideal opportunity for Macca to really establish himself but sadly that's not to be," said Brumbies coach Andy Friend, referring to the late Shawn Mackay, who was recruited as a 26-year-old precisely to fill the breach in such an emergency.

But with that option taken from him, Friend is investigating whether former Wallabies Radike Samo, Daniel Heenan or Adam Wallace-Harrison can be released from their Japanese clubs to pinch-hit off the bench if required in the Brumbies' remaining matches against the Hurricanes, Reds, Blues and Chiefs.

"Their season in Japan is finished but it's just a case of whether we can get one of them released," Friend said.

For the third time this season, the Brumbies on Friday pulled off a Harry Houdini-like finish to steal a victory that could so easily have been claimed by the Bulls, but it took not much short of a miracle to achieve it after their lineout went into meltdown without Hand in the second half.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html

[oxleymoron]

No need to look overseas, just reshuffle the pack. Bring in Timani to partner Kimlin, Chapman could potentially cover lock and use Smith, Salvi and Hoiles as the back three.

[mudskipper]

Apparently Timani did his knee and is out for a few weeks... Brumbies are in trouble this week... I'm also not sure that Harry Houdini is available this week......

The past Brumbies would be back in the country as the season is over so they might be a chance if they can cut some grace from a Japanese side... Daniel Heenan would be great addition or the mighty Radike Samo. I'm a big fan of Radike the locals loved him in Canberra and would call his name like the Sharks Beast when he ran the ball....

I don't know how it works with the ARU permission? can only hope... not much time...

[The InnFORCEr]

Isn't Adam Wallace-Harrison a Perth boy??

[mudskipper]

Isn't Adam Wallace-Harrison a Perth boy??

Yes so he may be there... Heenan is QLDer... Radike may live in Canberra when back in OZ...

[jargan83]

why can't they promote somone from the much vaunted Brumbies Academy that you keep talking about?

[James]

Why don't the Force offer the Brumbies a player. To be fair we have all of Sharpe, Hockings, Wykes, Stanford, O'Connor and Pusey fit and willing. We could lend over Pusey who is out of favour with Mitch and buy some goodwill. Otherwise we could say lend O'Connor and give him some game time. Makes more sense than going to Japan and would be much less expensive.

[GIGS20]

Probably won't happen whilst we're fighting with them for finals berths though!

[shasta]

I'm a big fan of Radike the locals loved him in Canberra and would call his name like the Sharks Beast when he ran the ball....

I really doubt it. Brumbis fans are much too reserved for that.

[mudskipper]

Why don't the Force offer the Brumbies a player. To be fair we have all of Sharpe, Hockings, Wykes, Stanford, O'Connor and Pusey fit and willing. We could lend over Pusey who is out of favour with Mitch and buy some goodwill. Otherwise we could say lend O'Connor and give him some game time. Makes more sense than going to Japan and would be much less expensive.

That’s a generous offer but the Brumbies are a competing S14 team... I think the Reds managed to get a prop late one season... I'm not sure how the ARU S14 protocols work here... I guess will read the outcome in the papers soon... The guys may not even be interested...

[blueandblack]

Why don't the Force offer the Brumbies a player. To be fair we have all of Sharpe, Hockings, Wykes, Stanford, O'Connor and Pusey fit and willing. We could lend over Pusey who is out of favour with Mitch and buy some goodwill. Otherwise we could say lend O'Connor and give him some game time. Makes more sense than going to Japan and would be much less expensive.

I hope you mean Pat O'Connor and not James O'Connor.

[James]

I hope you mean Pat O'Connor and not James O'Connor.

Something tells me James O'Connor wouldn't make much of a Lock.

Ahh well worth a thought. Hopefully if they can tempt someone like Daniel Heenan back they can bring him back for a long time. Injury prone as he was that guy was very talented.

[GIGS20]

Reckon he'd give it a bash!

[mudskipper]

Brumbies need helping Hand

A crucial training session today will determine whether injured ACT Brumbies lock Ben Hand plays against the Wellington Hurricanes this weekend.

Brumbies medical staff were buoyed yesterday by MRI scan results on Hand's hamstring, which revealed a slight strain but no tear.

The second-rower was unable to train with his teammates, instead spending the majority of the day with club physiotherapists and team doctor Warren McDonald, before having acupuncture last night.

Hand strained his hamstring late in the first half of Friday night's Super14 match against the Pretoria Bulls at Canberra Stadium.

He was taken from the field for precautionary reasons and took no further part in the match.Despite sitting out training yesterday, Hand was confident of being fit for Saturday's blockbuster against the Hurricanes in Wellington.

"I haven't got full confirmation yet but everything is looking pretty positive at this stage," he said."There's no tear which is really good news so I'll run [today] and hopefully get through that and be fine. A lot hinges on [today], seeing firstly how I go and then how I pull up on Wednesday but if I'm fine then, I'll train with the boys on Thursday, hop on a plane on Friday and play on Saturday."

Brumbies physiotherapist Tim McGrath spent part of yesterday dealing with Hand. He said Hand's knee hyper-extended on him on Friday night, which led to pain in the lower hamstring.

"It was a precaution to drag him off," McGrath said.

"Clinically he looked to be in that border region between tightness and a small strain, that's why we ordered the MRI to clear up which one it was, and the MRI came back normal."The expectation is he'll be fine to play this weekend."

Hand's fitness is vital for a Brumbies team rapidly running out of second-rowers.

Injuries to Sitaleki Timani (knee) and Mark Chisholm (wrist), and the death of Shawn Mackay, has left coach Andy Friend sweating on Hand his No.1 lineout jumper being available for selection this weekend.

Should Hand fail his fitness testing later in the week Friend would likely move Mitchell Chapman from blindside flanker to lock to join Peter Kimlin in the starting team, and promote Julian Salvi to No.6.

Henry Vanderglas would come on to the bench, but that would still leave the team one reserve second-rower short for the trip to Wellington.

The Brumbies have already approached former team member Adam Wallace-Harrison, who has spent the past 12 months playing in Japan, but he declined the offer.

Fellow former Brumby Radike Samo is also a possible target should Hand not play.

But Daniel Heenan initially believed to be a target is injured and unavailable.

Should Hand and Samo not play, Friend would have to scour Sydney's club ranks. But if Hand gets his way, Friend won't need to look anywhere.

"I'm pretty relieved with the results I got back from the scans," Hand said. " ... We're one win off first place and this is the time of year everyone wants to be playing."

Friend will delay the naming of his team until Thursday due to the injury situation.

http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...079654438.html