Valentine bound for Brumbies

[mudskipper]

Bret Harris | May 02, 2009
Article from: The Australian




WESTERN Force halfback Josh Valentine is poised to join the Brumbies to continue his successful halves combination with Wallabies five-eighth Matt Giteau in the Super 14 next year.

The inside-back combination of Valentine, Giteau and James O'Connor is one of the main reasons the Force is playing so well at the back end of the season.

But Giteau will be at the Brumbies next year and O'Connor is still to decide whether to remain in Perth or go to Canberra.

If Valentine has ambitions to build on the four Test caps he earned in 2006, a move to Canberra to continue playing with Giteau would be a smart move.

While Valentine does not run as much as he did before a knee injury put him out of action for a year, he still has the best pass of any halfback in Australia. Even though he is on the Waratahs' bench, Luke Burgess remains the favourite for the Wallabies number nine jersey, but the race is quite open.

Valentine would certainly enhance his Test selection prospects by continuing his combination with Giteau, who clearly appreciates his bullet-like service.

The Brumbies have chopped and changed Josh Holmes and Patrick Phibbs at halfback for two years, but Valentine would give them scrum-base stability.

A decision by Valentine to move to Canberra would result in the Force intensifying its efforts to recruit NSW halfback Brett Sheehan, who has ousted Burgess from the starting role at NSW.

The loss of both Giteau and Valentine may also influence O'Connor's decision to stay in Perth or move to Canberra.

A Valentine/Giteau/O'Connor inside backs combination would recreate the brilliant Brumbies' backline of old.

The Force needs to convince O'Connor it will have quality players inside him at halfback and five-eighth.

It has approached several high-profile international five-eighths, including Peter Grant, Derick Hougaard and Carlos Spencer.

Wallabies inside back Berrick Barnes has also been a target of the Force, but he is set to recommit to Queensland once he renegotiates his ARU contract.

The Force will look to celebrate its 50th Super 14 game with a win against the Bulls in Pretoria early tomorrow (AEST).

If the sixth-placed Force upsets the second-placed Bulls, it will greatly improve its chances of reaching the play-offs for the first time in its four-year history.

Force second-rower Sam Wykes has been ruled out with a shoulder injury and has been replaced by Tom Hockings.

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

[force addict]

you've gotta be kidding me....

[mudskipper]

The Force should sign him asap..

[jono]

'ken oath we should. give him a 5 year deal!

[laura]

Notably, there is not a single quote in the article. So long as he sounds sure of himself, Harris can try pass anything off as fact.

[jono]

i think his test selection will be from his form at the force though.
i guess we will see next month though. but i dont think i am wrong

[slomo]

'ken oath we should. give him a 5 year deal!

stuff that, 2 years at most....did we not resign CO'Y on a two and a half year deal, and he can't even break in to the 22...

[jono]

ok, 2 years. to be honest i just tapped a key

i think it would be in the best interests of the force to keep him online. the combinations are already set, even without giteau and drew. plus all the articles are saying that J'OC will be encouraged to stay if valo stays.

[Darren]

Brumbies are out to buy themselves a team rather than build one by the sounds of it ...

[blueandblack]

...
WESTERN Force halfback Josh Valentine is poised to join the Brumbies to continue his successful halves combination with Wallabies five-eighth Matt Giteau in the Super 14 next year.
...

Apart from there at the first line of the article does it even IMPLY Valentine is going to sign for the Brumbies? Its all "he'd look good at Brumbies, only the Brumbies will give him Wallaby test selection, being a Brumby is really his only choice blah blah blah (oh and bring JOC along too kthx)".

sod off Bret.

edit: isnt it interesting to note that Sheps, Drew, Gits, Mortlock, Lote and Waugh have all played for the Wallabies in recent times but they are NOT Brumbies and NOT all in the one Super 14 side?

[travelling_gerry]

Looks like a lot of Brums will have to go to make way for the new signings.

[pieter blackie]

Where does it say that Josh is actually interested in going
this whole article looks like the Brumbies trying to make up his mind for him? No where does it actually say that he is keen on going or that the press have even spoken to him about

it is all a load of bull

He will have a much better chance of proofing himself at the Force rather than in the shadow of gits he will become one of the stand out players at the force and and the brumbnies he will just be gits's half back

[TOCC]

Brumbies are out to buy themselves a team rather than build one by the sounds of it ...

Well it wouldnt be the first time a Australian S14 province has done it

[shasta]

Brett Harris has been doing this shit for ages. He's like a fortune teller. If you make enough generalisations and good guesses you're bound to get a few right. Then you just highlight the ones you got right. Muddie is a big fan.

---------- Post added at 16:05 ---------- Previous post was at 15:59 ----------

Well it wouldnt be the first time a Australian S14 province has done it

No but it might be the first time that a province with the greatest rugby culture and the greatest rugby development program in the universe, the least hindered by the establishment of a fourth franchise has done it.

[mudskipper]

Brumbies are out to buy themselves a team rather than build one by the sounds of it ...

Mmmm... collecetive Short-term (Team) memory loss…. be sure to collect mementos… only 3 matches left this season….