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Dunning sees value in staying west
- Wayne Smith
- From: The Australian
- April 13, 2010 12:00AM
WALLABIES prop Matt Dunning almost certainly will remain with the Western Force rather than opt out of the remainder of his contract to join the Melbourne Rebels.
Dunning deliberately kept his options open when he moved to Perth from the Waratahs for the 2010 Super rugby season, signing a one-year contract that could be extended into a second year at his discretion. At the time it was widely speculated he would exercise his option to leave to join the new Melbourne franchise, but it is understood it will be more lucrative for him to remain with the Force.
A Force spokesman told The Australian yesterday Dunning was happy playing with the team and that the Perth franchise was keen for him to extend his stay there.
Certainly both parties would have been keen to continue together after Dunning came off the bench to make a strong contribution to the Force's morale-boosting 41-27 victory over the Highlanders at Queenstown on Saturday.
Dunning played his part upfront, just as Sam Harris did out wide but perhaps the most eye-catching display was turned in by young West Australian local Justin Turner at halfback.
The former Australian schoolboy representative has had to overcome a painful run of injuries, most especially stress fractures in his back, but he instantly made an impact when he was injected into the game.
While he may have been a little tardy in getting to the breakdown, his actual service was outstanding and he supplemented his excellent passing game by linking with Ryan Cross to send the Test centre over for a try untouched and then backed up a David Pocock break to score himself.
Meanwhile, the chances of England flanker Michael Lipman being cleared by the Australian Rugby Union to play for the Rebels next season do not appear to have been improved by his meeting yesterday with ARU high-performance manager David Nucifora.
Neither party made any statement after the meeting but it is understood Lipman was told the ARU was concerned less by his involvement in the Bath drug controversy last year than by the fact that he might be blocking the emergence of a young Australian openside flanker.
It's a debatable point given that the Brumbies have Colby Faingaa and Michael Hooper under contract for next year while the Reds have just signed Liam Gill, reputedly the most exciting young opensider to emerge since George Smith back in 2000. So it is difficult to say just whose emergence Lipman is blocking.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225852949168
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