Force go shopping as Jane opts out

[travelling_gerry]

NICK TAYLOR, The West Australian
July 6, 2011, 6:50 am

Western Force coach Richard Graham is scouring the international market for a new back-line player after All Black Cory Jane decided not to move to the Super Rugby club.

Graham had been confident of snaring the 22-Test winger and full-back from the Hurricanes and had been in discussions for several weeks since the player's management contacted him before the club toured New Zealand in May.

Jane would have been the club's 2012 marquee signing but decided against moving to Perth because of family reasons.

Graham is searching for a replacement for this year's marquee signing and Force Player of the Year David Smith, who has left for Toulon. He is also looking for an inside centre to replace James O'Connor.

A third hooker to replace Siliva Siliva, who has headed to the Brumbies is also on Graham's shopping list.

Graham is still in discussions with flanker Tevita Metuisela, who is thought to be a target of the NSW Waratahs, and is casting an eye over available talent in South Africa where he is carrying out a series of coaching clinics.

He is now expected to wait until after Rugby World Cup squads are announced before finalising any overseas signing.

"I think there's going to be a huge fall-out after the squads are announced," Graham said.

"Already, anywhere between 35 and 45 New Zealand players are expected to go to Europe and Japan."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...jane-opts-out/

[The Big I]

We can always try get some players at the RWC.

[Emu]

Shop local Jono Lance not on full time contract

[Rex Messup]

Why buy Kiwis?

Kiwis are so last decade for rugby excellence

and, you'd get more intelligence from a market root vegetable

[Souths]

How many New Zealand born players running around for the five Australian S15 clubs?.....and more importantly the S15 champions?........Plenty!!

[BDAVEY]

Hows the shopping going ??????????

[James]

Basket fairly empty at the moment.

Presumably, we are still hunting for an academy hooker (in for Siliva Siliva), a lock (assuming Hockings and Battye are gone), another backrower or two (to replace Jono Jenkins and potentially Tevita Metuisela), a 10/12 (to replace O'Connor), a 12/13 (to replace Inman) and two outside backs or utility backs (to replace Smith and Bartholomeusz).

I'd like to see the academy hooker coming from WA. If Will Caldwell is over his Crohn's Disease he'd be worthy of consideration as a lock. No ideas on the backrower front but I'd love a wrecking ball in the 195cm + & 110kg + range- your Palu or your Samo types. It's a shame that Leroy Houston is off to France. No firm ideas on the backs either but it would be good if for bloody once we sign someone with a long term view.

Rant begins.It is annoying that clearly for two years we've had a backline that has failed to function and for two years only stop gap solutions have been put in place. Make a long term plan. The Force pissed about for a couple of months last year trying to buy Quade Cooper when we should have looked into Matt Toomua and built our own star. Toomua would've got much better game time at the Force. We then pissed about for a couple of months this year with James O'Connor when we should've made ourselves busy pursuing enough players to convince O'Connor to stay or to make it a non-issue that he left. The Force used to work well as an organisation because we got in early and had good planning for the future e.g. Pocock, O'Connor, etc. Where the bloody hell has that gone?Rant over.

[todd4]

Didn't realise Battye was leaving, it seems like he only just got here.

[James]

I don't know for certain if he is going but it would surprise me if he stays.

[Rucking Good]

Heard that Paul AE is having chats with the Rebels too - whats happening?

[benny]

F. Steyn
J. Wilkinson
S.Williams
Sonny Bill Williams (out of contract)
R.Fruman
R.Ranger
C.Hayman

All decent pickups and any i'd like to see in the Force colours in 2012.

I can see the headline now "FORCE SIGN SUPERSTAR for 2012" and we'll all have to go to wiki to find out where and when he or she played there last game of rugby.

[RugbyFan]

SBW signed with Chiefs to be closer to his Mum.

[benny]

and Maa Nonu has signed with the Blues.

Corey Jane has gone to the Chiefs also to join ABs back coach Wayne Smith.

[shasta]

SBW signed with Chiefs to be closer to his Mum.

Any sauce with that?

[jono]

it's apparently legit