Just what I've heard...

[The InnFORCEr]

Unnamed sauces have revealed that

1. James "Rabbit" O'Connor has been offered $150,000 to return the Force on the terms set out by the Force. Foley is keen for him to come back as well. Interestingly it was said that after review of his time at the Force previously, he was not a match winner for us, in fact, we won less when he did play for us, if that was possible. Who is going to do the research? However he has also been offered $1,000,000 to play in France.

2. Canterbury centre Robbie Fruean is so disgruntled with his situation in NZ that he approached the Force and offered his services for two years. I was told in the hope of becoming a Wallaby, Either way Robbie in Force jumper is fine with me

3. Nick is a certainty to be topped up on a very good deal and remain at the Force, sounds like it was worth the wait

As always, you heard it hear first on TWF

[Sheikh]

1. Wouldn't be that surprised if we won less often with Rabbit in the team; after Giteau left he was probably our only 'star' back (Shep being injured so often) and the backs did seem to play along the lines of "give the ball to Rabbit, he'll do something with it". That made it easy for teams to shut us down by shutting down a single player; it was noticable that when he didn't play the other backs were forced to shoulder more responsibility and played better.

2. Fruen hasn't played for the All Blacks, that I can tell, but I don't know if he has any Australian ancestry. That would require him to be here 3 years before playing for the Wallabies (cf Speight) so he'd miss the next World Cup and would be 28. Would love to see him in a Force jersey, but do we have any more development player spots?

3. Excellent!

ETA: Fruen underwent heart surgery recently for an issue with a valve (according to reports). Maybe he's not gettign a better deal from the Crusaders because they know something from the doctors.

[sittingbison]

Unnamed sauces have revealed that

1. James "Rabbit" O'Connor has been offered $150,000 to return the Force... However he has also been offered $1,000,000 to play in France...

non non non

He was offered 1 million francs to play in France. The franc was standardised ato 6.55 Euro. The Euro is worth 1.42 AUD

So he was offered $216793.89 to play in France.

[GAFFA]

In the West today it says Cummins has got his top up and a annoucement is Hours not days aways!`

[Alison]

Great news TIF - thanks for making my day :-)))

Basha can do the research on JOC - he likes his stats

Can't see JOC accepting only $150K - that's a pretty paltry sum! Guess it will test whether he really does want to be a Wallaby again!

[GAFFA]

Just to add something to the discussion this was JOC's GF on Twitter last night.

Bridget Bauman ‏@Bids101
@MelbourneRebels the biggest tight asses. #tip no one join the @MelbourneRebels

It has since been removed.

[The InnFORCEr]

Just had a look at our list and I am sure we have a another Marque spot on the list, Alby is one and we have one more. I wonder if this is just awaiting the stamp from the ARU as well.

[GAFFA]

Just had a look at our list and I am sure we have a another Marque spot on the list, Alby is one and we have one more. I wonder if this is just awaiting the stamp from the ARU as well.

No Steankamp has taken the the other Marquee spot (he played for the Boks B team) we may have another Development spot and if Robbie hasnt played for the All Blacks or their 7s team then he could be signed with that...or he may have a long lost Grandma.

[jargan83]

James O'Connor only offered $150,000? I believe that's called a first world problem.

Either he wants to be a Wallaby again or he will take the easy cash and go play in France

Wouldn't mind seeing Fruean in a Force jersey or a Wallaby jersey for that matter!

[GAFFA]

Could you Imagine

9 Alby
10 Holmes
11 Cummins
12 Godwin
13 Fruen
14 JOC
15 Morahan

21 Prior
22 Haywood
23 DHP

MIND BLOWN!

[GAFFA]

James O'Connor only offered $150,000? I believe that's called a first world problem.

Either he wants to be a Wallaby again or he will take the easy cash and go play in France

Wouldn't mind seeing Fruean in a Force jersey or a Wallaby jersey for that matter!

yeah and that would be plus match payemtns so he could earn up to 200k not bad. it will be telling what sort of person he is when the annoucement is made.

[zed]

He's an injury prone player, has some discipline issues and is no longer part of the Wallabies setup. Additionally no other Super team is interested in offering him a contract, he's not exactly in a position to command mega dollars. $150k is about right.

[The InnFORCEr]

No Steankamp has taken the the other Marquee spot (he played for the Boks B team) we may have another Development spot and if Robbie hasnt played for the All Blacks or their 7s team then he could be signed with that...or he may have a long lost Grandma.

Emerging Springboks British & Irish Lions Tour - 2009
SA Emerging IRB Nations Cup - 2007
South Africa IRB Under 21 World Championship - 2006

from another thread

"The Force have already signed emerging Springbok Wilhelm Steenkamp as a marquee international after more than 50 Super Rugby games for the Bulls, Cheetahs and Sharks."

Thanks Gaffa, you're right

[The InnFORCEr]

ETA: Fruen underwent heart surgery recently for an issue with a valve (according to reports). Maybe he's not gettign a better deal from the Crusaders because they know something from the doctors.

http://www.allblacks.com/news/22635/

[Nipper]

Could you Imagine

9 Alby
10 Holmes
11 Cummins
12 Godwin
13 Fruen
14 JOC
15 Morahan

21 Prior
22 Haywood
23 DHP

MIND BLOWN!

Now that's a backline that can get a guy's heart racing! I'd love to have Freuen outside Godwin - get a little Thunder & Lightning combo going (well, Lightning and Thunder)!

I know it's a long shot, but hey - remember two years ago when they couldn't field a backline to save their lives? Even without Fruen, that's a pretty sharp looking backline.

BTW, where's Junior in this list?