Australia winger Drew Mitchell re-signs with Australian Rugby Union
By staff writers
July 28, 2009 Australia winger Drew Mitchell has committed to Australian Rugby until after the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Mitchell, who will link with the New South Wales Waratahs in 2010, confirmed his future on Tuesday after finalising negotiations on a two-year contract with Australian Rugby Union and NSW Rugby Union.
“I’ve known what I’ve been doing for a few months – it’s just been a matter of getting all the paperwork in place which I’ve done now,” he said.
ARU High Performance boss David Nucifora said Mitchell’s signing continued the successful retention of leading players through to the next Rugby World Cup and beyond.
“It’s great to retain a player in Australian Rugby who has already invested a significant number of years into the game here,” Nucifora said.
“Drew came into the Wallabies at a young age, he’s still maturing as a footy player and his best years are still ahead of him.”
Mitchell captained Australian Schoolboys out of St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe (Queensland) in 2001 and represented Australian Under 21s at the World Championships in 2003.
The following season he captained the Australian Under 21 side and made his Super Rugby debut for Queensland Reds, playing all 11 matches.
At just 20 years of age, Mitchell was named later that year in the 2004 Wallabies Spring Tour squad.
He made his Test debut in 2005 and went on to be named the Wallabies Rookie of the Year
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Mitchell upbeat despite 'Tahs departures
July 28, 2009 - 7:27PM
Prize NSW rugby recruit Drew Mitchell is determined not to place pressure on himself to bolster a Waratahs backline rocked by the shock departures of fellow Wallabies backs Timana Tahu and Lote Tuqiri.
Outside back Mitchell, who is being looked at primarily as a fullback by NSW coach Chris Hickey, has agreed terms with the Australian and NSW Rugby Unions until the end of the 2011 campaign.
Queenslander Mitchell has moved across from the Perth-based Western Force to be closer to his family, the majority of whom reside in Queensland.
Mitchell expressed no reservations or second thoughts about joining NSW even though he had originally expected to be playing alongside Tahu and Tuqiri.
Hickey said the Waratahs' morale had not been affected by losing Tuqiri, who had his NSW and Australian rugby union contracts terminated, and Tahu, who has asked for a release from his contractual obligations to the same organisations.
"Certainly you miss players like that. They're a very important part and popular part of the playing group but they are things that have happened and we have to move on from there," Hickey said.
"When I was looking at the prospect over here having guys like Timana and Lote in the squad certainly appealed to me playing alongside those guys," Mitchell told reporters on Tuesday.
"I don't think anyone really could look into the future and predict what's happened, but I'm here and I've committed myself and I'm really looking forward to and excited about the prospect of next year."
Mitchell acknowledged with the departures of Tahu and Tuqiri there would be pressure and expectation on him to spark the Waratahs backline in their absence.
It (the pressure) is certainly going to be there regardless of whether I want it to be or not," Mitchell said.
"I'm coming here to try and play the best that I can and not only that, I like to play an attacking style of football.
"It (the pressure) is going to be there, but that's certainly not something I'll be putting on myself."
Hickey was confident Mitchell would respond positively to the pressure and expectation coming his way.
"Drew is the sort of player that can rise to that pressure," Hickey said.
Mitchell said he was quite happy to play at either fullback or on the wing depending on Hickey's requirements.
"Primarily we looked at Drew as a 15 and I think that he will bring some good attacking thrust with his game," Hickey said.
Yet to play in a Super semi-final with either Queensland or the Force, Mitchell was hoping to break that drought with the Waratahs, in addition to moving closer to his home state.
"Obviously here in Sydney is a lot closer than I have been in Perth, not only that I just felt it was a good time for a change and with NSW's results over the past five years they've always been strong and competitive," Mitchell said.
Hickey revealed the Waratahs were talking to former Australian U-21 centre Rory Sidey about joining NSW for next year.
A former Waratahs Academy player, Sidey is currently attached to Welsh club Gwent Dragons.
Hickey said if Sidey signed, it would leave three more spots to be filled on the Waratahs 2010 roster.
He said two of the spots would go to backs and the third to a second rower.
"We are still looking (for a lock) and we've got some interest from South Africa and New Zealand, so it's a matter of trying to work through negotiations with some of those players," Hickey said.
He said the NSWRU were still talking to a number of players and were confident of confirming some signings over the next couple of weeks.
© 2009 AAP
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