Western Force secure top New Zealand prop Fairbrother

[prop53]

Yes good to see another addition to the scrum, he is good at his trade and will give a lot of experience to the team for at least another two years.

[TommyM]

This is sensational news. The loosehead is very good with Cowan and Hardy, and now we have a massive and hugely strong and experienced tighthead. Look for the Force scrum to dominate next season!!

I actually noticed that our scrum was already VERY strong against the Bulls... tick that one off (although unfortunately it seems at the expense of our lineout :-(

[RuckNMaul]

Good news Good News, Keep up the good work RWA Recruiting!!

is this counted as a Marquee signing scince he has never been caped internationally and is from memory eligible for the Wallabies?

[sandgroperrugby]

Good news Good News, Keep up the good work RWA Recruiting!!

is this counted as a Marquee signing scince he has never been caped internationally and is from memory eligible for the Wallabies?

Your assumption is correct he is not considered a Marque signing because he is eligible to play for the Wallabies. So the Force still has 2 marque signings up their sleeves.

This is a bit of a coup for Australia. I know we need to develop players but props especially Tight Heads supposedly don’t come of age until their late 20’s early 30’s and we don’t have many other quality tight heads that age currently. Bringing in a quality player at this time should enable younger props to get some game time without being exposed to humiliation due to lack of experience and guidance from some one of this ilk. Now we need to sign a couple of younger potential tight heads so that we can take maximum advantage of the situation. (IMHO)

[Cookie]

This is sensational news. The loosehead is very good with Cowan and Hardy, and now we have a massive and hugely strong and experienced tighthead. Look for the Force scrum to dominate next season!!

I actually noticed that our scrum was already VERY strong against the Bulls... tick that one off (although unfortunately it seems at the expense of our lineout :-(

Hardy hasnt signed on yet(not sure when his contract is up), and now that Cowan has, he is probably keen to look overseas.It would be great if he stays,we need more in the forwards.

1. Cowan/Hardy?/Whalley/Takiari
2. Whitaker/Holmes?/Hardy?/???
3. Fairbrother/Takiari/KBomb/Whalley
4/5.Sharpe/Hocko/Wykes/Stanford/beef
6.Hodgo/Wykes/Stanford
7.Pocock/Hodgo
8.Brownie?/Flip manu

[GIGS20]

Hardy hasnt signed on yet(not sure when his contract is up), and now that Cowan has, he is probably keen to look overseas.It would be great if he stays,we need more in the forwards.

1. Cowan/Hardy?/Whalley/Takiari
2. Whitaker/Holmes?/Hardy?/???
3. Fairbrother/Takiari/KBomb/Whalley
4/5.Sharpe/Hocko/Wykes/Stanford/beef
6.Hodgo/Wykes/Stanford
7.Pocock/Hodgo
8.Brownie?/Flip manu

I think there's going to be extreme pressure for Boof to cross over to the darkside and play hooker!

He's got the right body shape for it, and is a tough, strong bugger as evidenced by the amount of time he's maintained the top level as a prop....we need a hooker, and he's a great (and versatile) option.

I can't say that Chicken has lived up to his potential terribly well, I thought he was going to be the best thing since sliced bread, but we're still looking for props. I seriously hope the 2 year deal for Fairbrother sees us through to KBomb making the step up to starter.....either that or Tim becomes the startign Wallaby tighthead and we retain him with Kieran as first bench (Sorry AJ, it's time to get some sandgroper onto the pitch!)

[KalaFan]

Holmes wont be there next year, he is useless

[Sheikh]

Trying Hardy at hooker isn't a bad idea - but he'd need some fairly intensive throwing practice, and we'd not have much on the bench. (Starters: Pek, Boof & Fairbrother, bench: AJ or Takiari and Whittaker)

I'd also be looking to try K-Bomb at hooker. I think K-Bomb's got great potential there - young, low centre of gravity - and gives an alternative if Whittaker doesn't make it.

[GIGS20]

I've heard the Boof-Hooker thing has been floating around for a while....Don't know what the man himself thinks!

[shasta]

Whatever pretty boys we end up keeping or signing, we have to be pretty happy with the forwards. You'd have to wonder how our pre-firepower backs could have gone with the amount of front foot ball the current crop are getting. Ever since the backline departures began we've been saying the real battle was to retain Bam, Brownie and Co, get a good Tighthead and solve the hooker problem. That side of the equation is not looking too bad.

[travelling_gerry]

Fairbrother off to Force
05/05/2009 4:57 PM

Emma Stoney
Sportal NZ

Hurricanes prop Tim Fairbrother will be joining the Western Force after this year's Super 14 and hopes to be heading over to Perth with a winner's medal in his luggage.

The 27-year-old confirmed he had signed a two-and-a-half year deal with the John Mitchell-coached franchise after turning down approaches from other Australian sides and clubs in England.

Fairbrother, who qualifies for Australian selection through his grandparents, said the big motivation behind the move was getting a regular starting spot, something that has eluded him during his six years at the Hurricanes.

"I'm getting to that age where I think I've done my apprenticeship now and I want to start and play full-on all the time. It's my time to shine I suppose."

But he added that the lure of playing international rugby was also a consideration, although he had not had much contact with Wallabies coach Robbie Deans.

"It is a motivating factor but I'm not thinking too much about it. It's one of those things - you've got to play well to get into something like that.

"I just want to go over and play for the Western Force before I start thinking about anything else."

His more immediate concern is making sure the Hurricanes come away with some silverware before he leaves.

"That's the only thing I'm thinking about at the moment even if I'm not in the 22. I'm still going hard. I really want to win this thing," he said.

The Hurricanes have reached the final only once where they lost to the Crusaders in the foggy gloom of Christchurch in 2006.

But they have also made the semi-finals in 1997, 2003, 2005, 2007 and last year.

Fairbrother however, believes this time is different.

"This year we've got a really good chance just because of the depth that we've got. Guys are getting injured and someone else is slotting in.

"You've got All Blacks on the bench and you've got rotation going down and I'm part of that rotation. It's good for the team."

The coaching staff has made no secret of the fact players are competing with each other for their starting jerseys and that has been especially noticeable in the front row where Fairbrother, Neemia Tialata, John Schwalger and Jacob Ellison have all found themselves on the bench or out of the 22 altogether at some point during the campaign.

Piri Weepu is another prime example. The All Blacks halfback has been unable to get a start – at either nine or 10 - in the past two weeks despite being Colin Cooper's first-choice first five-eighths for a large chunk of the season but, like Fairbrother, he has accepted it if it means the Hurricanes thrive.

"I've always been a team man and sacrifices like that are pretty major for the team's benefit and I've got no problems with that."

This weekend the Hurricanes can go one step closer to confirming a semi-final place when they take on the Chiefs in a top-of-the-table clash in Hamilton.

Cooper has been boosted by the news that Cory Jane and Tamati Ellison are likely to be available for selection.

Jane missed last weekend's match with a calf problem, while Ellison must undergo further tests before getting the all-clear from a head knock which saw him miss the second half of the game against the Blues.

"He's certainly had no headaches from training in the past couple of
days so he's looking good but he still has to go through a test because of the head knock," Cooper said.

Wing Hosea Gear, who it was feared would be out for the season with a knee injury, could make his return for the final round against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane and will play another game of club rugby this weekend before being reassessed.

The game at Waikato Stadium is shaping as one of the best of the year with All Blacks match-ups all across the park.

Gear is the only All Black from last year unable to take the field for the Hurricanes, while the Chiefs will be hoping Sitiveni Sivivatu and Brendon Leonard are passed fit, along with Lelia Masaga.


http://sportal.co.nz/rugby-union-new...to-force-69848

[The Ethicist]

Whatever pretty boys we end up keeping or signing, we have to be pretty happy with the forwards. You'd have to wonder how our pre-firepower backs could have gone with the amount of front foot ball the current crop are getting. Ever since the backline departures began we've been saying the real battle was to retain Bam, Brownie and Co, get a good Tighthead and solve the hooker problem. That side of the equation is not looking too bad.

No team dominates without a quality 10. That is a priority.
You have to have a quality 10,12 and 15 in my opinion but yes the pack is looking OK if we keep Brown