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BRUMBIES blindside flanker Peter Kimlin has agreed to play with French club Grenoble at the end of the season.
Kimlin, 27, has played 62 Super Rugby games for the Brumbies since making his debut against the Stormers in 2007 but has played only two Tests, both against Italy in 2009.
Without an ARU top-up, Kimlin could not make the kind of money he can earn in France.
The departure of Kimlin could open the door to former Wallabies back-five forward Hugh McMeniman in Canberra.
While Kimlin and prodigal son George Smith will compete for the starting blindside flanker role this season, both will be gone next year.
McMeniman returned to Australia this year to join the Western Force after playing in Japan for four years.
McMeniman, who is 200cm and 114kg, would add size and athleticism to the Brumbies' pack in the second row or as blindside flanker. He is the physical and abrasive type of forward that Brumbies coach Jake White loves to have in his team.
...But the Force would be anxious to retain McMeniman, who is tipped to make a comeback with the Wallabies this year.
New Force coach Michael Foley is in a major rebuilding phase and keeping McMeniman in Perth would be a high priority.
As its upset loss to the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth indicated, the Force is almost back to where it began when it entered the Super Rugby competition in 2006.
The Force is believed to be launching a raid on east coast players as it did when the expansion franchise was first set up.
It is understood the Force has already expressed interest in Reds second-rower Rob Simmons and fullback Luke Morahan.
If McMeniman decided to leave, he may consider returning to his original franchise, the Reds.
McMeniman played for the Reds from 2005 to 2009.
Unlike the Brumbies, the Reds do not have an obvious vacancy for McMeniman.
But if Simmons left or if James Horwill failed to make a successful comeback from his injuries, McMeniman could become an option for the Reds.
At the moment the Reds appear more focused on retaining players than recruiting.
They have used up much of their salary cap retaining players such as halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper and will be keen to keep Simmons and tighthead prop James Slipper.
Meanwhile, former Hurricanes halfback Chris Eaton has joined the Force on a short-term contract as cover for injured Brett Sheehan.
Sheehan is sidelined with an ankle injury he sustained while playing for the Wallabies against Italy in Florence last November.
He is expected to make his comeback next month.
The Force will tackle the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday (AEST), which means it is facing a 0-3 win-loss start to the season.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spor...-1226586344689
---------- Post added at 08:07 ---------- Previous post was at 08:07 ----------
Bret Harris take a bow for the worst artical of the week.
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
Might! If! Maybe!
Which twat wrote that I wonder!
May the FORCE be with you!
It's going to be a long season...
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Not even week 3 and the stories have started.
The ARU needs to set a window after SR for all the transfers and recruitment talk.
I wasted precious seconds of my life reading that
MMM signed a 2 year contract didn't he? Not concerned about articles like this at this stage of the season.
Just when I thought it was safe without Growden.
According to this he did
http://twf.com.au/showthread.php?t=30849
but i cant find anywhere that comfirms it.
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
As usual TWF has the goods
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A load of speculative bullshit. But what's new?!
The Force has to prove them all wrong on the field.
Until then, it's prob best for my blood pressure if I stop reading the pea-brained fuckwittery of these so-called journalists.![]()
Proudly Western Australian; Proudly supporting Western Australian rugby
Interesting, The Australian have started to encourage Force players to break contract and take up a role in canberra, The more things change, the more they stay the same!
C'mon the![]()
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Why on earth would we want Simmons? We want to improve our pack, don't we??
Hate to say it but McMeniman and Wykes were woeful against the Kings. Simmons might not be that bad an option. He will come good soon.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
I wasn't defending our current locks, who have not impressed to date. I don't see the logic in chasing Simmons who has failed to impress also as a cure to our current locking problems. He has many of the same issues with his game as our current locks (body height in particular). How much longer do we need to wait for him to come good?