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Bret Harris | May 26, 2009
Article from: The Australian
WALLABIES blindside flanker Rocky Elsom is poised to sign with the Brumbies for next year's Super 14 series, after rejecting offers from the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds.
Elsom, who was man-of-the-match in Irish province Leinster's 19-16 win against English club Leicester in the Heineken Cup final in Edinburgh last Saturday, is believed to have agreed to terms with the ARU for a return to Australia.
He will arrive in Sydney next week to play for the Barbarians against the Wallabies on June 6 and once he has signed an ARU contract, he will be eligible for Australia's upcoming Tests against Italy and France.
It is understood Elsom recently initiated contact with the Brumbies, a team that seems to be on the rise again under coach Andy Friend, after deciding against playing for the Waratahs or the Reds.
Brumbies hooker Stephen Moore is a close friend of Elsom, while the recruitment of inside backs Matt Giteau and Josh Valentine - and possibly James O'Connor - from the Western Force would have convinced him the ACT side should be highly competitive.
With Elsom on the side of the scrum, the Brumbies will certainly be a formidable power in Super 14 again.
The Brumbies, however, played down their chances of securing Elsom.
"We are long shots," Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan said. "I'm sure it will begin to take shape over coming days."
At one point Elsom had indicated that he was leaning towards returning to Queensland, where he attended Nudgee College in Brisbane.
But it is understood Elsom was unhappy with the Reds' lack of recruitment for next season and had second thoughts about going to Queensland, which was also dragging the chain on the negotiations.
The Reds, who finished second last on the Super 14 table, have missed out on Wallabies fullback/winger Drew Mitchell and number eight Richard Brown, who are both Queenslanders.
The decision by Wallabies back-five forward Hugh McMeniman to pursue his career in Japan, coupled with the uncertainty over winger Digby Ioane's future, would not have given Elsom confidence that the Reds were heading in the right direction.
"I'm sure anyone of his standing and intellect would be looking at how the team's served moving forward," Reds high performance manager Ben Whitaker conceded.
"The squad list right now and going into the future is an important aspect."
The Waratahs, with whom Elsom played for six years before joining Leinster, are still hoping he will return to Sydney.
Waratahs chief executive Jim L'Estrange said he would meet Elsom when he arrived in Sydney next week for the Barbarians game.
"We are still hanging in there," L'Estrange said. "We'll have an opportunity to talk to Rocky when he comes back.
"We'd rather talk to him face to face than over the telephone.
"Phil Waugh (Waratahs captain) is also over there (London) playing with Rocky for the Barbarians against England. I'm sure they will have a beer and a chat."
Unfortunately, for the Waratahs an announcement on Elsom joining the Brumbies will probably be made before he arrives in Sydney.
ARU high performance manager David Nucifora refused to confirm that Elsom had agreed to terms, but he remained confident he would return despite an upgraded offer from Leinster, which is desperate to keep him, especially after his outstanding performance in the Heineken Cup final.
"Until these boys decide to put pen to paper, you never really know," Nucifora said.
"We have been working on it for a long time and I have been quite confident for a while because I am confident he wants to come back and be a part of Australian rugby."
Meanwhile, former Wallabies halfback Chris Whitaker is returning home to Sydney to play for the Barbarians against the Wallabies.
Whitaker, who played alongside Elsom in Leinster's win against Leicester, has been called into the Barbarians squad following the withdrawal of French halfback Dmitri Yachvili.
It will be Whitaker's first game on Australian soil since leaving for Dublin at the end of the 2006 Super 14 season.
He will also play for the Barbarians against England at Twickenham this Saturday.
Additional reporting: AAP
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html
WALLABIES blindside flanker Rocky Elsom is poised to sign with the Brumbies for next year's Super 14 series, after rejecting offers from the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds...
A big Welcome to Rocky Elsom... Brumbies will be a formidable team come 2010... Bret Harris writes the best articles...![]()
Last edited by mudskipper; 26-05-09 at 14:44.
Gee they must have a big cash injection over in Canberra if they end up securing Rocky and JOC along with their previous signings of Giteau, Smith and Valentine. Then take into account Kimlin, Alexander, AAC, Chisholm, Moore, Hoiles, Lealiifano, Shepherdson, Salvi and Mortlock. That is one hell of a lot of money they must have, third party sponsor must be rolling in it over there (Porn and Fireworks sales must be through the roof).
Generally speaking you aren’t learning much if your lips are moving!!!
Rocky Elsom poised to join Brumbies as they build a strong Super 14 squad
By Iain Payten
May 26, 2009 The Brumbies are poised to deliver another major blow to their local Super 14 rivals by picking up star flanker Rocky Elsom on his return to Australia.
Despite being offered as much as an extra $100,000 to join the Queensland Reds, it is understood Elsom has agreed to join the Brumbies in the hunt for a Super 14 title to add to the Heineken Cup he won with Leinster at the weekend. The 26-year-old was being chased by the Reds and former province New South Wales, but contacted Brumbies officials last week and agreed to terms.
Elsom has already done the same with the ARU and is expected to finalise his future late this week.
The signing of Elsom will see the Brumbies boast a spectacular stable of talent next season, with Matt Giteau, George Smith and the big blindside breakaway comfortably ranked the top three rugby stars in Australia.
Throw in Australia captain Stirling Mortlock and hooker Stephen Moore - and potentially James O'Connor - and the 2010 Brumbies loom as a powerhouse.
Since Elsom departed for Europe at the end of the Tri Nations campaign last September, the No.6 has become arguably the best player in the world and has won 11 man-of-the-match awards in 13 games for Leinster.
Brumbies boss Andrew Fagan was non-committal on Elsom's recruitment but confirmed contact had been renewed by the flanker recently.
"He checked to confirm whether a position was available basically. How our contracting was going. That was it," Fagan said.
"We let him know that we'd have a spot available if he was keen to look at us as an option. I wouldn't really know which way he is leaning. Rocky understands he has some choice there."
Fagan still declared the Brumbies "outsiders" to get Elsom's signature down on paper, but only one thing could imperil the deal: Phil Waugh.
Waugh landed in London last night to link up with Elsom in the Barbarians side to play England this weekend.
He'll talk with his former Tahs' teammate about returning.
"Rocky is a mate of mine, I hope he comes back," Waugh said.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html
That's one of the weaselyest (?), weaseliest, weaselest........ oh bugger it.
That's one of the weakest excuses for weaseling out of a bet I think I've ever seen. I'll go with James' idea. Take the bet and the Juniors are up for a $100 bucks donation from me too. They can put it towards their jersey fund.
James, I think he means The Ethicist's junior Bulls down in Bunbury. Right Mud?
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
They could even call them the CA Junior Bulls