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Ailing Force search Japan for marquee replacement
- Bret Harris and Brent Read
- From: The Australian
- February 20, 2010 12:00AM
FORMER All Blacks five-eighth David Hill has emerged as the frontrunner to replace injured South African five-eighth Andre Pretorius as the Western Force's marquee foreign player.
Pretorius sustained a season-ending hamstring tear in the pre-season and the ARU has given the Force permission to recruit another international five-eighth.
The Force is looking hard at international five-eighths in Japan where the season has just ended.
Hill is coming out of contract with Japanese club Toshiba Brave Lupus and he has a strong connection with Force coach John Mitchell, having played for him at the Chiefs in New Zealand and the All Blacks.
Former Wallabies five-eighth Stephen Larkham (Ricoh Black Rams) and ex-All Black No 10 Tony Brown (Sony Wild Knights) are also playing in Japan.
It is highly unlikely Larkham would return to Super rugby, but Brown has a history of playing for South African Super rugby teams (Sharks and Stormers) while contracted in Japan.
The Force desperately needs to sign an experienced playmaker to stabilise the team following the loss of Pretorius and a spate of other injuries, including David Pocock, Richard Brown, Cameron Shepherd and Mark Bartholomeusz.
But it will have to make do with what it has when it takes on the Hurricanes in Wellington today.
There has been criticism of Force coach John Mitchell's decision not to shift Wallabies utility back James O'Connor from fullback to five-eighth to direct the team, especially after fill-in playmaker Sam Harris struggled in the role in the 24-15 loss to the Brumbies in Perth last Friday.
While O'Connor will wear No 15 on his back, it would be surprising if he did not spend more time at first receiver against the Hurricanes.
"He's going to be popping up in positions he may not have been in last week," Force captain Nathan Sharpe said cryptically.
No one expects the depleted Force to upset the Hurricanes, which is the best thing it has going for it. "Our preparation has been good considering what we have been through," Sharpe said.
"The thing for us is that the only people who believe in us are us and that's a good thing going into a game.
"In any match, if you turn up and play you can make a contest of it. If we turn up physically and mentally, we are a chance."
Sharpe is looking to rookies such as backrower Ben McCalman to make the most of their opportunities. "What is exciting is that guys will get an opportunity in Super 14 rugby," Sharp said.
"You'll see guys come through. Ben McCalman will be great for us. Sam Wykes and Dane Haylett-Petty will step up. They will all get better with experience."
While disappointed with the result against the Brumbies, the Force had threatened to cause an upset with 10 minutes to go.
"Last week against the Brumbies we were disorganised," Sharpe said. "We didn't play a great deal of footy because we were disjointed. This week we have prepared better. Even though Ryan Cross is out, Mitch Inman is well versed in that position.
"We'll have more combination and we have to stick to the game plan more.
"We didn't play well, but we put ourselves in a position to win. The Brumbies' three tries came from defensive errors by us rather than by fantastic play by them. It shows we are on the right track."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225832369528