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[/B] This doesn't make sense, the heading and first paragraph say one thing, then the third and fourth paragraph say the opposite.
So I wrote a better heading
Deans appointment prompts Vickerman to head overseas
AAP | Saturday, 26 January 2008
Deans appointment prompts Vickerman to head overseas - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz
Wallabies lock Daniel Vickerman said yesterday the appointment of New Zealander Robbie Deans as Australian coach was behind his decision to head overseas at the end of this year.
Vickerman, 28, offered the New South Wales and Australian rugby unions some small hope he would still be part of the 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign after opting not to renew his contract with them.
Vickerman said the appointment of Deans as Wallabies coach had not been a factor in his decision and he was looking forward to playing under the New Zealander.
"I think he (Deans) will do wonderfully for the team here moving forward and I think it will be pretty good to play under him actually," Vickerman said.
The departure of the 52-test stalwart was rated a big blow for NSW and Australian rugby by Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie.
South African-born Vickerman said it was a lifestyle rather than a money decision.
The studious second rower completes a business degree on February 28 and has been offered the chance to do an economics degree at England's famous Cambridge University, though he said he was likely to defer that offer for about another 18 months.
Vickerman said he would probably play in the United Kingdom, though he hadn't decided who he would turn out for after this year.
"It's a good opportunity to go overseas and have a bit of a lifestyle change, a bit of a refresher and experience something new in my rugby career," Vickerman said.
"Obviously it's a big decision, it's probably been the hardest decision I've had to make from a rugby point of view and I will leave here with nothing but fond memories."
Quizzed about the possibility of him returning to Australia for the 2011 World Cup campaign, Vickerman said "you never say never, it's a long time away".
"Obviously a lot of things depend on that, there's form, there's selection criteria."
ARU high performance general manager Pat Howard said he was disappointed at losing a player of Vickerman's status.
"We're also pleased he's given an indication the door is not closed on him possibly returning in the future," Howard said.
McKenzie said the Waratahs had a stock of young locks coming through, but one couldn't immediately replace someone of Vickerman's calibre as he was without peer among tight five forwards in Australia.
"It's a pretty massive blow, I've got a very high opinion of Dan, my personal opinion is he is probably our best tight forward in Australian rugby and one of our few world 15 players, so to lose him in the longer term is a real blow for us and obviously Australian rugby," McKenzie said.
He said he couldn't be critical of Vickerman's decision as he had played overseas for Paris University in the 1992-1994 off seasons.
"I believe he's got another four good years in the game," McKenzie said.
"I'm hoping as a medium term prospect that he sees and experiences something else in rugby and then maybe comes back to Australia for the last couple of years before the World Cup," McKenzie said.
The 204-centimetre forward said he believed Northern Hemisphere rugby was now producing pretty good competition and he was looking forward to the challenge of playing in the those tournaments.
He doubted whether South Africa's dominance of the Super and World Cup tournaments was a one-year anomaly and he believed the reigning Super premiers the Bulls would again be the team to beat.
McKenzie said he didn't think NSW had bungled the negotiations with Vickerman, but the organisation would review its handling of the situation to see if it could have done things better.
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