Import law change sets course for Bismarck

[lara93]

Western Force have set about raising the Bismarck.

WA’s Super 14 rugby team have sounded out Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis about a move from the Durban-based Sharks to Perth as their main import next season in a foreign recruiting plan the Australian Rugby Union confirmed yesterday.

The ARU board voted to lift a longstanding ban preventing Australia’s four Super 14 teams from contracting any player not qualified to represent the Wallabies.

The policy shift enables clubs to acquire an international unable to play for Australia, because of the rule which limits a player to representing only one nation during his career, plus a developing player who has not yet represented the country of his birth, enabling him to naturalise after three years in Australia.

The West Australian broke the news on August 8 that du Plessis would be a priority for the Force, and coach John Mitchell’s revelation yesterday he was seeking a hooker and a tighthead prop to bolster the front row confirmed the club’s interest in the rake.

A Force official yesterday revealed the club had made contact with du Plessis, said to have an escape clause in his South African contract if he was concerned about game time.

If so, he can make himself available because the Springboks’ World Cupwinning captain, John Smit, is back in Durban after a season with French side Clermont and will not want to finish his career on the Sharks’ bench.

Even if du Plessis is available and affordable, the ARU will have the final say on whether he joins the Force because the national body wants only foreign players who suit their development strategy.

The ARU board chose not to relax its foreign policy to the extent of allowing overseas-based Australians to represent the Wallabies.

This rules out any chance of forwards Dan Vickerman and Rocky Elsom participating in the November tour of Europe, after they signed deals to play in England and Ireland respectively.

Elsom’s absence opens the way for Wallabies squad member and Force loose forward Richard Brown to earn a Test cap.

[Thequeerone]

Yeah sort of heard this on the grapevine as well - bloody useful if he comes but Slomo reckons no for some reason ...

[lara93]

i would love it if he came
or even if the got the bismarks brother jannie aswell then we would have two players who play together and are rather close and they both play in the front row and are very good

[gotheforce]

Jannie will also help our medical GP crisis with his medical profession background.....=)

[lara93]

yeah if jannie does come my dad wants him to come and work for him because he is kinda short on doctors at the moment

[robyn <3]

im not too sure about this one...
i do prefer rugby players to play for their home. not moving for money, or for lack of caps or whatever reason. bismark is a saffer, and i want him to play for saffaland, not us really...
however, i dont think i will change the world by thinking that.

but really, of all players, cant it be not-bismark? i cannot say i would smile if he came to the force.

[oxleymoron]

The policy shift enables clubs to acquire an international unable to play for Australia, because of the rule which limits a player to representing only one nation during his career, plus a developing player who has not yet represented the country of his birth, enabling him to naturalise after three years in Australia.

We can only get one Du Plessis, as they have both represented SAfr.

[lara93]

its only for the super 14 season...its not for life
and if u think about it some of the force players arnt from australia so you really wouldnt want them to go back to there home country
so i say let bismark come and try it out
its a new experience and some people may just change there views on him if he comes and plays here

[lara93]

We can only get one Du Plessis, as they have both represented SAfr.

damn

[James]

If you think about how many ex-pats are in Perth having a South African import and maybe an English or NZ one you might be able to drum up a bit more support and get some better crowds at Subi Oval.

[travelling_gerry]

If you think about how many ex-pats are in Perth having a South African import and maybe an English or NZ one you might be able to drum up a bit more support and get some better crowds at Subi Oval.

So the WAFC can piss even more people off over the rotten Stadium.

[slomo]

Yeah sort of heard this on the grapevine as well - bloody useful if he comes but Slomo reckons no for some reason ...

my unnamed source said it was all 'paper talk' ................

[lara93]

i hope its true

[robyn <3]

i think saffaland is going crazy at the moment.

MY unnamed sources tell me francois steyn likes the look of WA...

but so do most of the south africa rugby players. there has apparently been a lot of talk since they got kicked out of the trinations, and noone really believes any of it.

[jargan83]

recruiting foreign players won't do anything for the Wallabies or long term depth of the Super 14 sides. We should be hiring coaches to help develop our own players (forwards most of all)
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