Force chases Tahs hooker

[travelling_gerry]

Force chases Tahs hooker






Bret Harris | March 14, 2009


Article from: The Australian

WESTERN Force has expressed interest in Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau for the next Super 14 season.

And there is speculation the Force is also keen on NSW halfback Brett Sheehan, who is playing behind Wallabies No9 Luke Burgess at the Waratahs.

It is understood there has already been preliminary discussions between the Force and Polota-Nau. The Force is keen to find a hooker to replace former Wallaby Tai McIsaac, who will retire at the end of the year to take up a coaching role with a Japanese team.

The only other hooker in the Force squad is Luke Holmes, who is not ready for a permanent starting role.

Polota-Nau, who faces strong competition from Adam Freier for the sky blue No2 jersey, would be a guaranteed starter at the Force.

One of the most athletic hookers in world rugby, Polota-Nau is expected to figure prominently in Wallabies coach Robbie Deans' plans again this year.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey confirmed yesterday that the Force had made an approach to Polota-Nau, but said NSW would not let him go.

"Tatafu is a very good player and we are keen to keep him," Hickey said.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html

[travelling_gerry]

Hopefully Tai can teach "lightning" something.

[Burgs]

"...but said NSW would not let him go..."
I'm thinking at the end of the day it's probably up to the player.
You would wonder, especially after tonights injury, just how much longer Freier will keep going in Australia for, leaving a definate starting role at the Tahs available fairly soon anyway.
That said, if TPN wants to come I'd be wrapt and praying like blazes that someone will be able to teach him to throw...or get one of the Props to do it...

[Cookie]

that would be great to get TPN,Ive always thought that he would have made a great tighthead if he was taught properly.

[lara93]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html

Western Force has expressed interest in New South Wales Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau for the next Super 14 season.

And there is speculation the Force is also keen on Waratahs half-back Brett Sheehan, who is playing behind Wallabies scrum half Luke Burgess at the Waratahs.

It is understood there has been preliminary discussions between the Force and Polota-Nau.

The Force is keen to find a hooker to replace former Wallaby Tai McIsaac, who will retire at the end of the year to take up a coaching role in Japan.

The only other hooker in the Force squad is Luke Holmes, who is not ready for a permanent starting role.

Polota-Nau, who faces strong competition from Adam Freier for Tahs No.2 jersey, would be a guaranteed starter at the Force.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey confirmed the Force had made an approach to Polota-Nau, but said NSW would not let him go.

[lara93]

It is understood there has already been preliminary discussions between the Force and Polota-Nau. The Force is keen to find a hooker to replace former Wallaby Tai McIsaac, who will retire at the end of the year to take up a coaching role with a Japanese team.

[Cookie]

I doubt that TPN will come out West,he is too close to his family.That is why he left the brumbies after a season, and Canberra is not that far from Sydney.

I hope he proves me wrong.

Not keen on Sheehan or Burgess,would rather see young holmes out west.Sheehan is getting too old and burgess is hot and cold.

[TOCC]

one of the guys i work with is mates with TPN from where they went to school together, he reckons that its extremely unlikely that TPN would move away from sydney due to family and friends, but anything could happen i suppose.

[GIGS20]

Don't we have a hot prospect for 1/2back in the Academy?

If we can retain Valo, there's no real place for a Sheehan to fill unless it's displacing Chrisso, I see there to be no real benfit to that other than Sheehan being a WA boy, might actually inspire some loyalty.

Burgess, though inconsistent is a better option than Sheehan all around and would fight it out with Valo for the start....this all depends on having Valentine return next season of course.

Chrisso is an impact halfback in reality, who does his best work at about 60 minutes once the forwards are tired. Valo is a pretty good prospect who isn't doing his Wallabies chances any harm by getting game time all the scrummies from last night were ordinary!

Here's hoping Valo pulls out a blinder and gets one hand on a jersey.....convincing him to stay West.

[slomo]

i doubt it'l happen ...............

[Burgs]

Sheehan would bring a distinct level of "mongrel" to the scene, which would be part of the process of weighing up to get him or not.
He is often in the face of opposition players and generally stirring, he is quite agressive. I've never been 100% whether that is controlled aggression (Rocky Elsom) or not (Beau Robinson!) but if a controlable tool it can be very effective in creating gaps for others.

With the dollars we are saving on Gits (and potentially Drew) we could afford to move TPN and the PN Clan over...

[robyn <3]

Don't we have Ben Whittaker in our academy who's a hooker? Is he pretty good? Future starting 2 material? I agree we could use someone next season but if he's going to take the place of Whittaker then I'd rather we stuck with him...

GIGS - yes. Also we have Justin Turner in our acadmey for halfback, he played at the Saders game at MES and he is supposendly THE goods. Perth education, ex saffa, decent player so it seems.

The future force are covering all these positions, no need to recruit... who could ever say RugbyWA isn't developing players!

[The Ethicist]

Media beat up to divert attention away from a very poor Tah performance.
He won't come. Easties are too far from family.It seems none of them can handle it and the fact they are only here for a few months seems to make it worse. Emotionally, they aren't ever really here. Their heart isn't in WA. As an east coast expat, you have to live here for a few years before it feels like home. The desert is no place for easties
Raid the saffers. They want out for a plethora of reasons. Why we haven't got 20 underage saffer junior prodigies in the academy to qualify for citizenship is a mystery to me. They want to come.
Time we developed our own talent also. Please read WA country section.

[The Ethicist]

Sheehan would bring a distinct level of "mongrel" to the scene, which would be part of the process of weighing up to get him or not.
He is often in the face of opposition players and generally stirring, he is quite agressive. I've never been 100% whether that is controlled aggression (Rocky Elsom) or not (Beau Robinson!) but if a controlable tool it can be very effective in creating gaps for others.

With the dollars we are saving on Gits (and potentially Drew) we could afford to move TPN and the PN Clan over...

Sheehan is toilet
he is also prone to brain explosions. There is a reason(s) he can't crack the top grade

[James]

Ben Whitaker (Force academy hooker) has a lot of potential and it's great we've had Tai to train him up. But I think he's only 19 or 20 this year and will need a good few years till he is really ready. It's a shame, as the Force's most capped player, that Tai is moving on but he is really at the end of his career (he's close to 35 now I think).

I don't think TPN will leave the Tahs but then again he's a lot older than he was when he went back to the NSW. Perhaps he is old enough to do without his family- god knows as a rugby player he spends enough time away from them on tours etc. He'd be a great acquisition if he did come though.

I'm not that fussed about Sheehan. He's an alright player who is pretty reliable/pretty solid. Nothing spectacular. I kind get the feeling the Force is expressing an interest in case they have to make an offer if Josh Valentine leaves.