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Powerful Wallabies Number 8 Richard Brown will be calling Perth home for at least the next two years after signing off on a new contract to stay with the Emirates Western Force until the end of the 2011 season.
Brown confirmed the new deal whilst on tour with the WA side in South Africa.
‘Brown Dog’ has rapidly developed into one of the premier loose forwards in the country having arrived in Perth as a foundation squad member of the Emirates Western Force in 2006.
His watershed 2008 campaign with the Force earned him selection in the Wallabies winter Test squad, where he eventually broke through for his Test debut in the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup ‘decider’ in his former home town of Brisbane.
But if 2008 was his coming of age, Brown has only built on that impressive platform with an outstanding 2009 campaign.
The damaging back rower has now extended his Super 14 experience to 39 caps and has matured into a key member of the team’s leadership group.
The Nudgee College product, who hails from the regional north Queensland town of Julia Creek, finished the year with five Test caps, including four appearances on the Wallabies Spring Tour.
Brown said he considered his future carefully before pledging his allegiance to the Emirates Western Force.
“I’m very happy with the decision I’ve made but it was important to weigh up all of my options in the contracting process,” he said.
“I feel that I play my best football when I’m enjoying the game and in the end it came down to where I was going to be happiest and where I feel I can develop the most as a player,” he said.
Having made his debut in the Force’s inaugural match against the Brumbies in 2006, Brown is hoping to share in more success as the team advances its standing in Australian and Super Rugby.
“There have already been some fantastic achievements, like our first win in 2006, first home win in 2007 and the triple crown this year. Being a part of those moments will be something I can eventually look back on and be proud of, but there’s definitely a lot more to achieve this year and over the next two years.”
RugbyWA General Manager, Rugby, Mitch Hardy, said securing the long-term services of the team’s star number 8 was a top priority for the organisation.
“Richard has been one of the biggest success stories in the short history of this team, making his debut in our first match and developing into a five-Test Wallaby within three years,” said Hardy.
“Browny is not only a talented rugby player but is a tremendous character in the group. We regard him a vital part of the future of the Emirates Western Force and we are delighted to have reached agreement to keep him at the club until the end of 2011.”
RugbyWA can also confirm that Hurricanes prop Tim Fairbrother has signed a two-year deal with the club.
The experienced 119kg, 27-year-old tighthead prop rejected lucrative European offers to join the WA side from 2010.
The former New Zealand Under 21s representative is eligible to play for the Wallabies due to his Australian grandparents and will not occupy either of the team’s two foreign player positions.
FACT FILES
Richard Brown
Position: Number 8/Flanker
Physical: 189cm, 103kg
Age: 24 (Born 28/8/1984, Brisbane)
Super Caps: 39
Super Points: 20 (4t)
Super Debut: 2006 v Brumbies, Perth
Test Caps: 5
Test Points: 0
Test Debut: 2008 v New Zealand, Brisbane
Representative Honours: Australian Schoolboys (2001), Australian Sevens (2003-04), Australian Under 21s (2003-04), Wallabies (2008)
Tim Fairbrother
Position: Prop
Physical: 183cm, 119kg
Age: 27 (Born 12/3/1982, Upper Hutt, NZ)
Super Caps: 58
Super Points: 5 (1t)
Super Debut: 2003 v Stormers (for Hurricanes)
Representative Honours: New Zealand Under 16s (1998), New Zealand Under 19s (2001-02), New Zealand Under 21s (2002-03)
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Typically, in true east coast fashion, The Age article had to make mention of rotto. Bstards!
