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Wayne Smith | May 18, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THE Brumbies might be prepared to release Matt Toomua or Christian Lealiifano to the Western Force if either player felt he was caught in a logjam of quality five-eighths next year following Matt Giteau's return to Canberra.
Waratahs coach Chris Hickey confirmed yesterday that NSW had spoken to the Brumbies about the possibility of Toomua being released to them in the event of Daniel Halangahu deciding to accept an offer to play overseas.
Halangahu subsequently re-signed with the Waratahs and the tentative arrangements were never acted upon, but with the Western Force facing a crisis at five-eighth now that Giteau has played his last match for the Perth franchise, it is possible the deal could be tweaked.
Certainly the Brumbies will have an embarrassment of talent to cover the five-eighth position next year, with Giteau, Lealiifano, the first-choice playmaker this season until he strained his hamstring scoring the winning try against the Bulls, and his late-season replacement Toomua all on their books.
As well, their starting five-eighth last season, Julian Huxley, is investigating whether he will be allowed to play again next year after undergoing brain surgery last year to remove a tumour.
There is, as well, a very real prospect of the Brumbies luring teenage Wallaby James O'Connor to Canberra. Although he is being chased by the ACT primarily as a fullback or inside centre, few observers in Australian rugby are in any doubt that he could succeed Giteau as Wallabies five-eighth.
ACT Rugby boss Andrew Fagan said yesterday he had not talked to Lealiifano or Toomua about the possibility of them moving to another franchise to avoid being stuck in a queue in Canberra, and would not initiate such a move.
"But it is a conversation I would be prepared to have, along with (head coach) Andy Friend," he said. "That doesn't mean I would release them. But if we felt we weren't doing the right thing by a player and they were ready to play Super 14, then we'd entertain the discussion, as long as it did not impact on any medium-term succession planning.
"We're not the sort of organisation that would look to warehouse players. If players aren't getting opportunities and it made sense to look at another province, then we'd at least talk about it. But there is no reason why Christian couldn't play 12 or 15 for us next season or why Matt couldn't be used at 12. You want depth in your squad."
Force chief executive Greg Harris has pinned his main hopes on securing Stormers playmaker Peter Grant as Giteau's replacement, but those plans might need to be shredded if Grant is named in the Springboks squad for next month's three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.
After Grant, the Force hit list borders on whimsy, with even former French Test five-eighth Frederic Michelak's name under discussion, although Harris said no one in the organisation had any idea how rumours of 2003 England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson considering a move to Perth had begun circulating.
Even if Toomua does not seek a release to take a starring role for the Force, he has still performed a valuable service to the Perth club by demonstrating that a player of 19 - O'Connor - is not too young to run a Super 14 team.
Had the Brumbies scored the bonus point win they needed against the Chiefs to qualify for the finals - they lost instead 10-7 - it would have been Toomua who would have taken the playmaker's role in the semi-final against the Bulls in Pretoria next weekend.
"If he can do that as a 19-year-old, why can't James?" Harris asked yesterday. "Have a look at the way Matt Giteau developed as a player when he came to Perth to play five-eighth. Responsibility can have a big impact on how a player matures.
"James is going to be the No1 bloke if he stays here in Perth or he can go there (to Canberra) to live in someone else's shadow.
"And it will be sad for Australian rugby if he goes to the Brumbies. What the game needs is a spread of talent across the provinces.
"But if he was to go, I'd like to think Lealiifano or Toomua might become available. That would be a wonderful thing."
The Force finished in eighth position, just one rung lower than the Brumbies, after holding on against a resurgent Highlanders on Saturday. For a moment, it seemed the Force was going to throw away another win just as it did when it lost to the Hurricanes after leading by 11 points with three minutes to play, but the Highlanders, down 0-23 at halftime, couldn't sustain their second-half charge and lost 33-28.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...8-2722,00.html
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Originally Posted by mudskipper
but good
