O'Connor given Force deadline

[travelling_gerry]

Wayne Smith | June 15, 2009


Article from: The Australian

JAMES O'Connor might be a Wallabies star remorselessly on the rise, but the third-party offer he has received to stay at Western Force could be about to move in entirely the opposite direction.

It is understood that a Force backer has pledged O'Connor a massive third-party deal if he re-signs with the club by today, but has warned him that the longer he delays his decision the more the amount offered will shrink.

The deadline is not of the Force's making, but it may inadvertently put the Brumbies back in the running for O'connor. Force officials have been at pains to take any pressure off the teenage Test fullback to decide on his future until they have secured a five-eighth to replace Matt Giteau.

Only when the new five-eight has been secured and O'Connor knows for certain who will be calling the plays next season, will the Force press him for a decision.

That day might not be far away, with Lions and former Springbok five-eighth Andre Pretorius expected to respond early this week to the Force's offer of a contract. Officials are guardedly confident they might finally have found their man in the 31-Test veteran.

But they have been disappointed before, especially by Stormers five-eighth Peter Grant who entered into extended negotiations with the club only to make a late switch to join Racing Club de Paris instead.

If the threat of diminishing third party returns is any indication, the drawn-out process of fighting off the Brumbies to retain O'Connor is starting to fray nerves.

Brumbies chief executive Andrew Fagan has publicly stated he is no longer pursuing the 18-year-old sensation, but everything could change with a phone call if O'Connor feels his hand is being forced to remain in Perth.

"We consider ourselves outsiders, but that combination with Matt Giteau is outstanding, isn't it?" Fagain said yesterday.

The Force might not now be so desperately fighting to retain the services of the Wallabies fullback had it taken its chance two years ago to grab his Italian counterpart on Saturday night, Luke McLean.

McLean represented Perth Spirit during the Australian Rugby Championship in 2007 and had hoped a Super 14 berth would open up for him in the west -- and on the evidence of his excellent game in a beaten Italian side on Saturday, it should have -- but the Force offered him no more than a training contract. The only alternative available to him was an offer from an Italian club he had never heard of, and, somewhat to his surprise, he found himself travelling in late 2007 to a place called Calvisano -- a village of about 8000 people outside Milan.

"When I did come over here the Force had some injuries and I thought maybe I should have (taken the training contract)," McLean said shortly before last year's Test in Padua. "But after a couple of months here, I settled into life."

McLean has more than settled into Italian rugby, figuring in all five Azzurri matches in this year's Six Nations. And it is not just McLean Force officials let slip through their fingers. Brock James, a former Australian under-21 five-eighth who signed as a back-up to Lachlan Mackay in the club's debut season in 2006, has also gone on to greater things in Europe, steering Clermont into the French Top 14 final where it lost 22-13 to Perpignan.

Meanwhile, Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale will miss Wednesday's junior World Cup semi-final against New Zealand after tearing a hamstring in Australia's 38-5 pool victory over Wales in Fukuoka on Saturday.

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

[Thequeerone]

while it is good to see the chasing players it is disturbing that ultimations are been issued - isn't that why we lost Gits

[mudskipper]

while it is good to see the chasing players it is disturbing that ultimations are been issued - isn't that why we lost Gits

And by the sounds from the third party sponsor...

[sandgroperrugby]

Yeah but I guess from the Force perspective they need to know if they are going to have to find another 12/15 utility back. The club is at the mercy of him at the moment and will need as much time as they can to contract another player or else they will miss some of the other options lurking out there.

[JediKnight]

No player is bigger than the club. The Force shouldn't be afraid to cut loose disruptive influences or big-headed players who think that they can hold the club to ransom.

[mudskipper]

O'Connor whets the appetite for Brumbies fans in 2010
BY CHRIS DUTTON
14/06/2009 11:49:00 AM

IF THE ACT Brumbies really have stopped trying to lure James O'Connor to the capital for the 2010 Super 14 season, that changed in 80 minutes at Canberra Stadium last night.
The Wallabies fullback gave Brumbies fans a breath-taking glimpse of what could be next year, running in a hat-trick of tries in just his second Test.

It was a man-of-the-match performance in the Wallabies 31-8 demolition of Italy and put him right back on the Brumbies recruitment hit list.

The 18-year-old is adamant he has not decided where his domestic future will be beyond this year. But Brumbies fans have already fallen for the boom teenager.

''I had fun out there and it's probably a lucky stadium for me now, [the decision's] on its way, but I've got nothing for you just yet,'' O'Connor said.

''It was an awesome experience in itself with the atmosphere and the physicality of the game.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...0/1540078.aspx

[GIGS20]

No player is bigger than the club. The Force shouldn't be afraid to cut loose disruptive influences or big-headed players who think that they can hold the club to ransom.

From my reading of the article, it isn't the Force who are doing the ultimatum-ing, it's the third party. I thought it even sounded as though the Force aren't too happy that the ultimatum was issued.

I don't think Rabbit's trying to be disruptive, he just knows everybody on the planet will wait for him to choose....up to a point. I haven't heard much about him ringing Andrew Fagan yet, so I guess he's waiting for ink to dry on a #10 contract before he signs his own........that is what he said he would do isn't it?

Good luck to him, he's a great player and he could develop into an icon of Australian rugby if he plays his cards right, who wouldn't take some time to make a decision like that. If he decides to go to another Aussie province, I hope it's the Reds, I have a bad taste for the other two now!

[tic]

I doubt that he would have much interest in the Reds. Even though the Reds backline is pretty handy (and with him, would be very handy), I think the lack of consistency in the Reds flankers and No. 8 would be a bit of a worry. There is good talent coming through, but consistency is the key.

[GIGS20]

It wasn't so much thinking of where his development would be best, more about my personal opinions of the other two teams and "the good of Australian rugby"

I know the Reds will continue to struggle to recruit, performances always translate in that way. I'd rather not have him go to the Brumbies, because he's better than just chasing a quick buck like that, and I truly hate the Tahs.....until the new franchise, I'd have to say Force first, Queensland second.......if the fifth team is in Melbourne, it'll more than likely stay that way.

I've come a long way from being a lukewarm Brumbies supporter before the Force were announced.

[mudskipper]

The Brumbies are offering far less than the Force GIGS... so I don't get your point there...

[GIGS20]

Since you asked me directly I guess I'll have to reply or be impolite.

I'm just saying the Brumbies are buying every player under the sun for next year and he would have far less game time over there under a coach who obviously has no idea how to develop world class talent.

Check the numbers, how many Wallaby Debutantes has Andy Friend developed? How many has John Mitchell? How may Wallabies has Friend bought for 2010? How many has Mitchell? If O'Connor goes to the Brumbies, it will be for a quick, easy payday, rather than to develop his game, he'll essentially be wimping out of putting in the hard yards with a team which will turn him into a genuine Australian superstar and taking the easy feeds of Giteau's half-breaks. It'll make for a lot of tries to a natural support runner like Rabbit, but won't make him into a better player.

The Brumbies would be insane to offer less than the Force, it's the third party schills that will make this deal financially viable, Brumbies and Force have a ceiling on what they can offer.....unless you are admitting that the Brums are involved in the third party deal being offered to JO'C....do you have proof?

[mudskipper]

The total Force offer is larger than the Brumbies offer, which includes third party sponsors... and it always has been...

Andy Friend has just one season in the S14 so we'll have to wait a few years to do a comparison with John Mitchell… But I agree Mitchell has developed some good loose forwards… Just his S14 Table results have been average… an average of 50% win/loss…

All that aside, Brumbies Head Coach Andy Friend does have the full support of his players and coaching team... Furthermore no one is leaving the Brumbies to sign with another Australian province… I think that speaks volumes about Andy Friend’s first year as Head Coach....

[Tazzmania]

I think thats more to do with Gits than Friend, but what about the players that may not be given contracts shortly, ie Julian Salvi

lets alos not forget that Friend was given an established team that has been around for a while while Mitch strated from Scratch

[mudskipper]

Salvi is looking OS... and look to return after 2011... Rathbone is retiring and Gerrard went to Japan and may return in a few years also...

[sandgroperrugby]

All that aside, Brumbies Head Coach Andy Friend does have the full support of his players and coaching team...

See how long that lasts with the new committee being established over there!!

If Friend doesnt perform well at the start of the season Look out with a little